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"description": "Brandon Tew previews each of the four pools in the WBC providing lineup predictions and players to watch",
"path": "/wbc-preview-pool-a/",
"publishedAt": "2026-03-08T04:33:18.000Z",
"site": "https://www.prospectslive.com",
"tags": [
"_Willi Castro_",
"_Darell Hernaiz_",
"_Nolan Arenado_",
"_Heliot Ramos_",
"_Matthew Lugo_",
"_Carlos Cortes_",
"_Eddie Rosario_",
"_Seth Lugo_",
"_Elmer Rodríguez_",
"_Eduardo Rivera_",
"_José De León_",
"_Edwin Díaz_",
"_Fernando Cruz_",
"_Francisco Lindor_",
"_Carlos Correa_",
"_Javier Baez_",
"_Jose Berrios_",
"_Victor Caratini_",
"_Emilio Pagan_",
"_Alexis Diaz_",
"_Enrique Hernandez_",
"_Yiddi Cappe_",
"_Yoán Moncada_",
"_Livan Moinelo_",
"_Julio Robaina_",
"_Denny Larrondo_",
"_Raidel Martinez_",
"_Yariel Rodríguez_",
"_Yoan López_",
"pic.twitter.com/JeejqEGDUT",
"November 10, 2025",
"_Josh Naylor_",
"_Edouard Julien_",
"_Otto Lopez_",
"_Abraham Toro_",
"_Bo Naylor_",
"_Owen Caissie_",
"_Denzel Clark_",
"_Tyler O’Neil_",
"_Jared Young_",
"_Tyler Black_",
"_Jameson Taillon_",
"_Michael Soroka_",
"_Logan Allen_",
"_Antoine Jean_",
"_Jordan Balazovic_",
"_Adam Macko_",
"_Noah Skirrow_",
"@Chevrolet",
"pic.twitter.com/44hPB3prWx",
"June 16, 2025",
"_Johan Camargo_",
"_Leo Jiménez_",
"_José Caballero_",
"_Edmundo Sosa_",
"_Miguel Amaya_",
"_Allen Córdoba_",
"_Enrique Bradfield Jr._",
"_Jose Ramos_",
"_Leonardo Bernal_",
"_Humberto Mejía_",
"_Javy Guerra_",
"_Gio Urshela_",
"_Gustavo Campero_",
"_Harold Ramírez_",
"_Michael Arroyo_",
"_Jose Quintana_",
"_Luis Patiño_",
"_Guillo Zuñiga_",
"_Austin Bergner_",
"subscribing to Prospects Live at the MVP level",
"Top 600+ Fantasy Prospects - Prospects LiveProspects LiveProspects Live Staff",
"Dynasty Rankings - Prospects LiveProspects LiveSmada",
"PLIVE+ App SuiteThe home to our interactive dynasty lists, projections, tools and moreProspects LiveSmada",
"Dynasty Closer Hierarchy - Prospects LiveProspects LiveNate Rasmussen",
"Open Universe Rankings - Prospects LiveProspects LiveGreg Hoogkamp",
"@CBaseballDigest",
"@MLB"
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"textContent": "International baseball is a different beast, and the WBC provides a platform for the whole world to view and enjoy this wonderful game. The passion that comes through from the participating nations brings a different flavor to the National Pastime. Our own Brandon Tew (our international expert) will be digging into each of the four pools and providing in-depth previews for each team. He predicts each team's lineup and rotation while highlighting players to watch in the tournament. He also predicts who he thinks will come out of each pool at the bottom.\n\nWe hope you enjoy this series and all the action at the WBC!\n\n## Puerto Rico\n\n _WBSC World Rank: #7_\n\n _WBC Appearances: 6/6_\n\n _All Time WBC Record: 20-14 (advanced to knockout round all five tournaments)_\n\n_Best Finish: Runner up (2013, 2017)_\n\n_2023 Performance: 3-2, eliminated in quarter finals (Wins over Nicaragua, Israel, Dominican Republic, Losses to Venezuela and Mexico)_\n\nEdwin Diaz (Photo Credit: mlb.com\n\n## Team Schedule\n\nDate| Opponent| Time (ET)\n---|---|---\nMarch 6| Colombia| 6 p.m. ET\nMarch 7| Panama| 6 p.m. ET\nMarch 9| Cuba| 7 p.m. ET\nMarch 10| Canada| 7 p.m. ET\n\n## Starting Lineup\n\n _1B - Emmanuel Rivera_\n\n _2B -__Willi Castro_\n\n _SS -__Darell Hernaiz_\n\n _3B -__Nolan Arenado_\n\n _C- Martín Maldonado_\n\n _LF -__Heliot Ramos_ __\n\n_CF -__Matthew Lugo_\n\n _RF -__Carlos Cortes_\n\n _DH -__Eddie Rosario_\n\n## Rotation\n\n _RHP_ _Seth Lugo_\n\n _RHP_ _Elmer Rodríguez_ __\n\n_LHP_ _Eduardo Rivera_\n\n _RHP_ _José De León_ __\n\n## **Other Top Arms**\n\n _RHP_ _Edwin Díaz_\n\n _RHP Jorge López_\n\n _RHP_ _Fernando Cruz_ __\n\n_RHP Yacksel Ríos_\n\n## Preview\n\nA lot has been made of the players Puerto Rico is missing, and for good reason. They’re without several key pieces for the 2026 WBC. Even so, Team Puerto Rico still fields one of the stronger clubs in what could be considered the tournament’s second tier. There’s enough talent here to advance from Pool A and potentially win a knockout game or two if things break right.\n\nWBC baseball returns to San Juan, where Hiram Bithorn Stadium previously hosted games in 2006, 2009, and 2013. The atmosphere should be electric. Puerto Rico will play all of its pool games at night, which should create a loud, energized environment for a team that has historically thrived on home support.\n\nThe lineup still features some intriguing talent. Emmanuel Rivera is slated to handle first base. He enters the tournament as a free agent after appearing in 43 games with Baltimore and 58 with Triple-A Norfolk in 2025.\n\nWilli Castro is a move-around-the-diamond utility type, but should anchor second base for this team. Castro spent most of the past few seasons with Minnesota before being traded to the Cubs at the deadline and eventually landing in Colorado for 2026. His value comes from versatility, though he has graded poorly in Defensive Runs Saved over the last two seasons. Offensively, he profiles as a possible slightly above-average bat who can move around the field with enough competency when needed.\n\nDarell Hernaiz will step in at shortstop in place of Francisco Lindor. He’ll look to provide steady offensive value as a hitter who limits swing-and-miss, avoids strikeouts, and keeps the lineup moving. Nolan Arenado, now in Arizona, slots in at third base and is also looking to rebound offensively. Arenado still does a good job avoiding strikeouts and lifting the ball to the pull side, but the power output has dipped compared to his peak years. He’s still a steady defender at third, even if it’s not the same defense he used to provide.