Beneath the Surface of World Baseball Classic Pool C

The rosters for the 2026 World Baseball Classic were announced late last week, so aside from changes due to injuries or insurance eligibility decisions, we now know who will be suiting up for each country when the tournament begins early next month. In this series of posts, you’ll find a team-by-team breakdown, with notable players, storylines to monitor, and speculation on the serious stuff, such as how the squad will fare on the field, as well as commentary on some of the less serious stuff, like uniforms and team aura.

If you missed the post covering Pool A, or you need a quick refresher on how the WBC works, you can catch up on that here. And the post covering Pool B is right over here.

The five teams competing in Pool C — Japan, South Korea, Australia, Czechia, and Chinese Taipei — will play their games in Tokyo from March 5 to March 10. The two clubs with the best records after playing each of the other four will advance to the Knockout stage, where they will compete in a single-elimination bracket against the six teams that advance from the other pools.

In addition to breaking down the rosters, each team’s blurb will also contain a bit of a vibe check in two primary mediums — music and fashion. Since we’re talking national teams, I’ll be suggesting a secondary anthem for each squad, not as a replacement for any country’s actual anthem, but more of an informal, and very much impermanent alternative. Think of it as a song that speaks to the team’s energy in the current moment, while keeping in mind that the energy could change at any time. Then, on the “look good, feel good” front, we’ll check out the uniforms each team will sport this year and render a quick upgrade/downgrade judgement relative to their 2023 threads. The uniforms for the current iteration of the tournament were largely handled by Nike (Team Japan, with its uniforms made by Mizuno, is the lone exception), whereas in the past each individual country did its own thing. This means every team will have the same quality of uniform, but also that Nike is the one guaranteeing the quality, which could mean anything at this point. It also means less variation in uniform design, as it’s clear Nike used the same two templates for every team.

Japan

Full Roster

The reigning champions from 2023’s WBC easily disposed of their pool play opponents last time out, racking up a run differential of 30 over just four games. In 2026, they’ve been placed in a pool with almost the exact same set of opponents. Blink and you may not notice that Team China was swapped out for Chinese Taipei (Taiwan). Therefore, Japan is basically a lock to advance to the Knockout stage. There have been some minor changes to the roster, but none that suggest this team will be anything other than very good.

Yu Darvish will not pitch for Team Japan in 2026, but after allowing three home runs in six innings of work in 2023, Darvish’s absence may count as an addition by subtraction. More notably, Japan’s pitching staff will also be without Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, Shota Imanaga, and Shosei Togo, who collectively pitched to a 2.54 ERA over 28 1/3 innings. Granted, Imanaga was not as good for the Cubs in 2025 as he was in 2024, and Sasaki’s debut season for the Dodgers failed to meet expectations, so we can’t assume they would have matched their production from 2023, but that’s still a lot of quality innings that Team Japan will need to replace.

Stepping up in their stead will be Angels starter and the king of sleep hygiene Yusei Kikuchi, Rockies starter Tomoyuki Sugano, who posted a 4.64 ERA over 157 innings with the Orioles last season (his first after coming over from NPB), and Atsuki Taneichi, who racked up the fifth-most strikeouts and logged the 17th-lowest ERA in NPB last year. Returning to Japan’s pitching staff are World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto; Hiroya Miyagi, who threw five innings and allowed just one run while striking out seven in the 2023 WBC and put up the 12th-best ERA in NPB last year; Taisei Ota, who pitched four scoreless innings out of the bullpen in 2023; and Hiromi Itoh, who also held opponents scoreless in three relief appearances during the last WBC, but started 27 games in NPB last season and pitched to a 2.52 ERA over 196 2/3 innings, with the fourth-highest strikeout rate in the league at 24.5%.

Despite the subtractions from the roster, the pitching seems well in hand, but those hoping for an early look at Tatsuya Imai, who signed with the Astros early last month, will have to hope they can catch him on a spring training mound, as he will not be suiting up for Japan. However, the same cannot be said for the other big name Japanese players who signed with MLB clubs this winter. Though they both played for Team Japan in 2023, third baseman Munetaka Murakami, who signed with the White Sox just before Christmas, and corner infielder Kazuma Okamoto, who inked a deal with the Blue Jays in early January, will join Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki, Red Sox outfielder/DH Masataka Yoshida, and Dodgers DH Ohtani as the position players on the roster with MLB affiliations.

NPB players returning from Japan’s 2023 squad include outfielder Kensuke Kondoh, who has averaged a 192 wRC+ in the three seasons since the last WBC, and second baseman Shugo Maki, who averaged a 148 wRC+ over that same time span. New to the squad this year are third baseman Teruaki Sato, outfielder Shota Morishita, and shortstop Kaito Kozono, who all ranked in the top 20 by wRC+ in NPB last year.

