World Baseball Classic: Team Brazil News, Notes, and Analysis

Team Brazil debuted in the World Baseball Classic in 2013. They were the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, so it wasn’t exactly surprising when they were swept in pool play, losing to Japan, Cuba, and China. Still, it was a disappointing result for the squad.

Finishing last in their pool meant Brazil did not automatically qualify for the 2017 WBC. Even worse, they would go on to lose their qualifying tournament in 2016, failing to make the classic at all. The Brazilians did not qualify in 2023 either, so their participation this year will mark their first World Baseball Classic appearance in 13 years.

Long story short, Brazil remains an underdog, with the lowest WBSC ranking of any country in the tournament. The USA and Mexico are the heavy favorites in Pool B, and it would be nothing short of a massive upset if Brazil could somehow advance to the second round.

With that said, success for Brazil doesn’t necessarily mean advancing. Even one WBC win – which would be the first in the country’s history – would be a big step forward. That’s not to say this team isn’t going to put up a fight to win it all, but there’s nothing wrong with taking things one step at a time.

Beating Italy or Great Britain would be cause for celebration. Beating Mexico or the USA would be cause for a party in the streets.

Here’s the roster that will be battling for Brazil’s first-ever World Baseball Classic victory.

World Baseball Classic: Team Brazil Roster

Position Players

While Bo Bichette initially planned to play for Team Brazil, he changed his mind after signing his three-year, $126 million contract with the Mets, opting to spend all of spring training with his new club. Unfortunately, that means Brazil won’t have any major league representation in the lineup.

Catcher Gabriel Gomes is a prospect in the Reds organization. After three seasons playing in the Dominican Summer League, the 21-year-old moved up to the Arizona Complex League in 2025. Fellow catcher Matheus Silva also has experience in affiliated ball, though not since 2023.

Of the infielders, Dante Bichette Jr. (Bo’s brother and Dante’s son) is perhaps the most recognizable name, due to his familial connections. However, the former Yankees and Nationals farmhand is actually one of three players on this roster whose fathers played in MLB. Taking after their fathers, Manny Ramirez’s son Lucas is an outfielder, while José Contreras’s son Joseph is a pitcher.

Leonardo Reginatto and Lucas Rojo are the only other infielders with affiliated experience. Reginatto spent a decade in the minors with the Rays and Twins, while Rojo played three seasons of rookie ball in the Phillies organization.

Reginatto and Rojo were Brazil’s two best hitters in the qualifiers last year; each drove in four runs and finished with an OPS above 1.000. Both were also on the team all the way back in the 2013 WBC, and Reginatto was a star then too, leading Team Brazil with a .962 OPS.

Indeed, Reginatto is nothing short of a Team Brazil legend. The third baseman posted a 1.651 OPS in the 2013 qualifiers, a .879 OPS in the 2017 qualifiers, and a 1.651 OPS in the 2023 qualifiers. He has reportedly suggested this could be his last classic. If anyone deserves to win a WBC game before he hangs up his spikes, it’s Reginatto.

As for the outfielders, Ramirez (who is Brazilian on his mother’s side) just finished his first year in the Angels organization. In his age-19 season, he advanced from the Complex League to High-A. L.A. selected him in the 17th round of the 2024 draft.

Gabriel Maciel and Victor Mascai also have affiliated experience, though not since 2022.

Pitching Staff

This is where Team Brazil arguably has a bit more upside.

If any of these names is familiar to you, it’s probably Thyago Vieira. The right-hander became just the fifth Brazilian-born MLB player when he debuted in 2017, and he is the most recent Brazilian-born player to appear in an MLB game. Eight years ago, he penned an essay about his journey from São Paulo to the major leagues.

Vieira pitched for the Mariners and White Sox from 2017-19 and the Brewers, Orioles, and Diamondbacks from 2023-24, with a three-year stint in Japan in between. He missed the 2025 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery, but the 33-year-old is looking to make a comeback in the Mexican League in 2026.

The veteran has been pitching for Team Brazil since the WBC qualifiers in 2012, when he made a pair of scoreless relief appearances, collecting saves in two nail-biting victories over Panama.