\n\nBehind the plate, Martín Maldonado serves as the team captain and should split catching duties with Christian Vázquez. Neither is known for offensive production, but manager Yadier Molina understands the value of veteran catchers who can handle different pitchers and control the game defensively. Molina will also look to get pinch-hit opportunities at certain points in the game.\n\nThe outfield should consist of Heliot Ramos, Matthew Lugo, and Carlos Cortes. Ramos has plus bat speed and is beginning to turn into a very solid all-around hitter. If everything clicks, he can flirt with All-Star-level production at his best, and there’s a lot to like in his game.\n\nLugo debuted with the Angels last season and appeared in 31 games. In a brief 70 plate appearances, he pulled the ball 53.3 percent of the time. That rate will likely normalize, but his bat-to-ball skills will be key. They have been poor for most of his career, and if he can make more consistent contact, it could boost his profile. At the moment, he profiles as organizational depth or a fourth-outfielder type.\n\nCortes impressed in his MLB debut, producing a 132 wRC+ in just under 100 plate appearances. He drew only three walks in those 99 trips but still managed to slug four home runs and provide offensive value. One unique aspect of his game is his ambidextrous defensive ability. He throws right-handed when playing the infield and left-handed when playing the outfield, which opens additional defensive possibilities for him as a player.\n\nEddie Rosario likely slots in as the designated hitter and remains a useful veteran presence. Rosario has long had a knack for rising to big moments and delivering quality at-bats. He appeared in two games with the Dodgers and three with Atlanta in 2025, but if he can provide production from the bottom of the order, it would be a significant boost for Puerto Rico’s lineup.\n\nCredit: TJStats\n\nSeth Lugo returns as the ace of Team Puerto Rico and will get the ball in Game 1 against Panama. Lugo is a master at manipulating the baseball, moving it around the plate with a deep and distinct arsenal. He can show as many as ten different pitches, often creating multiple shapes that attack the same area of the zone at different velocities and overlap on a pitch plot.\n\nHere’s his outing last night:\n\nCredit: PitchProfiler\n\nFrom a low three-quarters arm slot, the right-hander understands the nuances of his repertoire and mixes his pitches well. Even in the tournament format, his outings are shorter, but he remains extremely difficult to game-plan for. Nicknamed the “Quarterrican,” Lugo has always taken pride in pitching for his grandfather’s homeland, and that emotion is evident every time he takes the mound for Puerto Rico.\n\nElmer Rodríguez is a thin-framed right-hander in the Yankees organization who is pushing toward the major leagues. He finished his 2025 season with a five-inning outing in Triple-A and features an intriguing low-slot delivery. Rodríguez works with a running four-seam fastball and a sinker that sit 94-96 mph. Off those fastballs, he throws a high-80s changeup and mixes in a lifted gyro slider around the same velocity, along with a bigger sweeper in the low-80s and a curveball around 77 mph that comes from the same tunnel. Rodríguez generates ground balls, shows plus athleticism on the mound, and can consistently access his distinct pitch shapes while pounding the strike zone. This profile helped him post the lowest FIP in the minor leagues last season, and he currently ranks among the Top 100 prospects in baseball and is close to an MLB debut sometime next season.\n\nEduardo Rivera brings veteran experience despite spending most of his career outside affiliated ball. He pitched in the lower minors with the Giants organization in 2018 and has also had time with the Yankees and Angels systems. In recent seasons, Rivera has bounced between independent leagues, the Panamanian Winter League, and Puerto Rico’s domestic Winter League, continuing to build innings and experience.\n\nJosé De León logged just 6.2 innings with Boston in 2025, spending most of the season at Triple-A Worcester. He features a low-90s four-seam fastball with slight cut, which helps set up a tumbling changeup in the low-to-mid 80s. De León also mixes a low-80s gyro slider and a bigger mid-70s slurve that can generate swings and misses. His arsenal is built around creating different shapes off the fastball, and he has been an up-and-down arm over the last few seasons. A strong WBC showing could help him earn another affiliated opportunity.\n\nThe bullpen is highlighted by the return of Edwin Díaz. After suffering an ankle injury during a celebration in the previous WBC, Díaz returns highly motivated to pitch again for Puerto Rico. Now a member of the Dodgers, he remains one of the best relievers in baseball, attacking hitters with a dominant fastball and slider combination that he often locates glove-side with devastating results.\n\nJorge López provides another experienced late-inning option. The right-hander works from a traditional arm slot with a five-pitch mix and adjusts his approach depending on handedness. Against opposite-handed hitters, he relies primarily on a mid-90s four-seam fastball and a big low-80s knuckle curve, occasionally mixing in a changeup. Against same-handed hitters, he shifts toward a sinker-slider combination, using the mid-90s sinker to pound the zone and set up the breaking ball.