Which Blue Jays Are in the 2026 World Baseball Classic?

While most Toronto Blue Jays fans will be cheering for the team north of the border, there’s plenty of representation throughout the tournament. 12 players (across 11 countries) from the organisation will be competing, so here are those to look out for at the 2026 WBC.

Canada: Adam Macko (LHP)

Born in Bratislava, Slovakia, Adam Macko moved to Vancouver at 12 and is the sole Blue Jay representing Canada at the WBC. Acquired in the deal that sent Teoscar Hernandez to Seattle, Macko spent most of 2025 in Triple-A, pitching to a 5.06 ERA in 18 games (10 starts) for the Buffalo Bisons, while also spending some time on the IL (from March until the beginning of May) as he recovered from a torn meniscus.

The southpaw will likely pitch out of the bullpen for Canada, and an important thing to look out for is his command of the strike zone. Macko threw five different pitches in 2025 (four-seam fastball, slider, curveball, sinker, changeup), but struggled to keep runners off base (1.52 WHIP and 36 walks in 64 innings in Triple-A). At 25, his time to prove that he can make an impact at the MLB level is now, and the WBC could serve as a solid indication of what’s to come for his future with the team.

Cuba: Yariel Rodríguez (RHP)

Designated for assignment in December of 2025, Yariel Rodríguez will attempt to use the WBC as his leapfrog back into the Blue Jays bullpen in 2026. After posting a 2.53 ERA from March to July, Rodríguez started showing signs of fatigue, putting up a 4.58 ERA from August on, while his fastball velocity dropped significantly and his walks rose (15 in 19.2 innings).

While on the playoff roster for Toronto, Rodríguez barely appeared, giving up three runs and four walks in 2.2 innings across 4 games. Like Macko, the WBC has the opportunity to prove that Rodríguez is an MLB pitcher, as 29 other teams passed on him when he was placed on waivers in December. Still, if he can replicate his early success, he definitely has the ability to be a strong reliever; he just has to show some consistency.

Dominican Republic: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B)

While all of Canada is disappointed he isn’t representing the country he was born in, the WBC will be yet another showcase for obviously the best first baseman in the league. There’s not much that needs to be said about Vladdy, as he’s going to be one of the bigger pieces on an already stacked Dominican Republic team. Another thing to keep an eye on: Blue Jays third base coach Carlos Febles will be taking on that same position for the DR.

Great Britain: Will Cresswell (C)

Toronto’s 18th round pick in 2025, Cresswell, will likely serve as Great Britain’s backup catcher (behind Harry Ford). The 22-year-old Cresswell is pretty low down on the Jays totem pole in terms of catchers, and has only seven games of professional experience so far (putting up a line of .200/.259/.240 for Class-A Dunedin), but did slash .329/.404/.523 for Washington State in 2025.

Israel: CJ Stubbs (C), RJ Schreck (OF)

The only team to feature multiple players in the organisation, C.J. Stubbs will likely split time behind the plate with his brother, Garrett. Signed to a minor league contract on January 20th, the 29-year-old Stubbs made his major league debut in 2025 for the Washington Nationals, going 0-for-3 against the Miami Marlins on Sept. 1 (his only MLB action). A career .206 hitter in the minors, Stubbs is fourth on the organisational depth chart for catchers, and likely won’t see playing time with the big league squad this year.

His teammate, Schreck (not the ogre), is someone Blue Jays fans should keep an eye on. Another player acquired from Seattle (Justin Turner trade in 2024), the left-handed hitting outfielder finished last season with Buffalo in Triple-A and could be closing in on big league action. In 99 games between Double- and Triple-A last season, Schreck hit 18 home runs and drew 64 walks (plus being hit by a pitch 12 times), leading to a slashline of .252/.394/.471 between the two leagues.

His strikeout numbers were high (89 in those 99 games), but with the power and on-base skills he’s shown, he could make a case for an opportunity this season.

Japan: Kazuma Okamoto (3B)

Toronto’s big (offensive) splash in free agency, the 2026 World Baseball Classic will serve as an introduction towards their new third baseman, Kazuma Okamoto. Okamoto is going to bring thump to the Blue Jays lineup, as he had 248 home runs over his 11 seasons in Nippon Pro Baseball and a career line of .277/.361/.521.

To put his power into perspective, Okamoto missed almost half of 2025 due to an elbow injury, yet still ranks second in NPB home runs and RBIs from 2019-2025 (and mashed 30+ homers each year from 2018-2023). Entering his age-30 season, Toronto is hoping he can make an immediate impact, and he will be given plenty of opportunity to do so when he mans the hot corner for them this season.

