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Brazil’s return to the World Baseball Classic in 2026 has provided an opportunity for the nationwide group’s younger expertise to shine. And with that, there shall be a large stage for one of many high prospects in the 2026 MLB Draft.
A 17-year-old pitcher shall be suiting up for Team Brazil when Joseph Contreras, a right-handed hurler, takes the mound because the youngest participant in the 2026 WBC.
Contreras will not simply be identified for his outstanding age whereas enjoying in the WBC — he is additionally obtained some household baseball historical past that MLB followers could also be accustomed to.
Here’s what to find out about Joseph Contreras and his connection to former MLB pitcher Jose Contreras.
MORE: World Baseball Classic wins by country
Is Joseph Contreras related to Jose Contreras?
Joseph Contreras is the son of former big-league right-handed pitcher Jose Contreras, who’s greatest identified for his time with the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox.
Like his father, Joseph is a right-handed pitcher who’s now pursuing an MLB profession.
Source: RHP prospect Joseph Contreras was included on Brazil’s closing roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Joseph, 17, is the son of José Contreras and his mom is Brazilian.
Considered one of many premier highschool pitchers to watch in the following MLB Draft. pic.twitter.com/e3nscCS6wx
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) February 3, 2026
MORE: What to know about WBC eligibility rules
Who is Joseph Contreras?
Joseph Contreras is a 17-year-old right-handed pitcher who is taken into account a powerful prospect for the 2026 MLB Draft. He stands at 6-foot-4, performed highschool baseball in Georgia and is the son of former MLB pitcher Jose Contreras.
Joseph is a commit to Vanderbilt, as he introduced in September 2025.
Right-hander pitcher Joseph Contreras, son of Jose Contreras, introduced his dedication to Vanderbilt.
Joseph, 17, reaches 93–96 MPH along with his fastball and reveals notable development potential to turn into a beginning pitcher in the longer term. pic.twitter.com/7wsIb3S99f
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) September 15, 2025
Additionally, Joseph Contreras was afforded a particularly uncommon alternative for a high-school-level pitcher: taking part in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. He shall be a member of Brazil’s roster, and he’s the youngest rostered participant in your entire event.
MORE: Inside Team USA’s WBC history
Why is Joseph Contreras enjoying for Brazil in the World Baseball Classic?
While Joseph Contreras was born in the United States, enjoying highschool ball in Georgia, he’s eligible to play for Brazil in the 2026 World Baseball Classic as a result of his mom, Isabel, is Brazilian. Additionally, his father defected from Cuba earlier than going onto turn into a World Series-winning pitcher in MLB.
Brazil, which final participated in the WBC in 2013, can be pretty quick on MLB or MiLB-level expertise, in contrast to different groups in the 2026 event. While groups like Japan, the U.S. and the Dominican Republic may simply fill out their roster with confirmed arms, Brazil’s willingness to deliver in a 17-year-old premiere highschool arm for the WBC speaks to the group’s want for roster choices.
Brazil will face the U.S. in pool play of the 2026 WBC, in order one of many high younger arms for the 2026 draft, Contreras may have the possibility to face a set of MLB All-Stars. Regardless, the WBC stage shall be a shiny one for him to show his draft case.
MORE: Revisiting Ken Griffey Jr.’s 2006 WBC
Joseph Contreras scouting report
Contreras stands at 6-foot-4 and 195 kilos, per Baseball America. The Vanderbilt commit has been ranked among the many greatest highschool right-handed pitchers in the nation, with ESPN writing that his greatest query is the “quality of his primary breaking pitch,” as he has thrown a mid-80s slider, however is now throwing an 88-91 mph cutter.
Contreras’ fastball sits round 94-98 mph, however he has hit 99. He throws a forkball that’s at the moment thought-about his greatest pitch, because it “dies at the plate,” his MLB.com profile says. Contreras is being projected as a starter sometime, per ESPN, however the “industry is still split” on him.
MLB.com gave the following grades to Contreras’ arsenal as a prospect:
- Fastball: 55
- Slider: 55
- Forkball: 60
- Changeup: 55
- Control: 50
- Overall: 50
Great have a look at the vicious FB/Fork combo from 2026 RHP Joseph Contreras.
– FB; 96 MPH, 2245 RPM
– Fork; 79 MPH, 1092 RPMOverlay/Slo-Mo@VandyBoys commit and one of many high RHP in the nation. @PrepBaseballGA || @ShooterHunt #GDC26 pic.twitter.com/KVyAknzU0i
— Ian Smith (@IanSmittyGA) February 23, 2026
Joseph Contreras MLB prospect rating
MLB.com has ranked Contreras because the No. 47 prospect in the 2026 MLB Draft, whereas ESPN has him ranked No. 35.
“He could fit into the top two rounds as one of the higher-ceiling arms in the high school class, though teams will have to sign him away from a Vanderbilt commitment,” Contreras’ MLB.com prospect profile says. “He still has room to pack plenty of muscle on his lanky frame, so he could add more power to his heater and his secondary offerings.”
“Contreras has a clean arm action and delivers his pitches from a high three-quarters slot. He throws his fastball for strikes and gets chases with the rest of his arsenal. Besides adding more strength, he needs to improve his fastball quality and show that his forkball, slider and changeup will work against more discerning hitters.”
‘26 RHP Joseph Contreras (GA) sitting at 92-95 & up to 96. Full repertoire, stopping motion & large depth to fork. Spinning a nasty tight SL at 86-87 too. #AnchorDown commit #PGShowdown @BT_Baseball @PG_Georgia @PG_Draft pic.twitter.com/OdyfZo0ru2
— Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) February 27, 2026
MORE: What to know about Japan’s WBC history
Jose Contreras MLB groups timeline
Jose Contreras hung out with the Yankees, White Sox, Phillies and extra from 2003-13.