\n\nFernando Cruz rounds out the bullpen with one of the more dominant swing-and-miss profiles among relievers. He owns a 24 percent strikeout-to-walk rate and a 36 percent overall strikeout rate, driven largely by a splitter-heavy arsenal. Cruz throws one of the best splitters in the game, releasing it from a high slot and a six-foot release height and seven feet of extension. The low-80s pitch features gyro spin, making it a little unpredictable in its movement, generating a 56.6 percent whiff rate across 479 thrown splitters. It gives Puerto Rico another legitimate high-leverage reliever to go to. It would have been nice to see these players for Puerto Rico in 2026:\n\n_Francisco Lindor_\n\n _Carlos Correa_\n\n _Javier Baez_\n\n _Jose Berrios_\n\n _Victor Caratini_\n\n _Emilio Pagan_\n\n _Alexis Diaz_\n\n _Enrique Hernandez_ __\n\nThey still have really good talent and definitely enough to win this pool and make some noise in a Quarterfinal matchup and possibly beyond that.\n\n## X-Factors\n\n### Seth Lugo\n\nWill possibly make two starts in this pool to front-end and book-end pool play if he can turn the ball over to the pen both times and make solid outings. Puerto Rico will be in a great spot. He’s a pitcher with a deep arsenal and is hard to prepare for if you haven’t really faced him as a batter, a big advantage in a tournament like this.\n\n### Edwin Díaz\n\nWhen Puerto Rico gets the ball to Díaz late with the lead or to keep them within striking distance, he has to be nails in a pool with such evenly matched teams. Backend bullpen performance is huge!\n\n### Heliot Ramos\n\nRamos is one of the hitters I am gonna target to have a big tournament. He needs to produce at the top of the lineup and be on base in front of a hitter like Nolan Arenado. His bat speed and talent to hit the baseball are fun to watch when he’s locked in.\n\n### Eddie Rosario\n\nEddie Rosario will hit towards the bottom of this lineup and will need to come up with some big hits in the clutch. Braves fans will remember his impact in the postseason when they won a World Series in 2021. He seems to rise to the occasion in some big moments.\n\n## Cuba\n\n _WBSC World Rank: #10_\n\n _WBC Appearances: 6/6_\n\n _All Time WBC Record: 23-18 (advanced to knockout round all five tournaments)_\n\n_Best Finish: Runner-up (2006)_\n\n_2023 Performance: 3-3 Lost in quarter finals (Wins over Panama, Chinese Taipei, Australia, Losses to Netherlands, Italy and USA)_\n\nYoan Moncada (Photo Credit: nbcchicago.com\n\n## Team Schedule\n\nDate| Opponent| Time (ET)\n---|---|---\nMarch 6| Panama| 11 a.m. ET\nMarch 8| Colombia| 12 p.m. ET\nMarch 9| Puerto Rico| 7 p.m. ET\nMarch 11| Canada| 3 p.m. ET\n\n## Starting Lineup\n\n _1B - Ariel Martinez_\n\n _2B -__Yiddi Cappe_\n\n _SS - Erisbel Arruebarrena_\n\n _3B -__Yoán Moncada_\n\n _C- Omar Hernandez_\n\n _LF -_ Leonel Moas Jr. __\n\n_CF - Roel Santos_\n\n _RF - Yoelkis Guibert_\n\n _DH - Alfredo Despaigne_\n\n## Rotation\n\n _LHP_ _Livan Moinelo_ __\n\n_RHP Josimar Cousin_\n\n _LHP_ _Julio Robaina_ __\n\n_RHP_ _Denny Larrondo_ __\n\n## Other Top Arms\n\n _RHP_ _Raidel Martinez_ __\n\n_RHP_ _Yariel Rodríguez_ __\n\n_RHP Emmanuel Chapman_\n\n _RHP Armando Duenas_\n\n _RHP_ _Yoan López_\n\n## Preview\n\nThe Cubans are aiming for a strong showing at the 2026 WBC. They are obviously missing some talented players for reasons on and off the field. However, they are fielding a roster with NPB and MLB talent as well as players who still play in Cuba, and, given their baseball history, they are looking to advance from pool play again and make the knockout round.\n\nCredit: Yakyu Cosmopolitan\n\nAriel Martínez has been playing in NPB since 2018, first with Chunichi and now with Nippon-Ham. He’s had his share of ups and downs, but he does offer some right-handed pop and is a rangy defender at first base. When he did play with the big club in 2025, he graded out as one of the better defensive first basemen in the league by Defensive Runs Saved. Martínez split time between the Fighters and the farm team last season, appearing in roughly 30 games at each level, and will be looking to get 2026 off to a strong start.\n\nYiddi Cappe will handle second base for this squad after reaching Double-A Pensacola in the Marlins system last season. He’s a projectable talent with plus speed and an early-career feel to hit. His swing is a bit slashy, but does have some pop in it, though he hasn’t tapped into that power consistently yet. At 23, he’ll need to hit better to keep progressing after uneven offensive performances between High-A and Double-A.\n\nErisbel Arruebarrena has some MLB experience with the Dodgers but is now back playing in Cuba and various winter leagues. If you haven’t seen him play before, watching him pick it at shortstop can be a real treat as a smooth fielder.\n\nYoán Moncada returns to the WBC for Cuba, and this time, he really needs to be the guy for this lineup. His last WBC showed a little unevenness in both fit and production. For Cuba to generate offense, Moncada needs to be a difference-maker—hitting for power and playing steady defense at third base. Now with the Angels after up-and-down seasons with the White Sox, it would be great to see him put together a strong tournament and carry that momentum into a healthy, productive 2026 season.\n\nOmar Hernández is now in the Royals system and reached Double-A as a 24-year-old. The bat hasn’t quite developed enough for him to climb the ladder quickly, but he’s a solid defensive option behind the plate and could handle the bulk of the catching duties for this Cuban team.\n\nLeonel Moa Jr., Roel Santos, and Yoelkis Guibert should fill out the outfield from left to right. All three are domestic league talents in Cuba and will try to give this lineup some length by getting on base and contributing enough offense to help push runs across, while also providing steady defense in the outfield.\n\nLivan Moinelo is the ace of this Cuban rotation and, for my money, the second-best pitcher in Japan right now after winning the Pacific League MVP last season. He has a lively fastball that can sit in the low-90s but generates excellent ride, and as a lefty, there’s some natural cut to it as well. He can shape his slider depending on the situation, morphing it into more of a slutter at times or a true slider depending on where he wants to locate it. He also added a bigger slurve this season, but didn’t throw it in his first pool play start.