World Baseball Classic: Team Japan Roster News, Notes, and Analysis

The defending World Baseball Classic champions are gearing up for another run, aiming to capture their fourth title in tournament history.

Following two waves of roster announcements in late December and early January, manager Hirokazu Ibata officially unveiled Samurai Japan’s 29-man squad at a press conference on January 26, leaving just one roster spot to be finalized at a later date.

Under Hideki Kuriyama, Japan stormed through the 2023 WBC undefeated, dispatching Italy, Mexico, and Team USA in the knockout stage as Shohei Ohtani struck out Mike Trout in dramatic fashion to seal a storybook ending. Kuriyama retired at the peak of his success, with the former eight-time NPB All-Star assuming the helm later that year.

Since then, the senior national team has suffered just one loss under Ibata’s leadership, but it proved costly as Chinese Taipei stunned Japan on home soil in the gold medal game of the 2024 WBSC Premier12.

With the 2026 WBC fast approaching, expectations will be high for Ibata to guide the Samurai back to the final at a minimum.

Team Japan World Baseball Classic Roster Update

Update (February 26): San Diego Padres pitcher Yuki Matsui withdrew from the WBC with a left groin injury and was replaced by Chunichi Dragons pitcher Yumeto Kanemaru.

Update (February 19): Seiya Suzuki is now expected to play center field for Japan.

Update (February 13): Hanshin Tigers pitcher Daichi Ishii withdrew from the WBC with a left Achilles tendon injury and was replaced by Seibu Lions pitcher Chihiro Sumida.

Update (February 11): Seibu Lions pitcher Kaima Taira withdrew from the WBC with a left calf injury and was replaced by Rakuten Eagles pitcher Shoma Fujihira.

Update (February 4): Boston Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida confirmed on Instagram that he is the 30th and final player on Japan’s roster.

Update (January 31): Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed that Shohei Ohtani will NOT pitch in the WBC.

Position Players

Japan’s title-winning lineups in 2006, 2009, and 2023 were all incredibly formidable, but this group may be the strongest yet. With the best player in the world, Shohei Ohtani, anchoring the order as the designated hitter, Ibata has no shortage of stars at his disposal, drawing from both MLB and NPB.

Behind the plate, Japan has opted for a defensively oriented tandem of Seishiro Sakamoto and Kenya Wakatsuki, with veteran Yuhei Nakamura, who caught the final out in 2023, as the third-string.

Sakamoto won the NPB Fielding Bible Award at the position last year as an elite framer, accumulating 25 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), while posting a career-best 115 OPS+ with the stick. Wakatsuki finished with a 112 OPS+ and has a good rapport with pitchers like Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Japan has retained much of its infield core from 2023, with Munetaka Murakami, Kazuma Okamoto, Shugo Maki, and Sosuke Genda all returning.

One notable wrinkle this time is that Murakami and Okamoto will likely swap at the corners, with Murakami sliding over to first base and Okamoto moving to the hot corner as both sluggers enter their debut MLB seasons. Together, they’ve hit nearly 500 career home runs in NPB.

Maki logged a handful of games in 2023, but was overshadowed by superstar Tetsuto Yamada at the time. Now, he’s fully earned the spotlight. He’s slashed .295/.345/.509 across five NPB seasons, consistently ranking as a top 10 hitter in the league.

Genda, a longtime defensive stalwart, served as the primary shortstop in 2023 even after breaking his pinky finger midway through the tournament. This time around, reigning Central League batting champion Kaito Kozono is expected to get the starting job, with Genda as a backup. 

Though Kozono grades out poorly with the glove, his elite bat-to-ball skills provide some offensive diversity, evidenced by a sub-10% strikeout rate in consecutive seasons.

Many fans were hoping to see rising star Yuta Izuguchi get the nod instead, but Ibata leaned on Kozono at the keystone during the Premier12, a choice that may reflect his unique perspective as a former middle infielder himself.

Additionally, Teruaki Sato was called up following a Central League MVP campaign that saw him lead NPB with 40 home runs, 102 RBI, and 7.0 WAR. He’s batted .263/.326/.493 in five NPB seasons and (like Maki and Kozono) has MLB ambitions down the road.

He profiles as a high-impact super backup at third base, but could also factor into the corner outfield mix, where he has some experience.

