World Baseball Classic Details Unveiled, Expect Twins’ to Play

Baseball was removed from Olympics competition and a need to supplement the sport arose. The World Baseball Classic kicked off in 2006, and 2026 will be the sixth iteration. Details are now available for the tournament, and you can expect a handful of Minnesota Twins to participate.

What to know about the 2026 World Baseball Classic

The opening round will kick off on March 6, 2026. The World Baseball Classic takes place during Spring Training. Major League Baseball looks to avoid regular season disruption. Players will miss time for their big league organizations, although they will return prior to Opening Day. The championship round kicks off on March 15, 2026.

Four separate pools are present. Qualifiers will take place to determine the final team included in each. Team USA will headline Pool B. The Americans are grouped with Mexico, Italy, and Great Britain. Japan, who has won three of the previous five tournaments, headlines Pool C.

In 2023 we saw Team USA square off against Japan at loanDepot Park for the championship. The game produced incredible moments, particularly Los Angeles Angels teammates Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani squaring off against one another. The unicorn pitcher punched out the future first ballot Hall of Famer and Japan won 3-2.

Related: MLB Pipeline Names Former Twins Player to All-Time Prospect Lineup

Team USA will be seeking it’s first title since 2018 when they bested Puerto Rico 8-0.

Minnesota Twins will have participants in the 2026 World Baseball Classic

Although each organization would prefer to keep their talent at the respective Spring Training facilities, the Twins will have participants in the next World Baseball Classic. Baseball is an incredibly diverse sport, and different nations are present on every 26-man roster. No Twins played for Team USA in 2023, but seven players competed for other nations.

2026 should see a handful of Twins present on World Baseball Classic rosters. Here is a rundown of the possibilities:

• Edouard Julien (Canada) – Julien should be a lock even if he has scuffled for Minnesota this season. He played for Canada in 2023, and will again be an infield option.
• Christian Vazquez (Puerto Rico) – Vazquez played in 2023. He will be 36 years old in 2026. It’s possible he’s done playing on the global stage, but this will likely be his last shot.
• Carlos Correa (Puerto Rico) – Originally scheduled to play with Puerto Rico in 2023, Correa opted for a more tame leadup to the season. He’ll be there the next time around.
• Jose Miranda (Puerto Rico) – Miranda was on the roster for Puerto Rico but withdrew due to his shoulder injury. He’s been among the Twins best players this season and will represent his country in 2026.
• Jovani Moran (Puerto Rico) – The lefty underwent Tommy John surgery and has missed the 2024 season. He was on the Puerto Rico roster last time around though, and will be just 29 years old.
• Pablo Lopez (Venezuela) – Minnesota’s ace pitched for the Venezuelan team in 2023. There’s no reason he won’t return this time around.
• Jorge Alcala (Dominican Republic) – Alcala, now healthy and effective, could be in line to make his debut. The Twins reliever has put up a great 2024, and could factor in as a leverage arm in 2026.
• Emmanuel Rodriguez (Dominican Republic) – By 2026 E-Rod will have debuted with the Twins. He will be 23 years old and could be among the best young players in the sport. The Dominican Republic outfield is loaded with Julio Rodriguez and Juan Soto. E-Rod displacing Teoscar Hernandez or Eloy Jimenez isn’t crazy.
• Griffin Jax (USA) – The military Captain represents Minnesota’s best shot to represent Team USA. He’s one of the best relievers in baseball.
• Brooks Lee (USA) – The rookie has played for Team USA on his way to the big leagues, but this might be a leap. Lee’s development over the next two years will paint the picture. The Team USA infield did have Tim Anderson in it during 2023 though.

Maybe the most notable omission among players with current Twins connections is top prospect Walker Jenkins. He is a franchise cornerstone talent. Just a few big league games under his belt prior to 2026 may make his inclusion tough. It would be a meteoric rise to see him play for Team USA, but if he did, the stock would be sky high for Minnesota.

Related: What Minnesota Twins Would Join Carlos Correa in the Olympics?

The Olympics will bring back baseball in 2028. Who participates in a global tournament two years later remains to be seen. We’ll have a glimpse of who still has it in Miami.

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