\n\nThe changeup is also nasty, dropping and fading from his high three-quarters slot, and he possesses one of the prettiest curveballs in the world. He used to throw it a bit harder in the low-80s, but now it’s more in the mid-70s with serious bend and drop, a true rainbow curve he can snap off. For me, he’s also one of the best athletic movers on the mound in all of baseball despite being an undersized lefty.\n\nCredit: TJStats\n\nJosimar Cousin last pitched in affiliated ball with Triple-A Charlotte in the White Sox system. He features a low-to-mid-90s four-seam fastball and a touching low-80s changeup off it. He mixes in an overlapping slurve and a bigger curveball with some sweep. He only threw 25.1 innings in Triple-A in 2024, but had some success throwing strikes and landing his breakers in the zone.\n\nJulio Robaina also last pitched in Triple-A in 2024 with Houston and has since pitched in independent ball and the Mexican Pacific Winter League. He works with a low-90s four-seam and two sliders, a harder, shorter one in the mid-80s, and a baby sweeper in the low-80s, along with a curveball. Throwing a cut four-seam allows him to play off those different breaker shapes.\n\nDenny Larrondo is an athletic right-hander who pitched in the Diamondbacks system in 2025 at High-A after coming over from the Yankees in 2023. He’s currently a free agent, but a strong WBC showing could earn him another opportunity. The 23-year-old features a low-to-mid-90s heater and a plus curveball, though he has struggled at times to throw enough strikes.\n\nYariel Rodríguez followed Moinelo in the opener and looked sharp, striking out three over 2.1 scoreless innings. He’ll likely be deployed in a similar piggyback role later in the pool. His arsenal features a cutting fastball, a splitter, and a solid mid-80s slider he can land in the zone. The four-seam is at its best when it’s reaching the upper-90s. His role with Toronto entering 2026 remains a bit unclear, but a follower or piggyback role in MLB could be intriguing.\n\n> Sources: The Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB) and the Cuban government have been quietly considering lifting the sanction against Yariel Rodríguez, possibly opening the door for the right-hander to participate with Cuba in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. pic.twitter.com/JeejqEGDUT\n>\n> — Cuban Baseball Digest 🇺🇸🇨🇺 (@CBaseballDigest) November 10, 2025\n\nEmmanuel Chapman throws a mid-90s running four-seam and a sinker off that look, along with a mid-80s changeup and an 88-90 mph slider. He also has a slower “death ball” version of the slider. Cuba will likely lean on Chapman in higher-leverage situations out of the bullpen.\n\nYoan López works from a high slot with a funky arsenal and gets good extension down the mound, especially when throwing his splitter. Much of his repertoire features cutting action, and the slider can be a legitimate putaway pitch against right-handed hitters.\n\nRaidel Martínez is the guy at the back end. He was Yariel Rodríguez’s former teammate with Chunichi when Rodríguez served as his setup man. Now he’s closing for the Yomiuri Giants and continues to dominate NPB hitters with deceptive slot illusion. Martínez has been utterly dominant for years, posting a 264 ERA+ with a 1.11 ERA and 46 saves across 56.2 innings.\n\nCredit: Yakyu Cosmopolitan\n\n## X-Factors\n\n### Livan Moinelo\n\nCuba basically has to win the two possible starts Moinelo makes; he’s one of the most talented pitchers in Pool A. If they can get two strong outings out of him and then give a different look in Yariel Rodriguez, they could get the ball to their better relievers in the pen.\n\n### Yariel Rodríguez\n\nRodriguez was a bit of a breakout star in 2023’s WBC, then he defected and signed with the Blue Jays. It’s cool to see him pitching for Cuba again, and if he can be a bridge to Raidel Martinez, that will be a big reason why Cuba advances from this pool!\n\n### Raidel Martinez\n\nRaidel Martinez is one of the best relievers in NPB. His over-the-top slot produces a nasty carry four-seam in the mid-to-upper-90s, and then he throws a diving splitter off of it with this arm angle that plays up these low-90s splitters. He will also flip in a hard depth gyro a little slower in velocity; it’s big-time stuff from a right-handed reliever who will be asked to shut the door on teams.\n\n### Alfredo Despaigne\n\nDespaigne, a 39-year-old playing in his fourth WBC, having missed the 2023 WBC. I last saw him play for SoftBank in NPB that season, and for me, it’s a cool story that makes the WBC awesome. However, if he can provide some pop from the right side, wouldn’t that be an even better story?\n\n### Yoán Moncada\n\nMoncada has to be the dude for Cuba, a guy who can shoulder the load offensively and do some things on a baseball field his teammates can’t. For a team a little concerned about the lineup and bullpen, Moncada’s offensive production will be vital.