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Pool play for the 2026 World Baseball Classic begins on March 4 with action in the Tokyo Dome. By the end of Friday, March 6, all 20 teams will have played a game. The championship game takes place Tuesday, March 17, at Miami's loanDepot Park (home of the Marlins). In other words, we're looking at two full weeks of good international action here. 

In preparation, let's rank some WBC teams. 

Honorable Mention: Chinese Taipei, Israel, Colombia, Cuba

10. The Netherlands

Those unfamiliar might see their jaws drop a little when they see the Netherlands in a discussion about international baseball, but the seasoned international baseball fans know that this includes Caribbean islands Curaçao and Aruba. From those places, this Netherlands roster has grabbed Xander Bogaerts, Ozzie Albies and Ceddanne Rafaela. The closer? Curaçao's Kenley Jansen. Here's a fun one: The manager is newly elected Hall of Famer Andruw Jones, who was born in Curaçao. His son, prospect Druw Jones, is on the roster too.

9. Italy

Italy isn't exactly known as a baseball power, but due to the eligibility rules -- at least one parent was born in the country -- Italy has beefed up its roster with some MLB players. Offensively, you'll be familiar with the likes of Jac Caglianone, Dominic Canzone, Jakob Marsee, Kyle Teel and middle-order anchor Vinnie Pasquantino. The rotation will include Aaron Nola, Michael Lorenzen and the bullpen is headed up by Adam Ottavino. There's some decent talent here. The best Italy has ever finished before was seventh in 2013. 

8. Korea

Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) is the third-best top-level professional league in the world behind MLB and NPB (Japan). As such, there's a stable of very good professional players here who we've never seen in MLB. Behind Japan in Pool C, Korea is the most likely team that'll also advance, with Chinese Taipei, Australia and Czechia being the other teams. 

On the Korean pitching staff, you'll recognize Dane Dunning and Hyun Jin Ryu, while the position players include Heyseong Kim, Jahmai Jones and Shay Whitcomb. 

7. Puerto Rico

Insurance issues have cost Puerto Rico some of its top talent. Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa and Javier Báez are not on this team and Riley Greene also opted to not play for unrelated reasons. Who's left? Look, it's still a strong group. Nolan Arenado, Heliot Ramos, Eddie Rosario and MJ Melendez head up the position-player side with Edwin Díaz holding down the back-end of the bullpen. Seth Lugo and Elmer Rodríguez top the rotation. It's a bit of a bummer what has happened with this roster compared to what could have been, but there's plenty of talent. 

6. Canada

Though there's competition from Colombia, Cuba and Puerto Rico, Canada has a decent shot to win its pool. The Canadian offense includes Josh Naylor, Tyler O'Neill, Owen Caissie, Bo Naylor, Otto Lopez and Edouard Julien in addition to defensive highlight-reel specialist Denzel Clarke. On the mound, Canada starts with Jameson Taillon, Michael Soroka, Cal Quantrill and James Paxton. If it can find a way to win its pool and advance, things might really set up nicely for an upset champion in Canada. 

5. Mexico

Mexico has continued to get better and better over the years here. Last time, in 2023, Mexico finished in third place behind Japan and Team USA and its elimination was a one-run loss to eventual champion Japan. The pitching staff features Taj Bradley, Taijuan Walker and Javier Assad. The offense is a bit more eye-popping with Randy Arozarena, Jarren Duran, Jonathan Aranda, Alejandro Kirk, Joey Ortiz and Alek Thomas. Unlike a few of the other contenders mentioned above, Mexico has a stellar closer in Andrés Muñoz too. 

Still, I feel like there's a "Big Four" here at the top. 

4. Venezuela

The South American powerhouse has plenty of household names, especially on the position-player side. The Contreras brothers, William behind the plate and Willson at first base, are here. Salvador Perez is too, in addition to Ronald Acuña Jr., Eugenio Suárez, Gleyber Torres, Jackson Chourio, Maikel Garcia and Wilyer Abreu. 

The rotation starts with Ranger Suárez and Eduardo Rodriguez while the bullpen is anchored by Eduard Bazardo and Daniel Palencia. 

Venezuela is certainly stronger on offense than pitching, but keep in mind that the position players can play all game every game while pitchers are capped with limits. It's possible to just hit your way to a title. Venezuela was 4-0 in pool play in 2023 but was then knocked out of the next round by the USA. It has never won a championship and the best finish was third in 2009. There's a decent chance this is the best Venezuela showing in WBC history. 

3. Japan

The defending champs have the best player in the world in Shohei Ohtani. Of course, he's only hitting in this event and not pitching, and he's the one who closed things down for the save in the finals last time around. You'll still recognize plenty of pitchers on Japan, such as Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Yusei Kikuchi, Tomoyuki Sugano and 2025 Sawamura Award (it's like their Cy Young) winner Hiromi Itoh. Offensively, Ohtani obviously leads the way, but you'll see Seiya Suzuki and Masataka Yoshida in there in addition to new MLBers Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto. Further, Teruaki Saito and Shota Morishita are generally considered two of the best non-MLBers in the world. 

There's history of Japan excelling in this event. It won in 2006, 2009 and 2023, also finishing in third in 2013 and 2017, making it the most successful country in the history of the WBC. 

2. Dominican Republic

Though just half of a small island in the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic has long been a baseball hotbed. It had the most disappointing showing last time out, though, failing to make it out of pool play in 2023 despite a stacked roster. Despite that, I'm bumping them over Japan here. 

The roster is plenty talented this time around. The rotation will feature Cristopher Sánchez, Sandy Alcantara, Brayan Bello and Luis Severino while the bullpen has Camilo Doval, Carlos Estévez and Wandy Peralta heading things up. Offensively, the DR has all sorts of firepower -- brace yourself -- with the likes of Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Junior Caminero, Fernando Tatis Jr., Julio Rodríguez, Ketel Marte, Manny Machado, Geraldo Perdomo and Jeremy Peña, among others. 

The offense is downright scary. 

1. USA

There's been some slightly bad news for Team USA here this spring, losing Corbin Carroll and Joe Ryan to injury (the latter could return after pool play) and finding out that Tarik Skubal is only set to make one start. Still, the rotation after Skubal's start is Paul Skenes, Logan Webb, Nolan McLean and then either Matthew Boyd or Clay Holmes. Any one of those pitchers would've been the ace last time around, when USA was the runner-up. The lineup is just as stacked, if not, more, including Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, Bobby Witt Jr., Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Gunnar Henderson et al. There are even speed and defense "specialists" like Brice Turang and Pete Crow-Armstrong. We didn't hit on the bullpen yet, but don't fret, there are arms like Mason Miller, David Bednar and Griffin Jax holding things down. 

There's no apparent weakness on Team USA this time around. It has won the WBC just once previously, in 2017.