2026 World Baseball Classic: East Asian team previews

By Tom Mulhall  

The fifth World Baseball Classic (WBC) is set to begin on March 5, 2026 at the Tokyo Dome in Japan, giving us an excellent opportunity to scout international and minor league players. The Dominican Republic and Venezuela have their usual ridiculously strong teams, while the USA has finally gotten serious about sending its best players. This article will concentrate on the East Asian countries, with an emphasis on players recently signed or who could make the leap to MLB.

 

Samurai Japan

Japan has the most wins in the history of the WBC, winning three of the five tournaments. Their most recent victory in 2023 could not have come in a more dramatic fashion, with Shohei Ohtani-P striking out Mike Trout for the final out...

Almost!

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