Which Padres Are in the 2026 World Baseball Classic?

The World Baseball Classic is officially underway, with exhibition games kicking off on Tuesday and the first pool play game occurring on Wednesday.

As Spring Training heats up, the Friar Faithful will be keeping a close eye not only on roster battles in camp, but also on their hometown stars competing for their countries on baseball’s global stage. The next couple of weeks will be filled with some high-quality baseball, and the Padres will have several players showcasing their talent in this year’s tournament.

A total of seven players from the team are representing four countries, so here are the names to look out for in the 2026 WBC.

Dominican Republic: Fernando Tatis Jr. (OF), Manny Machado (3B), Wandy Peralta (LHP)

In his first World Baseball Classic, Fernando Tatis Jr. will look to do what he always does: electrify. He has performed on baseball’s biggest stages throughout his career, slashing .317/.414/.700 in 16 postseason games, and he will bring his usual swagger for the world to see.

We all know how dynamic Tatis’ defense is, fresh off winning his second Platinum Glove in 2025. Now the question is, can the power come through? Tatis hasn’t surpassed 30 home runs since 2021, and with manager Craig Stammen planning to slide him into the three or four spot this coming season, he’ll have every opportunity in this tournament to rediscover his power stroke.

This will be Manny Machado’s third go-around in the WBC, and unlike Tatis, offense won’t be the thing to watch. Machado’s bat is among the best in the last decade and has shown no signs of decline, but the same can’t be said about his defense.

Once regarded as a premier defender, Machado posted his worst defensive season in 2025 with -6 outs above average. Projecting to play third, it will be seen how Machado handles the hot corner. 

Joining a stacked bullpen is lefty Wandy Peralta. Last season, Peralta worked primarily in middle relief and was a key piece in another loaded bullpen. All innings of the WBC are high leverage, giving Peralta a chance to show Stammen that he can be trusted in those moments.

Netherlands: Xander Bogaerts (SS)

2026 will mark the fourth time Xander Bogaerts has represented the Netherlands and he will look to build on his offensive performance from last season.

For the first half of the season, Bogaerts fell under heavy scrutiny for his slow start. However, following a 4-for-4 performance in a win against the Dodgers on June 19, he turned things around. In his last 64 games, Bogaerts slashed .301/.356/.475, living up to his contract.

Like Tatis, seeing how Bogaerts’ bat plays will be worth monitoring. If he can spray the gaps consistently, both Team Netherlands and the Padres should feel good about their starting shortstop.

USA: Mason Miller (RHP)

There isn’t much to be said about Padres closer Mason Miller. His fastball tops out at 104 mph and his slider generates a 54.5% whiff rate. Now he joins a star-studded Team USA, a team that is favored to win it all.

He enters the 2026 season as the clear-cut top relief pitcher in Major League Baseball, and he is going to be an enormous weapon for Team USA. So sit back and enjoy watching the best closer in baseball do what he does best.

Italy: Ron Marinaccio (RHP), Alek Jacob (RHP)

This will be Ron Marinaccio’s first WBC and will be one of the primary relievers for Team Italy. The former 19th-round pick has spent three major-league stints with the Yankees and one with the Padres. For the Padres last season, he pitched 10.2 innings with 12 strikeouts in seven appearances.

In his first spring outing, Alek Jacob’s fastball sat at 88 mph, a three-mph jump from last year. Couple that with his funky delivery, and you have a 45.5% strikeout rate through three spring games.

With Jacob, if he can consistently fill up the zone with his new velocity, he could potentially earn a spot at the back of the Padres’ bullpen in 2026.