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

After back-to-back disappointing tournaments in 2017 and 2023, can Colombia's numerous veterans help guide new faces to WBC glory?

Colombia's Jose Quintana pitches in the first inning against the United States in the World Baseball Classic's opening round pool C at Marlins Park in Miami on Friday, March 10, 2017. (Pedro Portal/El Nuevo Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Colombia's Jose Quintana pitches in the first inning against the United States in the World Baseball Classic's opening round pool C at Marlins Park in Miami on Friday, March 10, 2017. (Pedro Portal/El Nuevo Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Teams representing countries from around the world are preparing for what is expected to be the most popular World Baseball Classic in the event’s history.

The WBC, the first of two worldwide sporting events being hosted in the United States in 2026, gets underway on March 4. Teams representing five of the seven continents will compete to hoist the World Baseball Classic Championship Trophy.

2026 will mark Colombia’s third time in the competition after taking part in 2017 and 2023. However, in both of their appearances, the team failed to make it out of the group stage.

Colombia is in Group A this year, alongside Canada, Cuba, Panama and Puerto Rico. They will play their group stage games at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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With professional players from several leagues and a mix of veterans and young talent, can the Colombians make some noise at this year’s WBC?

World Baseball Classic: Team Colombia Roster

CatchersInfieldersOutfielders
#38 Jorge Alfaro#7 Donovan Solano#12 Brayan Buelvas
#46 Elias Diaz#8 Michael Arroyo#16 Jesus Marriaga
#70 Carlos Martínez#13 Jordan Diaz#43 Harold Ramírez 
#17 Reynaldo Rodriguez#57 Gustavo Campero
#29 Gio Urshela
#71 Dayan Frias

Projected Starting 9

Catcher: #46 Elias Díaz

The 35-year-old former MLB All-Star is the most likely option behind the dish for Colombia. As a member of the 2023 team, Díaz has experience playing in the WBC. Across his 11-year career, the former Pirate, Rockie and Padre slashed .247/.300/.383 with 71 home runs and 326 RBIs.

In the 2023 tournament, Díaz hit .250 with a .625 OPS and recorded one RBI on a double against Mexico.

First Base: #7 Donovan Solano

The current MLB free agent is making a return to the Colombian team after playing in the 2017 WBC but not the 2023 tournament. The journeyman infielder spent most of the 2025 season in Seattle before being released on Sept. 1 and getting picked up by the Texas Rangers. The 38-year-old has 805 hits across 987 career games, along with 300 RBIs.

During the 2017 WBC, Solano hit .214 and recorded two RBIs.

Second Base: #8 Michael Arroyo

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Arroyo is one of the more exciting names on the roster. The 21-year-old is making his WBC debut and was ranked as the No. 7 prospect in the Seattle Mariners system by Just Baseball in 2025.

Arroyo is also a non-roster invitee to Mariners spring training. The infielder has slashed .275/.408/.462 across 351 games in the Mariners’ farm system.

Shortstop: #71 Dayan Frias

The 23-year-old is making his second WBC appearance after playing with the 2023 team. Frias is a part of the Guardians farm system and played 71 games in Triple-A last year. In 535 minor league games, the infielder has slashed .236/.342/.352 with 220 RBIs.

In the 2023 WBC, Frias hit .231 with a .462 OPS.

Third Base: #29 Gio Urshela

The 2017 and 2023 WBC veteran just signed a minor league deal with the Minnesota Twins. The 34-year-old played 59 games with the Athletics in 2025. Urshela boasts a .270/.314/.407 slash line and 352 RBIs across 851 games.

Urshela has not found much success in the WBC. The righty has only recorded two hits across both tournaments, with both coming in 2017.

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Outfield: #43 Harold Ramírez

The six-year MLB veteran is playing in his second WBC after participating in 2023. The former Marlin, Guardian, Ray and National did not play in the MLB in 2025. Over his career, the 31-year-old has slashed .285/.322/.406 with 517 hits in 536 games.

Ramírez only managed to hit .133 with a .321 OPS in the 2023 tournament.

Outfield: #12 Brayan Buelvas

2026 will be Buelvas’ first appearance in the WBC. The 23-year-old has been in the Athletics organization since 2018. Across 528 games in the minors, the outfielder is slashing .234/.318/.396 with 109 stolen bases.

Outfield: #16 Jesus Marriaga

Marriaga is making his second appearance in the WBC after debuting in the 2023 tournament. The 27-year-old was signed by the Diamondbacks in 2016, but released from Single-A in 2021.

Since being released, the righty has been playing independent baseball with the Gary SouthShore RailCats in the American Association as well as in the Colombian Winter League. For the past two seasons, Marriaga has played for the Caimanes de Barranquilla, whose general manager is the skipper for Colombia, Jose Mosquera.

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Marriaga did not record a hit in the 2023 WBC.

DH: #38 Jorge Alfaro

The 2017 and 2023 WBC veteran is returning for his third tournament. The 32-year-old played 14 games with the Nationals in 2025 and is a non-roster invitee with the Royals this year. In 510 career MLB games, the former Padre has a .253/.301/.391 slash line with 46 home runs and 201 RBIs.

In the 2017 tournament, Alfaro hit .250 with an .808 OPS and a solo homer against the Dominican Republic. In 2023, the righty hit .267 with a .713 OPS.

Alfaro could split time with Diaz behind the plate. Whether he catches or not, his experience in the tournament and in MLB will get him in the lineup in some capacity.