As things stand, an outfield alignment of Kensuke Kondoh, Shota Morishita, and Seiya Suzuki appears likely, though that could change if contact specialist Masataka Yoshida is added as the 30th man.

Kondoh was the 2024 Pacific League MVP and has remarkably maintained an on-base percentage north of .400 in 10 of his last 11 seasons. He dealt with a lingering back injury last year, but has been a good defender at the corners. Suzuki was expected to be a centerpiece of the 2023 lineup but was forced to withdraw after sustaining an injury in the spring.

Though primarily a right fielder, Morishita has taken reps in center and is quickly establishing himself as a young star. He’s coming off an excellent year that included 23 homers and 15 DRS with a 153 OPS+.

The lightning-fast Ukyo Shuto will presumably come off the bench as a late-inning defensive replacement in center and as a pinch-runner, similar to his role in 2023 when he famously scored the winning run after entering for Yoshida in the semifinals.

Pacific League batting title winner Taisei Makihara also figures to be a key utility bench piece, offering plus speed with positional flexibility across the infield and outfield.

With the exception of Japanese-American outfielder Lars Nootbaar, who underwent surgery on both heels during the offseason, and a few debatable positions like shortstop, Japan has essentially assembled its best possible lineup.

Pitching Staff

Japan rolled out a legendary rotation in the last tournament, headlined by a fully healthy Shohei Ohtani and Yu Darvish, a peak version of Roki Sasaki and Shota Imanaga, and, of course, Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

This time, with Darvish and Sasaki out, Ibata is relying on veterans Yusei Kikuchi and Tomoyuki Sugano to fill out the back end.

It lacks the same bite and star power of the 2023 group, but the rotation is still formidable, anchored by one of the top starters on the planet in Yamamoto. Ohtani remains an ace-caliber arm in his own right, though he could be deployed in a more hybrid role depending on circumstances.

Top NPB aces like Hiromi Itoh, fresh off an Eiji Sawamura Award, and Hiroya Miyagi may be considered as well. Itoh has been a true workhorse, featuring a low-to-mid-90s high-ride fastball as the foundation of a comically wide arsenal of more than 10 pitches.

Miyagi has exceptional glove-side command of his fastball and sweeper, aided by a deceptive crossfire delivery and a low arm angle.

Ibata has also included other talented young starters with upside, including Koki Kitayama, Atsuki Taneichi, Hiroto Takahashi, and Ryuhei Sotani. They are likely to be tasked with providing length as multi-inning followers, piggybacking off the starters.

As for the rest of the bullpen, Yuki Matsumoto, part of SoftBank’s championship-winning three-headed dragon, and Daichi Ishii, coming off a historic season with a ridiculous 0.17 ERA, can both be deployed in high-leverage, fireman roles.

Meanwhile, Kaima Taira, Taisei, and Yuki Matsui figure to compete for closing duties, though Ibata could simply opt for a matchup-based committee.

Taira will be stretched out as a starter once the regular season begins, but brings high-octane stuff and a surprisingly deep mix from a low vertical approach angle.

Taisei can reach the high-90s from a unique sidearm slot, while Matsui has been solid through his first two MLB seasons and was a star closer during his long tenure in NPB.

The overall staff could have looked even better if Roki Sasaki, Tatsuya Imai, and Shunpeita Yamashita were available. Sasaki is sitting out after an injury-plagued debut MLB season. Imai is electing to focus on his first spring training in the Big Leagues.

The young phenom Yamashita is presumably left off due to his recent injury history. Flamethrowing reliever Shinya Matsuyama is another notable omission.

Shota Imanaga and Kodai Senga could still be added as the 30th player, but that appears unlikely at this point. Both would be near-locks in an ideal world, but late-season struggles in 2025 and Senga’s injury track record make their absence understandable.

World Baseball Classic: Team Japan Schedule

Exhibition Games

Players based in Japan will hold a training camp in Miyazaki Prefecture from February 14-24, including two exhibition games. The team will then travel to Nagoya for its second exhibition series, with MLB-based players expected to join for the third and final set of games in Osaka on March 2.

Pool Play

Japan will compete in Pool C at Tokyo Dome from March 6-10 alongside Chinese Taipei, Korea, Australia, and Czechia, a familiar group with only Chinese Taipei replacing China from the previous tournament. Japan will enter as heavy favorites to finish first, with Chinese Taipei, Korea, and Australia likely battling for the runner-up spot.

Knockout Rounds