\n\n## Canada\n\n _WBSC World Rank: #20_\n\n _WBC Appearances: 6/6_\n\n _All Time WBC Record: 7-13 (Canada has not reached the knockout stage in any tournament)_\n\n_Best Finish: 3-way tie for 1st in Pool play, but did not advance due to tiebreaker (2006, 2023)_\n\n_2023 Performance: 2-2 third place in pool play (Wins over Colombia and USA, Loses to Great Britain and Mexico)_\n\nJosh Naylor (Photo Credit: USA Today)\n\n## Team Schedule\n\nDate| Opponent| Time (ET)\n---|---|---\nMarch 7| Colombia| 11 a.m. ET\nMarch 8| Panama| 7 p.m. ET\nMarch 10| Puerto Rico| 7 p.m. ET\nMarch 11| Cuba| 3 p.m. ET\n\n## Starting Lineup\n\n _1B -__Josh Naylor_\n\n _2B -__Edouard Julien_\n\n _SS -__Otto Lopez_\n\n _3B -__Abraham Toro_\n\n _C-__Bo Naylor_\n\n _LF -__Owen Caissie_\n\n _CF -__Denzel Clark_\n\n _RF -__Tyler O’Neil_\n\n _DH -__Jared Young_ _/__Tyler Black_\n\n## Rotation\n\n _RHP_ _Jameson Taillon_ __\n\n_RHP_ _Michael Soroka_ __\n\n_RHP Cal Quantrill_\n\n _LHP_ _Logan Allen_\n\n## Other Top Arms\n\n _LHP_ _Antoine Jean_ __\n\n_RHP_ _Jordan Balazovic_ __\n\n_LHP_ _Adam Macko_ __\n\n_RHP Phillippe Aumont_\n\n _RHP Brock Dykxhoorn_\n\n _RHP_ _Noah Skirrow_\n\n## Preview\n\nCanada is rolling with a lineup full of MLB talent and several big-league pitchers, though the overall staff still includes several unproven arms. In what looks like a very even pool, Canada will likely need a consistent offense and to lean on contributions from nearly every pitcher on the roster to navigate the group stage.\n\nThe lineup construction is interesting. This is probably the most MLB-heavy position-player group Canada has fielded in a while, though they are missing longtime cornerstone Freddie Freeman at first base. That likely pushes Josh Naylor across the diamond to cover the position.\n\nNaylor had an excellent 2025 season for Seattle after a midseason trade from Arizona. His swing is geared toward the pull side, but he makes enough contact to avoid excessive strikeouts despite an aggressive approach. Between the two clubs, he posted a 20-30 season, showing surprising baserunning instincts by stealing bags while working off pitchers’ timing. Naylor remains one of the more underrated everyday players in baseball, playing with noticeable energy.\n\nEdouard Julien will likely slot in beside him on the right side of the infield. His time in Minnesota was somewhat uneven, with inconsistent offensive production due to limited playing time. After a strong rookie year with a 134 wRC+, Julien followed with a 79 mark in 2024 and an 81 in 2025. Now traded to Colorado, he’ll look to rediscover that early offensive form at Coors Field and is expected to start at second base against right-handed pitching in 2026.\n\nOtto Lopez shifted across the bag in May 2025, swapping positions with teammate Xavier Edwards, and handled shortstop well defensively. He recorded 7 Defensive Runs Saved across 956.2 innings and 394 total chances at the position. Lopez is more glove-first, but his strong contact rates could make him valuable if he strings together competitive plate appearances in the middle of the order.\n\nAbraham Toro has bounced between several teams in recent seasons and tends to chase too often, producing a fair amount of weak contact. However, he performed well in the 2023 WBC, collecting five hits and an .812 OPS in 17 plate appearances. Bo Naylor, Josh’s younger brother, will handle catching duties. He brings patience at the plate and pull-side power, though his exit velocity numbers are somewhat modest, with a 104.4 mph 90th percentile EV.\n\nCredit: TJStats\n\nThe outfield could be key both offensively and defensively. Owen Caissie was traded to Miami this offseason in the deal that sent Edward Cabrera to the Cubs. Caissie proved nearly everything he could in Triple-A but struggled in a brief 27-plate-appearance MLB stint. If he can trim the swing-and-miss while tapping into his power, he could become an important bat for Canada.\n\nCredit: TJStats\n\nDenzel Clarke is among the best defensive center fielders in baseball. His range allows him to run down balls in the gaps, and he can rob home runs with spectacular timing at the wall. He even produced one of the most memorable defensive plays of last season with a jaw-dropping robbery against the Angels.\n\n> Denzel Clarke is the first player EVER to win the @Chevrolet Electric Play of the Week 3 weeks in a row! ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/44hPB3prWx\n>\n> — MLB (@MLB) June 16, 2025\n\nOn the mound, the staff features a mix of recognizable MLB names and depth arms. Jameson Taillon finally returns to pitch for Canada after a 13-year gap, having last appeared as a 21-year-old in the 2013 WBC. Taillon operates with a six-pitch mix. His sweeper/slurve and cutter can blend into a “slutter” shape against right-handers, and he also features a two-seam fastball thrown at a similar velocity to his four-seam. Against lefties, he leans more on his curveball and changeup, with the curve grading well both analytically and in results.\n\nCredit TJStats\n\nMichael Soroka continues trying to reestablish himself in the majors after bursting onto the scene with an All-Star season in Atlanta in 2019. Severe Achilles injuries stalled his career, but he remains an effective arm. His arsenal now centers more on a low-to-mid-90s four-seam fastball rather than the sinker that once defined his profile, while a big low-80s slurve has become a key secondary pitch in relief work.\n\nCal Quantrill brings an unusual arsenal structure. His two fastballs and splitter all feature arm-side movement and tend to stack vertically. On the glove side, he mixes a cutter, slider, and curveball that also share overlapping vertical movement profiles, creating a somewhat unconventional pitch mix.\n\nCredit TJStats\n\nLogan Allen, not that Logan Allen, no, the other one is pitching for Canada. The more established Logan Allen is pitching for Panama in this same pool. He spent 2025 in KBO pitching for the NC Dinos after MLB stints with Cleveland, Baltimore, and Arizona. He was very meh in NC in KBO, with a 4.53 ERA in 173 innings pitched and a 10.6% K-BB rate. He’s low-90s with his four-seam and sinker with a low-80s splitter. The cutter and sweeper can morph a little, and he also has a slower curve. He’s looking to pitch well in this WBC and have some more pro opportunities.