Are they champions until someone else determines otherwise?
Or can the collective power of two superstar lineups prove too difficult for the kingpins of the World Baseball Classic to handle?
We’ll believe it when we see it. For now, Japan – defending champions, three-time WBC titlists – is ranked first in USA TODAY’s power rankings after the Feb. 5 reveal of rosters.
Coming off a dramatic defeat of Team USA in the 2023 final, capped by Shohei Ohtani’s strikeout of then-real life teammate Mike Trout, Japan won’t have Ohtani’s pitching handiwork this time. Yet no group is traditionally tougher to beat in this format, with both veteran and burgeoning talent coalescing quickly.
A look at the top 10 teams, knowing roster situations can be very fluid:
1. Japan
Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the same team? Hey, maybe Team Japan is ruining baseball, too. But this very veteran team – which can surround Ohtani in the lineup with Seiya Suzuki and MLB newcomers Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto – is always greater than the sum of its parts.
2. USA
This club might just bully ball its way to the championship. You like home runs and strikeouts? A lineup with Aaron Judge, Kyle Schwarber, Cal Raleigh and a pick-and-choose of All-Star infielders will provide plenty of longballs. The vaunted pitching staff featuring Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal and Mason Miller will get plenty of swing-and-miss. Can the second tier of pitchers do the same? That may be the difference for Team USA.
3. Dominican Republic
4. Mexico
Hey, nobody pitches nine innings in the WBC, and that’s just as well for Team Mexico, which won’t blow anyone away behind Taijuan Walker and Jose Urquidy. But that bullpen – Andrés Muñoz, Robert Garcia and Victor Vodnik leading the way – can shorten games in a hurry. The lineup is deep enough, with the Tijuana tandem of Alejandro Kirk and Jonathan Aranda making things difficult on pitchers, Randy Arozarena adding power and elan and manager Benji Gil looking to pull more WBC magic – this after getting passed over for a major league job this past winter.
5. Venezuela
Ranger Suárez is the ace and Pablo López the steady veteran, but it’s the swing guys like Keider Montero and Angel Zerpa who may determine whether Venezuela cracks the semifinals. And what an outfield: Ronald Acuña Jr., Jackson Chourio and Wilyer Abreu.
6. Canada
No Freddie Freeman, which is a bummer, and no Nick Pivetta on the mound, so older hands like Jameson Taillon, Michael Soroka and yes, the Big Maple, James Paxton, will have to take down some innings. What they do have: Josh Naylor, the glue of a Mariners ALCS finalist and he should play the same role here.
7. Puerto Rico
Yes, they will dearly miss the likes of Francisco Lindor, but the bigger loss is probably pitcher Jose Berríos, leaving a pitching staff with a handful of elite relievers – Edwin Díaz is back, and Fernando Cruz looms large – but precious few starters to get the game to them.
8. Italy
These paisans look like the real deal. Aaron Nola’s decision to pitch gives the staff a bell cow, with big leaguers like Michael Lorenzen and Gordon Graceffo adding depth. Old heads Dan Altavilla and Adam Ottavino provide bullpen seasoning. And Vinnie Pasquantino provides a cog around which some exciting young players can coalesce, including Royals teammate Jac Caglianone, Marlins outfielder Jakob Marsee and White Sox slugging catcher Kyle Teel.
9. Korea
Enough oomph to escape Pool C alongside Japan and maybe make some hay stateside, led by big league regulars or semi-regulars Jung Hoo Lee (Giants), Jahmai Jones (Tigers) and Hyeseong Kim (Dodgers). Hyun Min Ahn and Hyun Bin Moon are powerful youngsters pitchers should approach carefully.
10. Netherlands
No shortage of candidates for this 10 spot, most notably Cuba and Colombia. But we’ll tip our caps to the Dutch, with 2009 catcher Kenley Jansen back to hold down the closer role and a star-studded lineup including Xander Bogaerts, Ozzie Albies, Jurickson Profar and Ceddane Rafaela. Something old? How about infielder Didi Gregorius. Something new? Meet Druw Jones, who will play for his father, freshly minted Hall of Famer and manager Andruw.