Once again, Team Japan is shaping up to be a wagon.

Uniforms Compared to 2023? Upgrade

The primary pinstripes remain largely unchanged, aside from ditching the piping along the collar and buttons, which makes for a slightly cleaner look. The navy jerseys do away with the conventional underarm color blocking in favor of more fiery swoops of red across the shoulder and midsection. The added flare is an improvement, as is removing the gold accent color from under the brim of the hat. Overall, Japan simplified its look, but without getting all boring and boilerplate about it.

Secondary Anthem: “All Star” by Smash Mouth

It’s a slightly different Team Japan this year, but as Steve Harwell sings when he gets to the bridge, we could all use a little change. And though the thought of this deeply American song representing Japan may feel ludicrous, as one of the only other teams with a roster full of All-Star caliber players, this group can totally pull it off. And after taking Team USA down a peg in 2023, Japan has the right to co-opt whatever American songs it wants. Now if you’re still not on board, imagine Ohtani making the L shape with his fingers in the handshake line after a win (and imagine the handshake line still involves shaking hands with your opponent) and then try to tell me this isn’t a great idea.

South Korea

Full Roster

During pool play in 2023, South Korea earned wins against Czechia and China, but failed to advance to the Knockout stage. The 2023 squad didn’t pitch all that well, but the hitters made a ton of contact and got on base. South Korea outscored every other team in its pool by averaging 11 hits, more than four walks, and 10 runs per game. After perusing the roster, it’s looking like the 2026 iteration of the team will follow a similar formula.

The pitching staff is getting a boost from newcomers Dane Dunning and Riley O’Brien. After three solid seasons starting for the Rangers, Dunning has struggled to hang in the majors over the past couple of years. He lost a tick of velo and developed an unhealthy homer habit, but he’s probably still got enough in the tank to survive in short spurts against Korea’s non-Japanese opponents. O’Brien posted a 2.06 ERA in 48 innings of relief last year, but nobody noticed because he did it for the Cardinals. After missing the 2023 tournament, Hyun Jin Ryu is back pitching for Korea. Ryu last threw in the majors in 2023 with the Blue Jays, and after struggling to stay healthy those last couple of years in Toronto, he’s thrown nearly 300 innings in the KBO over the last two seasons, with an ERA of 3.57. Other KBO pitchers rounding out South Korea’s staff include Tae-in Won, Hyeong Jun So, and Seung Ki Song, who were all top-20 pitchers by ERA in the KBO last season, with Won posting the second lowest walk rate. (Ryu was third.)

The offense, led by Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee, will once again be an on-base machine. Hyun Min Ahn took home 2025 KBO Rookie of the Year honors after leading the league with a 177 wRC+ and posting a .448 on-base percentage. Among the other KBO hitters on the roster, outfielders Ja-wook Koo and Hyun Bin Moon, along with infielders Ju Won Kim, Si-hwan Roh, and Bo-gyeong Moon all logged a wRC+ of at least 124 with an on-base percentage of at least .354 in 2025. Meanwhile, third baseman Do Yeong Kim battled injuries in 2025, but took home MVP honors and a Gold Glove in 2024 after posting a 168 wRC+ with a .420 on-base percentage. And Kim isn’t the only gold glover on the roster. Ahn, Koo, Roh, Lee, and Dodgers second baseman Hyeseong Kim have all taken home a KBO Gold Glove at some point between 2022 and 2025.

In addition to Lee and Hyeseong Kim, South Korea will also get some big league experience from the Tigers’ Jahmai Jones and the Astros’ Shay Whitcomb. Both Jones and Whitcomb have been limited to a utility bench role in the majors so far, but Jones is coming off a season in which he accrued a career-high 150 plate appearances with a 159 wRC+, and Whitcomb has continued to progress at the plate by refining his swing mechanics.

Though some of those KBO numbers are certainly gaudy, once South Korea runs up against some of the tournament’s stiffer competition, the results may not translate as well as the team would like. But given how weak the pool is aside from Japan, South Korea still has a decent shot to advance and should be a fun group to watch regardless.

Uniforms Compared to 2023? Downgrade

The sleeve design was way better on the 2023 model. It gives South Korea a unique look without going over the top. And the photo selection is my way of noting there’s no Tommy Edman this year, either.