\n\nHe’s really trying to figure out how to pitch well with this mix and get back to his 2021 and 2022 levels of production. Pitching in Miami in 2025, he threw eight innings in Atlanta as they were scrambling to find arms late in the season. He’s now in Texas looking to get back on track and possibly be a depth piece for the Rangers as a non-roster invitee to camp.\n\nLogan Allen—no, not that Logan Allen, the other one—is also part of the Canadian staff. The more established Logan Allen will actually pitch for Panama in the same pool. Canada’s Allen spent 2025 in the KBO with the NC Dinos after previous MLB stints with Cleveland, Baltimore, and Arizona. His season in Korea was fairly average, posting a 4.53 ERA across 173 innings with a 10.6% K–BB rate. He works in the low 90s with both a four-seam and sinker, mixes in a low-80s splitter, and features a cutter and sweeper that can blur together, along with a slower curveball. A strong WBC showing could help him secure another professional opportunity.\n\nAmong younger arms, Antoine Jean is a left-hander selected in the seventh round of the 2025 draft by Colorado after a strong relief season at Houston, where he posted a 2.55 ERA over 67 innings. Adam Macko is another lefty with a separated four-pitch mix featuring a low-90s four-seam fastball, low-80s changeup, slider, and slower curve. His roughly six-foot extension and three-quarters slot create a modest angle, though inconsistent command limits the profile despite decent pitch separation.\n\nTwo towering right-handers round out parts of the staff. Phillippe Aumont stands 6-foot-7 and 265 pounds, while Brock Dykxhoorn checks in at 6-foot-8 and 250 pounds. Both have pitched professionally in several leagues and will be looking to use the WBC as a springboard toward another contract.\n\nFinally, Noah Skirrow impressed in the previous WBC and should again be asked to provide valuable innings as a bridge arm. Working with low-90s velocity and a deep mix of seven pitches. This lineup and rotation have enough talent to win or even advance as a runner-up in this pool. They are gonna need guys to step up and provide big offensive and pitching performances to do it.\n\n## X-Factors\n\n### Jameson Taillon, Michael Soroka, and Cal Quantrill\n\nGonna group this trio of pitchers together. For Canada to advance, all three of them have to pitch well and be efficient so that they can get the ball to a somewhat unproven, iffy bullpen. Taillon is the most talented right now, but Quantrill and Soroka are looking to provide some depth to their MLB teams, and strong starts in the WBC would put them on track to be available options.\n\n### Josh Naylor\n\nJosh Naylor is the best offensive player in this lineup, possibly, and if he can provide some impact getting on base and causing chaos when on base, whether he’s tipping pitches from 2nd or just messing with the pitcher. Getting into scoring positions as often as possible will be super important in a pool that could come down to the tiebreakers.\n\n### Owen Caissie\n\nCaissie is ready for the opportunity in Miami, and in a ballpark that is hard for right-handed hitters to exit stage left in left field. It would be nice to see a lefty in this lineup, like Caissie, provide some big pop and be productive in whatever lineup spot he’s hitting from.\n\n## Panama\n\n _WBSC World Rank: #8_\n\n _WBC Appearances: 3/6_\n\n _All Time WBC Record: 2-9 (has not advanced to knockout round in any tournament)_\n\n_Best Finish: Tied for second in pool play, lost tiebreaker (2023)_\n\n_2023 Performance: 2-2 in pool play, lost tiebreaker, did not advance_\n\nJose Caballero (Photo Credit: pan.new.o-abroad.com\n\n## Team Schedule\n\nDate| Opponent| Time (ET)\n---|---|---\nMarch 6| Cuba| 11 a.m. ET\nMarch 7| Puerto Rico| 6 p.m. ET\nMarch 8| Canada| 7 p.m. ET\nMarch 9| Colombia| 12 p.m. ET\n\n## Starting Lineup\n\n _1B -__Johan Camargo_\n\n _2B -__Leo Jiménez_\n\n _SS -__José Caballero_\n\n _3B -__Edmundo Sosa_\n\n _C-__Miguel Amaya_\n\n _LF -__Allen Córdoba_\n\n _CF -__Enrique Bradfield Jr._\n\n_RF -__Jose Ramos_\n\n _DH -__Leonardo Bernal_\n\n## Rotation\n\n _LHP_ _Logan Allen_\n\n _RHP Ariel Jurado_\n\n _RHP_ _Humberto Mejía_\n\n _RHP Jaime Barria_\n\n## Other Top Arms\n\n _LHP Alberto Baldonado_\n\n _RHP Paolo Espino_\n\n _RHP_ _Javy Guerra_ __\n\n_RHP Dario Agrazal_\n\n## Preview\n\nPanama features a mix of older MLB talent and younger prospects throughout both the lineup and pitching staff. Johan Camargo, a former member of the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and San Francisco Giants, played in Mexico in 2025 and brings some veteran presence to the lineup. He’ll likely handle first base and provide competitive at-bats with experience against high-level pitching.\n\nLeo Jiménez profiles as a bat-to-ball contact hitter who leverages a longer swing into above-average hard contact. He pairs that with strong walk and strikeout rates thanks to a patient approach and good pitch recognition. The Toronto Blue Jays infielder will play second base for Panama and has seen time in the majors in both 2024 and 2025 with mixed results.\n\nOn the left side of the infield, José Caballero and Edmundo Sosa provide additional MLB experience at shortstop and third base. Caballero is a solid-to-above-average defender capable of handling multiple positions and has settled into a useful utility role in the majors. Offensively, he can impact the baseball when he squares it up, but often works deeper counts and is willing to take walks, which also leaves him somewhat vulnerable to strikeouts. Sosa, meanwhile, will likely start at third but has the versatility to move around the infield. He is a notably aggressive hitter who rarely walks and can be prone to chasing, though his strikeout rates tend to hover only slightly above league average.