The elder Contreras was named an All-Star in 2006, received a World Series with the White Sox in 2005 and competed for the Cuban nationwide group in the Summer Olympics, the Pan American Games and the Baseball World Cup; he is considered among the best Cuban baseball gamers ever.
Here’s a have a look at his timeline in MLB.
New York Yankees, 2002-04
In December 2002, after Contreras defected from Cuba, he signed a four-year, $32 million take care of the Yankees. By that time, he was already thought-about one of many high worldwide pitchers — Contreras had performed for the Cuban nationwide group in the Summer Olympics, Pan American Games, Baseball World Cup and a 1999 exhibition collection in opposition to the Baltimore Orioles, together with the Pinar del Río Vegueros of the Cuban National Series.
In that 1999 exhibition look in opposition to the Orioles, Contreras had pitched eight shutout innings, hanging out 10 batters. His MLB inventory grew from there. While Contreras hadn’t proven curiosity in defecting beforehand, he shocked scouts by defecting in 2002.
Contreras made just a few stops all through the Yankees’ minor league groups earlier than reaching MLB and placing collectively some robust outings for New York. In the 2003 season, he appeared in 18 video games, making 9 begins and totaling a 7-2 file, a 3.30 ERA and 72 strikeouts. Contreras additionally appeared in eight postseason video games.
In 2004, Contreras was initially a member of the Yankees’ rotation, however he struggled and was optioned to the minor leagues for a month.
Chicago White Sox, 2004-09
In July 2004, forward of the commerce deadline, the Yankees traded Contreras to the Chicago White Sox in trade for pitcher Esteban Loaiza. Between New York and Chicago in 2004, he completed with 13–9 file, a 5.50 ERA and 150 strikeouts in 170.3 innings.
The 2005 season can be an enormous one for Contreras, as he completed the season at 15–7 with a 3.61 ERA in 32 begins for the White Sox, changing into a significant piece of their rotation. He had a whole sport in opposition to the Twins on Sept. 23, 2005.
Chicago made the postseason, and Contreras was the group’s Game 1 starter in every spherical. He received two video games in the 2005 postseason — and the White Sox went on to win the World Series, with Contreras posting a 3–1 file, a 3.09 ERA and 14 strikeouts over 4 postseason begins.
Contreras signed a three-year, $29 million extension with Chicago in 2006, and he began the 12 months robust, with a 9–0 file, a 3.31 ERA and 71 strikeouts by July. He then broke a group file along with his sixteenth consecutive win in the common season, and Contreras was named an All-Star in the 2006 season however did not pitch in the sport itself.
Contreras’ fortune with the White Sox largely ran out from there. He struggled the remainder of the best way in 2006, ending with a 4.27 ERA in 30 begins, then went 10–17 with a 5.57 ERA in 32 video games on a struggling Chicago squad in 2007, though he did have two shutouts.
In August 2008, Contreras tore his Achilles tendon whereas fielding a floor ball, and he did not return till the 2009 season. But after going 0-5 in his return, he was moved to the bullpen, then the minor leagues.
Colorado Rockies, 2009
In August 2009, the White Sox traded Contreras to the Colorado Rockies with money for minor league pitcher Brandon Hynick.
He would solely spend just a few months with Colorado earlier than changing into a free agent.
Philadelphia Phillies, 2010-12
Contreras signed a one-year, $1.5 million take care of the Philadelphia Phillies in January 2010. With the deal, he grew to become a full-time bullpen arm after earlier years as a starter; in May 2010, he earned his first profession save as he stuffed in for ordinary nearer Brad Lidge.
After posting a 3.34 ERA in 67 appearances in 2010, Contreras signed a two-year, $5.5 million contract to stay in Philadelphia. He would put up a 3.86 ERA in 17 appearances in 2011 and a 5.27 ERA at age 40 in 2012, and the group then declined his membership choice after he spent a lot of the 12 months injured.
Pittsburgh Pirates, 2013
Contreras’ closing cease of his MLB profession got here in 2013, as he signed a minor-league take care of the Pirates however was elevated to the MLB roster by May. In seven appearances for Pittsburgh, he had a 7.00 ERA, which resulted in him being launched, re-signed, then launched once more.
While Contreras did go on to ink minor-league offers with the Red Sox in late 2013 and the Rangers in the spring of 2014, he didn’t make one other MLB look. He went on to pitch in the Mexican League and Chinese Professional Baseball League.
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Is Joseph Contreras related to Willson and William Contreras?
No, regardless of having the identical final identify, Joseph Contreras is just not related to present MLB gamers William and Willson Contreras, who’re brothers.
Where is Joseph Contreras from?
Joseph Contreras is from Alpharetta, Georgia and attended Blessed Trinity Catholic High School, the place he helped lead his group to a state 4-A title in 2025.
While his father defected from Cuba earlier than his MLB profession in the United States, his mom is Brazilian, which is why Joseph is eligible to play for Brazil in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
MORE: Most World Baseball Classic wins, by team
Where is Jose Contreras from?
Jose Contreras, the 11-year former All-Star MLB pitcher and father of prospect Joseph Contreras, is from Las Martinas, Pinar del Río, Cuba.
In his early baseball profession, Jose Contreras performed for Cuba’s nationwide group and in the Cuban National Series, however he defected from Cuba in October 2002, which led to his MLB profession.