StartersRelievers
#45 Austin Bergner#19 Adrian Almeida
#49 Julio Teheran#22 Reiver Sanmartin
#62 Jose Quintana#26 Elkin Alcala
#77 Luis Patiño#30 Yapson Gomez
#39 David Lorduy
#41 Danis Correa
#56 Tayron Guerrero
#61 Nabil Crismatt
#66 Guillo Zuñiga
#72 Pedro Garcia
#73 Jhon Romero
#92 Rio Gomez
#96 Emerson Martinez

Pitching Staff – Notable Names

#62 Jose Quintana

After participating in 2017 but not taking part in the 2023 tournament, the veteran southpaw is making his return to the WBC.

Quintana is entering his 15th year in MLB after recently signing with the Rockies on a one-year, $6 million deal. Across 2,101.1 careerinnings, the 37-year-old has 1,816 K’s and a 3.76 ERA.

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The lefty’s lone start in the 2017 WBC came against the United States. In what was one of the best games of the whole tournament, Quintana pitched 5.2 innings with four strikeouts and only allowed one run. The U.S. went on to walk off in the 10th inning, sending the Americans to the quarterfinals and the Colombians packing.

#49 Julio Teheran

The 13-year veteran is participating in his third WBC after being part of the 2017 and 2023 Colombia teams.

In his MLB career, Teheran managed a 3.85 ERA and 1,260 strikeouts across 248 starts. However, the righty last pitched in MLB in 2024 for the Mets and was released from the Torros de Tijuana in the Mexican Baseball League in July 2025.

Teheran’s only WBC appearance came in 2017 against Canada (he did not get to pitch in 2023). The veteran went five innings, giving up only one run in Colombia’s sole win of the tournament.

#77 Luis Patiño

Patiño is making his WBC debut in 2026. The former Padres prospect, who was dealt to the Rays for Blake Snell in 2020, last pitched in MLB in 2023 with the White Sox.

The 26-year-old has experience as both a starter and as a reliever. Across 45 appearances, 23 of which were starts, Patiño pitched 136.1 innings with 124 strikeouts.

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#61 Nabil Crismatt

The 31-year-old made his MLB debut in 2020 with the Cardinals. The 2017 and 2023 WBC veteran has also pitched for the Padres, Diamondbacks, and Dodgers, and he signed a minor league contract with the Rangers during the offseason.

Crismatt has made two starts in the WBC, one each year. In 2017, the righty went three innings and gave up two runs against the Dominican Republic. His 2023 appearance was much stronger; he tossed four innings of one-run ball with three strikeouts against Mexico.

#45 Austin Bergner

The 2024 Double-A Eastern League Champion with the Erie SeaWolves is making his first WBC appearance in 2026.

The former UNC Tarheel was drafted by the Tigers in 2019. Across six years in the minors, Bergner has a 4.15 ERA across 490 innings, along with 546 strikeouts. The righty signed a minor league contract with the Rangers in the offseason and was assigned to the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders.

#22 Reiver Sanmartin

The 29-year-old is making his second appearance in the WBC after participating in 2023. After making 62 appearances for the Reds over the past five years, he was claimed by the Giants off waivers during the offseason.

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The lefty made two appearances in the 2023 WBC, totaling two innings pitched, one earned run and three strikeouts.

#56 Tayron Guerrero

Guerrero, standing at 6-foot-8 and 225 pounds, is making his second appearance in the WBC after last participating in 2017. He was signed as a teenager by the Padres in 2010, but he only made one appearance with the Friars in 2016.

The righty would go on to make 112 appearances with the Marlins between 2018 and 2019, with 111 strikeouts in 106 innings.

A 2026 non-roster invitee to Red Sox spring training, Guerrero made one appearance in the 2017 classic. Against the Dominican Republic, he recorded two strikeouts and gave up one hit in one inning of work.

Coaching Staff

NameRole
Jose MosqueraManager
Jhonatan SolanoBench Coach
Jair FernandezHitting Coach
Dayan Díaz Pitching Coach
Jaime Del ValleFirst Base Coach
Ronald RamirezThird Base Coach
Erick JulioBullpen Coach

Team Colombia is managed by Jose Mosquera. The 39-year-old was the bench coach for the 2023 WBC team.

According to Mosquera’s LinkedIn, the former DSL Pirates manager has a master’s degree in sports coaching from Unisport Management School in Madrid. Mosquera is also the general manager for the Caimanes de Barranquilla in the Colombian Professional Baseball League.

Bench coach Jhonatan Solano also has a history with the WBC. The 40-year-old was a bullpen catcher with the team during the 2023 tournament and was a catcher on the 2017 squad.

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World Baseball Classic: Team Colombia Schedule

Exhibition Schedule

DateOpponentTime
March 3Pittsburgh Pirates1:05 p.m. ET
March 4Atlanta Braves1:05 p.m. ET

Pool Schedule

DateOpponentTime and Broadcast
March 6vs. Puerto Rico 🇵🇷6 p.m. ET, FS1/FOXD
March 7@ Canada 🇨🇦11 a.m. ET, FS2/FOXD
March 8@ Cuba 🇨🇺12 p.m. ET, FS2
March 9@ Panama 🇵🇦12 p.m. ET, FS2

Knockout Schedule

RoundDateLocationTime and Broadcast
QuarterfinalMarch 13 or 14Daikin Park, HoustonTBA
SemifinalMarch 15 or 16Daikin Park, Houston8 p.m. ET, FS1/FOXD
ChampionshipMarch 17loanDepot park8 p.m. ET, FOX/FOXD