Another recognizable name on this staff is Eric Pardinho. The right-hander signed with the Blue Jays as an international free agent in 2017. Only one pitcher in that year’s class received a higher bonus than Pardinho’s $1.7 million. His name? Shohei Ohtani.

Pardinho was one of Baseball America‘s top 100 prospects in 2019, with their evaluators praising his strike-throwing skills and ability to control his velocity. Unfortunately, injury issues led to durability concerns, and he moved to the bullpen full-time as of 2022.

His 18 innings at Triple-A last season were a step in the right direction (3.50 ERA, 2.83 FIP) until another injury eventually led the Blue Jays to release him in August. Like Vieira, Pardinho will spend the 2026 season in the Mexican League, but before he does, he’ll try to get off on the right foot in the WBC.

At 17, Joseph Contreras is the youngest player in the tournament. While he lacks experience, he’s a top prospect in the making; the Vanderbilt commit is 38th on Just Baseball’s prep prospect rankings for the 2026 draft. Other sources are even higher on the hard-throwing righty, with Baseball America suggesting he has “first-round upside.”

Tiago Da Silva, 40, was one of Brazil’s most important arms in the qualifiers, leading the team in appearances and innings. Funnily enough, the Mexican League veteran and former Blue Jays minor leaguer pitched for Italy in the 2009 and 2013 WBCs, but he has since switched allegiances. It could make for some good drama if he takes the mound when Brazil faces Italy in pool play.

The third-oldest player in the tournament has an extensive international resume, having also pitched in the Chinese Professional Baseball League, the Italian Baseball League, and just about every winter league you’ve ever heard of. He won a gold medal with Italy in an upset victory over the Netherlands in the 2010 European Baseball Championship.

Pitchers on Team Brazil who are currently in MLB organizations include Gabriel Barbosa (Phillies), Pedro Da Costa Lemos (Mariners), Daniel Missaki (Rangers), and Pietro Rienzo, who just signed his first minor league contract with the Pirates in January. His uncle is André Rienzo, Team Brazil’s pitching coach and the first Brazilian-born pitcher to play in MLB.

Bo Takahashi, Murilo Gouvea, and Hector Villarroel also have experience in affiliated ball. Takahashi spent eight years in the Diamondbacks and Reds organizations before heading overseas; he pitched in the KBO in 2021 and has spent the last four seasons in NPB.

Designated Pitcher Pool

Pitchers in the DPP are eligible to be added to their team’s roster as replacements after the first round:

• Caio De Araujo
• Joao Gabriel Marostica
• Vitor Takahashi
• Heitor Tokar
• Marcelo Young

Coaching Staff

Born in São Paulo, Yuichi Matsumoto made a name for himself in Tokyo as a first baseman and outfielder for the Yakult Swallows. He was Team Brazil’s captain the last time they competed in the WBC, and now he’s returning as the manager.

Five players born in Brazil have made it to the majors. One of them, Thyago Vieira, is on the roster. Three more are on Matsumoto’s coaching staff.

Yan Gomes is far and away the most successful baseball player to come out of Brazil. The All-Star catcher played 13 MLB seasons, winning a Silver Slugger Award in 2014 and a World Series in 2019. He will serve as Team Brazil’s catching coach.

André Rienzo has the most prolific MLB career of any pitcher born in Brazil. The right-hander threw 140.1 innings for the White Sox and Marlins from 2013-15. Unsurprisingly, he has been tabbed to coach Team Brazil’s pitching staff.

Finally, there’s hitting coach Paulo Orlando. The outfielder played 278 games for the Royals from 2015-18. Rienzo and Orlando both played for Brazil in the 2013 WBC. Gomes participated in thequalifierss but chose to skip the 2013 classic ahead of his sophomore MLB season.

World Baseball Classic: Team Brazil Schedule

Exhibition Games

Pool Play

Date	Opponent	Start Time
March 6	vs. USA	7:00 pm CT / 8:00 pm ET
March 7	@ Italy	12:00 pm CT / 1:00 pm ET
March 8	@ Mexico	7:00 pm CT / 8:00 pm ET
March 9	vs. Great Britain	12:00 pm CT / 1:00 pm ET

Knockout Rounds