12 Toronto Blue Jays set to represent their countries at World Baseball Classic
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Twelve members of the Toronto Blue Jays organization are set to represent their respective countries at the 2026 World Baseball Classic, which gets underway on March 5.
For the Toronto Blue Jays seven of those players bring major league experience to the international stage.
That group includes shortstops Andres Gimenez (Venezuela) and Leo Jimenez (Panama), versatile infielder Ernie Clement (United States), catcher Alejandro Kirk (Mexico), first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Dominican Republic), third baseman Kazuma Okamoto (Japan) and right-hander Yariel Rodriguez (Cuba).
Five additional Blue Jays prospects will also take part. Left-hander Adam Mako will suit up for Canada, while outfielder RJ Schreck and catcher CJ Stubbs will represent Israel.
Catcher Will Cresswell is slated to play for Great Britain, and outfielder Ismael Munguia will compete for Nicaragua.
Guerrero is expected to be one of the marquee names for a stacked Dominican Republic roster widely viewed as a championship contender.
He’ll share the spotlight with fellow superstar Juan Soto of the New York Mets, giving the club two of the highest-paid players in the sport anchoring its lineup.
For Blue Jays fans, the tournament will offer an early glimpse of high-profile free-agent addition Kazuma Okamoto.
The power-hitting third baseman is expected to hold down the hot corner for defending champion Japan before joining Toronto for the regular season.
Kirk enters the WBC fresh off an All-Star campaign in which he hit .282 with 15 home runs.
Recently ranked among the top catchers in the game, he will team up with childhood friend Jonathan Aranda of the Tampa Bay Rays to lead Team Mexico’s charge.
One intriguing name to monitor is Schreck, whom Toronto acquired from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Justin Turner at the 2024 trade deadline.
The outfielder enjoyed a productive 2025 season, batting .249 with 18 home runs across 105 games split between four minor league levels.
John Schneider ramping up players for tournament
With much of the projected infield departing for national team duty, manager John Schneider has prioritized giving those players extended run in early Grapefruit League action beginning February 21.
The goal is to ensure they are fully built up before reporting to their respective camps around March 1.
Macko stands as the lone Blue Jays organizational representative currently listed on Canada’s roster, which will hold its training camp at Toronto’s Player Development Complex in Dunedin, Florida.
Pool play begins March 5 in Japan and March 6 in the United States. The knockout rounds start March 13, with the championship game scheduled for March 17 at LoanDepot Park in Miami.
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| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 20|148 ANSWERS 12 Toronto Blue Jays set to represent their countries at World Baseball Classic Who will you be rooting for in the 2026 WBC? | ||
| Canada | 125 | 84.5 % |
| USA | 5 | 3.4 % |
| Japan | 7 | 4.7 % |
| Other | 11 | 7.4 % |
| List of polls | ||