\n\nBehind the plate, Miguel Amaya of the Chicago Cubs offers some intriguing traits. He swings frequently but makes solid contact and generally limits whiffs. That contact-oriented approach keeps his walk rates low, and while he can pull the ball in the air at times, his power output is limited by modest hard-hit rates and exit velocities.\n\nIn the outfield, Allen Córdoba is expected to start in left field but has experience across all three outfield spots. He had a brief stint in the majors with the San Diego Padres in 2017 but has since bounced around the minor leagues and now primarily plays in Panama’s winter league and in Mexico.\n\nCenter field will likely belong to Enrique Bradfield Jr., a former Vanderbilt Commodores baseball standout now in the Baltimore Orioles system. Bradfield is an elite defender with top-tier speed who can cover significant ground in centerfield. Offensively, he remains a work in progress. His game is built more around slashing contact and speed rather than impact, and while he makes decent contact, he can fall into poor counts and currently posts low walk totals with a fair amount of strikeouts.\n\nJosé Ramos rounds out the outfield and brings legitimate raw power, though strikeout issues and considerable swing-and-miss heavily impact his profile. If he can simply find ways to get on base during the tournament, that alone would represent positive production from the position group.\n\nCatching prospect Leonardo Bernal of the St. Louis Cardinals organization could see time both behind the plate and at designated hitter. Bernal is a switch-hitter with intriguing offensive potential, but he still needs to find consistent production from both sides of the plate. The tools suggest more than a future backup if the bat continues to develop.\n\nOn the pitching side, Panama opened the tournament with Logan Allen of the Cleveland Guardians. The left-hander works in the low 90s and posted a solid 2025 season, throwing 156.2 innings with a 4.25 ERA, though his 8.9% K–BB rate highlights the lack of swing-and-miss in his profile. Allen relies more on sequencing and pitch variety than overpowering stuff. He mixes a five-pitch arsenal that includes a four-seam fastball, sinker, cutter, slider/sweeper combination, and changeup from a slightly lower arm slot. Against Cuba, however, he struggled to keep the ball in the park and failed to locate his sweeper consistently—arguably his best pitch—which made it difficult for the rest of his arsenal to play up.\n\nCredit PitchProfiler\n\nAriel Jurado has pitched in the KBO over the past three seasons, two for Kiwoom and one for Samsung. He features a touching low-90s fastball with a slurvy breaker. There’s also a tighter slider and cutter, along with a decent changeup. He’s been inconsistent in his performance, but when he’s on, he’s hard to square up.\n\nHumberto Mejía, a left-hander who has spent the past three seasons with the Chunichi Dragons in Nippon Professional Baseball, is another rotation option. Mejía also sits in the low 90s and works with an expansive seven-pitch mix in a fairly tight velocity band. While he hasn’t generated many strikeouts, he can be difficult to square up when he’s locating and mixing effectively.\n\nCredit: Yakyu Cosmopolitan\n\nRight-hander Jaime Barría brings additional professional experience. Barría pitched for the Hanwha Eagles in the KBO League during the 2024 season, making 20 appearances (19 starts) and posting a 5.15 ERA before spending the 2025 season pitching in Mexico. His experience across multiple professional leagues gives Panama another veteran arm capable of providing innings in tournament play.\n\n## X-Factors\n\n### José Caballero\n\nCaballero has to have some big moments for Panama to get out of this pool. His combination of defense and a sound offensive approach could be a player who helps a lineup score runs.\n\n### Miguel Amaya\n\nYeah, the pitching needs to be good, and some of that falls on the catcher, Amaya, but also Panama needs as much offense as they can get, and Amaya could lengthen the lineup a bit with good at-bats.\n\n### Enrique Bradfield Jr.\n\nBradfield Jr. can be a spark-plug for this team, using his speed to create some extra chances for Panama to score if he’s hitting at the bottom of the lineup. Getting on base and flipping the lineup back to the top could be a deciding factor in how many runs this team scores in pool play.\n\n## Colombia\n\n _WBSC World Rank: #13_\n\n _WBC Appearances: 3/6_\n\n _All Time WBC Record: 2-5 (have not advanced to the knockout stage in any tournament)_\n\n_Best Finish: 3rd in pool play (2017)_\n\n_2023 Performance: 1-3 4th in pool play (Win over Mexico, Losses to Canada, USA and Great Britain)_\n\nJose Quintana (Photo Credit: Fernando Llana)\n\n## Team Schedule\n\nDate| Opponent| Time (ET)\n---|---|---\nMarch 6| Puerto Rico| 6 p.m. ET\nMarch 7| Canada| 11 a.m. ET\nMarch 8| Cuba| 12 p.m. ET\nMarch 10| Panama| 12 p.m. ET\n\n## Starting Lineup\n\n _1B -Reynaldo Rodriguez_\n\n _2B - Donovan Solano_\n\n _SS - Dayan Frias_\n\n _3B -__Gio Urshela_\n\n _C- Daniel Vellojin_\n\n _RF -__Gustavo Campero_ __\n\n_CF - Brayan Buelvas / Tito Polo_\n\n _LF -__Harold Ramírez_\n\n _DH -__Michael Arroyo_\n\n## Rotation\n\n _LHP_ _Jose Quintana_\n\n _RHP_ _Luis Patiño_\n\n _LHP Adrian Almeida_\n\n _RHP Julio Teheran_\n\n## Other Top Arms\n\n _RHP_ _Guillo Zuñiga_\n\n _RHP Ezequiel Zabaleta_\n\n _RHP_ _Austin Bergner_ __\n\n_RHP Elkin Alcala_\n\n## Preview\n\nColombia is behind the eight ball as I write this, already with two losses in pool play; they will need to win the last two games against Cuba and Panama to force a tiebreaker at 2-2. It didn’t help that Jose Quintana was on a strict pitch count for the first start of pool play. Colombia played well, but it just fell apart in the 5th inning, with all 5 runs scored by Puerto Rico in the Top of the 5th.