Team USA and Japan played for the World Baseball Classic championship three years ago, and they’re favorites to do so again in 2026. If there’s a dark horse to walk away with the trophy in Miami, it’s the only other team that’s won it before, the Dominican Republic.
The island nation of about 11 million people is baseball-mad, and it has produced some of the greatest players in the game’s history, from pitching icons Juan Marichal and Pedro Martinez to sluggers Vladimir Guerrero and David Ortiz. The DR won the 2013 WBC, becoming the first team to do so without a single loss in the tournament. That star-studded roster featured three of the four members of the All-Tournament infield: Edwin Encarnacion at first base, Jose Reyes at shortstop and WBC MVP Robinson Cano at second base. But they haven’t returned to the semifinals in two tournaments since then.
The 2026 Dominican squad is just as stacked as that powerhouse, led by future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols as manager. The roster includes six players who finished in the top 10 of MVP voting last season: Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr., Julio Rodriguez, Geraldo Perdomo, Junior Caminero and Jeremy Peña. The Astros shortstop won World Series MVP in 2022; his teammates include 2025 ALCS MVP Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and 2023 NLCS MVP Ketel Marte. The All-Star-laden pitching staff features 2022 Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara and Cristopher Sanchez, the runner-up in the 2025 NL Cy Young race. And Red Sox right-hander Brayan Bello projects as a candidate to win one down the road, as well.
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Any team that can list Manny Machado as its fifth or sixth best hitter is a force to be reckoned with. The bullpen resembles a fantasy team with top-flite closers including Camilo Doval, Abner Uribe and Carlos Estevez. It even has a veteran holdover from that 2013 title team in Carlos Santana. The players on the Dominican team hit 339 home runs in the 2025 MLB season. Only four batters hit fewer than 20 dingers, three if you consider Junior Lake has spent the past few seasons in Mexico.
While Shohei Ohtani and Team Japan open their tournament in Tokyo and the United States aren’t slated come to Miami until the semifinals, Florida fans get to see firsthand every game on the Dominican Republic schedule at the home of the Marlins.
Dominican Republic WBC roster
Pitchers
Infielders
Outfielders
Catchers
Coaches
Dominican Republic WBC schedule
The Dominican team plays two exhibition games against a Detroit Tigers split squad March 3-4 in Santo Domingo before coming to loanDepot Park in Miami for the WBC. Here’s a look at the team’s schedule in Pool D play, as well as possible playoff dates and start times. All games will be played in Miami, and all listed times are Eastern.
*- If Japan advances to the quarterfinal out of Pool C, it will play March 14 regardless of whether it is the winner or runner-up in the group.
When does the World Baseball Classic start?
The 2026 World Baseball Classic begins with round-robin pool play March 4-11. The two teams with the best records in each of the four pools will advance to the single-game elimination knockout stage. Two playoff games will take place at Daikan Park in Houston. The rest, including both semifinals and the championship game March 17, will be played at loanDepot Park in Miami.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida hosts loaded Dominican Republic WBC roster. See 2026 schedule
Reporting by Dan Rorabaugh, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