Secondary Anthem: “Hooligan” by The Smashing Pumpkins

There’s a grassroots group of Giants fans who call themselves the “Hoo Lee Gans” in support of Jung Hoo Lee. They sit together at games and try to create a cheering atmosphere similar to what you might see in the stands at a KBO game. They wear wigs and do chants in the name of cultivating a community among fans and celebrating the joyful energy Lee brings to the game. And it’s that joyful energy South Korea should emphasize during its WBC games. There’s even a part of the song that goes, “Oh oh oh I’m a hooligan!” that could easily be clipped and played in the stadium so fans can sing along anytime Lee does something cool.

Australia

Full Roster

With wins over South Korea, China, and Czechia, the 2023 iteration of Team Australia was able to advance to the Knockout stage before falling to Cuba in the quarterfinals. And even though the 2026 team should be a tiny bit better than 2023’s squad, it’s unlikely the club manages to sneak past South Korea again. This is because there’s very little current, former, or future big league talent on Australia’s roster. This is a show with one headliner, an opening act people have at least heard of, and that’s about it.

That headliner is Travis Bazzana, the no. 1 overall pick by the Guardians in the 2024 draft. Bazzana is currently the fourth-ranked prospect in Cleveland’s system, and I’m going to quote directly from Eric Longenhagen and Brendan Gawlowski in the most recent prospect report on Bazzana because my eyes bugged out a little as I was reading it.

A six-sport athlete at Turramurra High School in Australia (about 20 minutes north of the Sydney Opera House), Bazzana ran track (100m dash, long jump and high jump), played soccer, basketball, and rugby, lettered in cricket starting in seventh grade, captained a state championship team, and was on Australia’s U18 Baseball World Cup roster in 2019. He was immediately a good college hitter at Oregon State, where he slashed .360/.497/.660 throughout his career and posted a .407/.568/.911 line as a junior with 28 homers and only 37 strikeouts. The Guardians made him the first overall pick in the 2024 draft and sent Bazzana straight to High-A Lake County, then to Double-A Akron when camp broke in 2025. He slashed .245/.389/.424 on the season (with a six-week midseason absence due to an oblique strain) and reached Triple-A Columbus in August.

He’s a disciplined hitter with a proclivity for pull-side power, and the WBC provides a fun opportunity for the folks without an MiLB TV subscription to see him in action.

The other member of Team Australia you may have heard of is White Sox infielder Curtis Mead. Mead was a Top 100 prospect as recently as 2024, but he’s failed to establish himself as a regular in the majors, even though he has wrangled his tendency to chase pitches outside the zone. At 25 years old, there’s still time for Mead to put it all together, but if he’s not careful, his lasting legacy will be as the guy the Phillies traded to acquire Cristopher Sánchez.

But just because Australia doesn’t have a lot of recognizable names on its roster doesn’t mean it is without some great names. Here’s a sampling: Warwick Saupold, Todd Van Steensel, Lachlan Wells, Jarryd Dale, Robbie Glendinning, Rixon Wingrove, and Ulrich Bojarski.

Hopefully Team Australia enjoys its time in Japan because it’s probably not making it to the quarterfinals in Miami.

Uniforms Compared to 2023? Upgrade

The 2023 uniforms have good elements, but overall they’re a bit too plain Jane. The 2026 version adds just enough detail to make the look more polished, even if they are the same somewhat uninteresting details that Nike used for all the jerseys. However, I do reserve the right to change my opinion if we find out they didn’t keep the 2023 socks.

Secondary Anthem: “Opalite” by Taylor Swift

Australia’s national women’s basketball team is called the Opals, and they put on a much stronger showing during international competitions than the national baseball team does. The Opals provide an aspirational model for Australia’s baseball team, and “Opalite” will keep that goal fresh in the players’ minds as they dance through the lightning strikes, waiting for better prospects to arise. Come to think of it, do either of Lauren Jackson’s kids play baseball?

Czechia

Full Roster

Czechia’s 8-5 win over China in 2023 was its only victory of the tournament, but it was enough to qualify the team for the 2026 WBC. The two best performing pitchers from the 2023 squad will be returning this year. Martin Schneider made two appearances in which he threw seven innings, allowed two runs, walked four and struck out two. Jeff Barto got into just one game, but pitched 5 2/3 innings with one earned run, no walks, and no strikeouts. Both pitchers are now in their late 30s, so they may not be as effective this time around.