\n\nLuis Patiño has to win his outing now, as Julio Teheran experienced shoulder discomfort warming up for his start against Canada.\n\nJulio Teheran, a former top prospect and ace for the Braves, is trying to get back to the bigs, throwing in Triple-A Norfolk in 2024. It was just under 50 innings with an 8.94 ERA. He’s a slow slot righty with minimal extension and a very contracted arsenal vertically, where he creates sink and sweep. The cutter just barely moves off the four-seam, and his sinker and changeup blend in movement. The sinker in the mid-80s and the cambio in the low-80s. He also throws a slurvy breaker to both handedness, but is mainly a sinker baller trying to create weird angles to the plate. Hopefully, Teheran can pitch in one of the pool-play games.\n\nLuis Patiño pitched in the San Diego Padres organization last season and last pitched in MLB in 2023. He pitched on March 3rd against the Braves in spring training, and we will see how his stuff looks when the adrenaline is pumping.\n\nAdrian Almedia ended up following Jose Quintana, so I am interested in who will get the ball in the last two pool-play games. They might have to piece it together more than they originally thought to have a chance at it.\n\nReynaldo Rodriguez has mainly played in Mexico after stints with the Yankees, Red Sox, and Twins, all from 2006-2016. The 39-year-old is a veteran presence for this club, with extensive experience in previous Qualifiers and WBCs.\n\nDonovan Solano and Gio Urshela provide MLB experience at 2B and 3B, respectively, as solid offensive and defensive players with more platoon capabilities than starter roles in MLB.\n\nWhile Dayan Frias is a shortstop project for Cleveland at 23 years old, in Triple-A now, he’s a versatile defender, but is more of a guy who can kinda play shortstop and is better at other positions. He’s a switch-hitter with an athletic operation in the box with some bat speed issues, as he’s blocked a little by better prospects in front of him, so something needs to happen for him to break through with the big club.\n\nGustavo Campero looks more like a bench OF but has gotten some playing time with the Angels over the past two seasons, and he can run, which helps him defensively and on the base paths. Harold Ramírez is a free agent right now, but played six seasons in MLB for seven different teams, and this could be a nice showcase to get picked up by a team.\n\nMichael Arroyo is a fringe top 100 prospect for most outlets, including sneaking in at 100 here at Prospects Live. Danny Barrand gave him 55 hit and 55 power grades. But fringy fielding grades as Seattle has decided to try and move Arroyo from 2B to LF. It’s a simplistic setup and quick hands to the baseball as a hitter. He’s been hitting at the top of the lineup for Colombia and needs to be an offensive catalyst for this team to score runs.\n\nUltimately, Colombia has an uphill climb to make it out of this pool, but they do have a chance with solid players around the field and intriguing prospect talent as well.\n\n## X-Factors\n\n### Jose Quintana\n\nQuintana might pitch again for this team in the last game of the pool, and it could be a big one for Colombia. Quintana pitched well, but the quick hook due to pitch restrictions caused the team to cover a bit more innings.\n\n### Luis Patiño\n\nPatiño might be the best pitcher on the roster who hasn't pitched yet. He needs to be successful and soak up some outs, so this team can win a game, then see what happens in the 4th game. He’s trying to find his way back to the big leagues and has pitched in big moments.\n\n### Gio Urshela & Donovan Solano\n\nUrshela and Solano have to help carry some of this lineup's production as two of the more talented players with MLB experience. Hopefully, both can get it going in the last two games of pool play, so this team doesn’t have to rely on shut-down pitching.\n\n### Michael Arroyo\n\nA talented hitter, he has to be a guy and set the table for the rest of this offense. I like his swing and ability to barrel up the baseball at times, and also his ability to limit strikeouts while taking his walks. He will reach Triple-A sometime in 2026, which will be fun to monitor his production at that level.\n\n## Prediction\n\nThis pool is so evenly matched, really, across the board. To me, there’s not one bad team, but someone will end up being relegated and will have to re-qualify. We could end up with a tiebreaker among multiple teams, such as Pool A, as in the last WBC. Puerto Rico seems like the best team, even with some players missing, and they got off to a good start with a win. Cuba is also in a good spot, and if Livan Moinelo can get two starts, they will have a chance to advance. Canada also has possibly enough firepower in the lineup to win some difficult games. The pitching seems more of a question with Colombia, Panama, Cuba, and Canada, so it could come down to pitching well enough to advance.\n\n## **Pool Winner**\n\nPuerto Rico\n\n## **Pool Runner-up**\n\nCuba\n\n* * *\n\nConsider subscribing to Prospects Live at the MVP level to receive access to our lists and tools! $12/mo gets you access to:\n\n**Top 600+ Prospect Rankings**\n\n Top 600+ Fantasy Prospects - Prospects LiveProspects LiveProspects Live Staff\n\n**Top 1500+ Dynasty Rankings, Trade Analyzer, Trade Matchmaker, and League Analyzer:**\n\n Dynasty Rankings - Prospects LiveProspects LiveSmada\n\n**PLIVE+ Prospect Rankings with Peak Projections:**\n\n PLIVE+ App SuiteThe home to our interactive dynasty lists, projections, tools and moreProspects LiveSmada\n\n**Dynasty Closer Hierarchy:**\n\n Dynasty Closer Hierarchy - Prospects LiveProspects LiveNate Rasmussen\n\n**Open Universe Rankings:**\n\n Open Universe Rankings - Prospects LiveProspects LiveGreg Hoogkamp",
"title": "WBC Preview - Pool A",
"updatedAt": "2026-03-08T04:33:19.824Z"
}