Mexico: Alejandro Kirk (C)

Like Vladdy, there isn’t a ton that needs to be said about Alejandro Kirk. Toronto’s starting catcher has won over the hearts of fans all throughout baseball, and his combination of elite fielding and strong offensive prowess have cemented his place as a top 10 catcher in the sport. Expectations are high for Kirk, but he proved last season that he isn’t slowing down (I mean, the guy stole a base last year).

Nicaragua: Ismael Munguia (OF)

Ismael Munguia might be a name that not a ton of Blue Jays fans are familiar with, as the 27-year-old outfielder signed a minor league contract with the team in December of 2025. Standing at just 5-foot-8, he doesn’t have a ton of power, and recently had a low walk rate (22 in 91 games in Triple-A last year), but he rarely strikes out (25) and has quite a bit of speed (23-for-30 on stolen base attempts).

Basically, the guy is going to put the ball in play, which can be a good thing, but given that he hit only .246 last year, his lack of walks was really a detriment. He’ll likely serve as high-minors depth, but if the team needs some speed, he could be one of the first up as a pinch runner.

Panama: Leo Jiménez (SS/2B)

Leapfrogged by other options, Leo Jiménez’s path back to the big leagues might not happen with the Blue Jays. Now 24, Jiménez has long been listed as a top 20 prospect in the Jays system, yet never seemed to make that extra step necessary to lock down a position with the big league squad.

Now, a lot of that was out of his control, as after appearing in 63 games with Toronto in 2024 (largely due to Bo Bichette’s injury), Jiménez missed almost three months at the beginning of 2025 due to a bout of mononucleosis. After spending another short stint on the IL, he’d get called up on July 1, appearing in 18 games (and going a rather ugly 2-for-29), before going back down on Aug. 3. Four days later, he was back on the IL, where he remained until the middle of September (he played two games before being placed back on the IL).

With Bichette gone, there is a chance he sees playing time, as he’s likely shortstop No. 3 on the depth chart, but with both Andrés Giménez and Ernie Clement on the active roster, those chances are slim.

Venezuela: Andrés Giménez (SS)

Speaking of Andrés Giménez, the Blue Jays’ official new starting shortstop will likely have that same assignment for Venezuela. Giménez’s offensive struggles have been well documented, but he’s proven that if you’re a perennial Gold Glove candidate defensively, you can still earn a spot on a major league roster. Hopefully, his 2026 will look more like his March 2025, and the WBC could be the first sign of that, or it could be the first glimpse of another below-average offensive season.

USA: Ernie Clement (IF)

If you ask Blue Jays fans, Ernie Clement can do no wrong. For the Canadian fans, he’s putting that to the test by earning a spot on a powerhouse USA team. In all seriousness, Clement showed up for Toronto when they needed him the most last year, setting an MLB record with 30 hits in a single postseason.

His playing time in the WBC might be scarce (some guys named Alex Bregman, Bobby Witt Jr., Gunnar Henderson, and Brice Turang are in the way), but if we know anything about Clement, he’ll make the most of whatever opportunity is given. He might see playing time against lefties during the tournament (both Henderson and Turang are lefties themselves), but even if he’s used solely as a defensive replacement, it was a spot well deserved.

WBC Pool Play action kicks off on March 5th, and for a more in-depth view of the tournament, here is how it’s taking shape.

Bonus: Former Blue Jays Players/Prospects in the Tournament

Liam Hendriks (RHP, Australia), Eric Pardinho (RHP, Brazil), Tiago da Silva (RHP, Brazil), Curtis Taylor (RHP, Canada), Otto Lopez (IF, Canada), Phillippe Aumont (RHP, Canada), Gio Urshela (IF, Colombia), Harold Ramirez (OF, Colombia), Seranthony Dominguez (RHP, Dominican Republic), Graham Spraker (RHP, Great Britain), Spencer Horwitz (1B, Israel), Alberto Mineo (C, Italy), Jon Berti (IF, Italy), Yusei Kikuchi (LHP, Japan), Hyun-Jin Ryu (LHP, Korea), Aaron Sanchez (RHP, Mexico), Rowdy Tellez (1B, Mexico), Taijuan Walker (RHP, Mexico), Osman Gutierrez (RHP, Nicaragua), Paolo Espino (RHP, Panama), José De Léon (RHP, Puerto Rico), Luis Quiñones (RHP, Puerto Rico), José Espada (RHP, Puerto Rico), Matthew Boyd (LHP, USA).