On offense, this year’s team will be without Matej Menšik, who hit Czechia’s first WBC home run in 2023, but his younger brother, Vojtech Menšik, is on the roster. The younger Menšik tallied four hits, two walks, and scored three runs over four games during the last tournament. The team’s best hitter in 2023 was former Athletic Eric Sogard, who slashed .438/.438/.438 with three runs scored and a stolen base over 16 plate appearances; alas, the 39-year-old second baseman will not suit up for Czechia this year. As such, the only player on the roster with big league experience is Terrin Vavra. Originally drafted by the Rockies in 2018, Vavra made his major league debut with the Orioles in 2022, but he never made it off the Triple-A shuttle. After a rough 2024 characterized by injuries and regression at the plate, he only got one big league plate appearance in 2025. Now a free agent, Vavra could earn himself a minor league deal with a strong WBC performance.

Despite the lack of big league experience on the roster, Czechia is bringing six players currently playing for colleges in the U.S., six players with past experience at the college level, and three players on the roster who have past experience playing in the minors. Two of the current college players — Michal Kovala and Michal Šindelka — play for Chipola College, a JUCO powerhouse known for getting its players drafted. (Chipola alumni include José Bautista, Russell Martin, Patrick Corbin, and Adam Duvall.)

All told, Czechia is unlikely to make much noise in this year’s tournament, but given its underdog status, any success this team does find will make for a great feel-good story.

Uniforms Compared to 2023? Downgrade

There’s no way Team Czechia re-creates that photoshoot in front of a graffitied wall in Tokyo this time around, because the 2026 uniforms are nowhere near cool enough to pull it off.

Secondary Anthem: “Raise Up” by Petey Pablo

Of the 12 members of Team Czechia with college playing experience, five of them wound up at a school in one of the Carolinas. That’s surely a result of connections and networking within the Czech baseball community, but I like to imagine that folks from Czechia just really love Cook Out and Cheerwine. Anyway, Petey Pablo dedicated “Raise Up” to North Carolina, and now I’m dedicating it to Team Czechia.

Chinese Taipei

Full Roster

In 2023, Chinese Taipei went 2-2 in pool play, but failed to advance to the Knockout stage, in large part because it allowed more runs (31) than all but two other teams (China: 50, Great Britain: 31). But only two holdovers remain from 2023’s pitching staff. This year, Chinese Taipei has added Jo Hsi Hsu, “the ace of the [Chinese Professional Baseball League],” where he pitched to a 2.05 ERA over 114 innings last year. This coming season, the 25-year-old will take his 98-mph heater to NPB. The other exciting newcomer to the staff is 20-year-old Wei-En Lin, who last year climbed all the way to Double-A in his first season pitching in the U.S. for the Athletics. Lin pounds the zone with his fastball to set up his best pitch — a vulcan changeup that baffles hitters as it parachutes off the table. A bit further down the depth chart are Po-Yu Chen and Yu-Min Lin, who both pitched at Triple-A last year, Chen for the Pirates and Lin for the Diamondbacks. Chen gets a ton of swing-and-miss with a 60-grade splitter that he commands well. Lin impresses with his curveball and slider, but is limited by poor command.

The lineup is similarly peppered with players in the high minors, and several of the team’s top performers from 2023 are returning, as well. First baseman Yu Chang, who played in parts of five major league seasons from 2019 to 2023, slashed .438/.500/.938 in the last WBC, while catcher Kungkuan Giljegiljaw and center fielder Chih-Hsien Chen both topped the 1.000 OPS mark. Middle infielders Kun-Yu Chiang and Tsung-Che Cheng both hit .333 at ages 22 and 21, respectively. Both will return older and wiser and with more pro at-bats in their muscle memory, with most of Cheng’s at-bats coming in the minors with the Pirates.

Chinese Taipei’s other hitters currently in the minors include infielders Hao-Yu Lee and Jonathan Long, along with outfielder Stuart Fairchild. Both Lee and Long entered 2025 needing to prove they could continue to make hard contact against higher velocity at Triple-A. Both passed the test, and are now primed to contribute to their big league clubs (the Tigers and the Cubs, respectively) should the opportunity arise in 2026. Fairchild has played in parts of five major league seasons, but after failing to really put it together at the plate, he enters 2026 on a minor league deal with the Guardians. Nevertheless, a team like Chinese Taipei benefits from all the big league experience it can get.

The 2026 team should be better than the 2023 version, but it might not be enough to net any additional wins in the tournament.

Uniforms Compared to 2023? Upgrade

It’s not super clear in the photos, but the 2023 jerseys had a strange sheen to them, and I just think we should leave the satin look to men’s figure skaters. But I’m open to a team one day proving me wrong on this point.

Secondary Anthem: “Pony” by Ginuwine

I’ve seen Chinese Taipei pop up as a potential dark-horse team that could pull off an upset, so sure, let’s manifest it.