The 2026 World Baseball Classic is going to be another sports spectacle. Team USA is loading up the roster to try and compete with the likes of Japan, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and Mexico. There is talent all over these countries, and any one of these teams can win the whole thing.
The roster for Team USA is going to be one of the best it's ever put out there. Players like Corbin Carroll and Pete Crow-Armstrong join players like Aaron Judge, Paul Skenes, Gunner Henderson, Bobby Witt Jr, Kyle Schwarber, Will Smith, and Cal Raleigh.
The latest player to confirm is Minnesota Twins ace Joe Ryan. Ryan is one of the top young pitchers in the game and dominated the 2025 season. Ryan ended the season with 13 wins, a 3.42 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 194 strikeouts in 171 innings. He reached a 4.5 WAR as a top 20 starter in baseball.
Joe Ryan will join Skenes, Clay Holmes, and Nolan McClean as confirmed players on the roster. There will be more starters announced in the coming weeks, as well as forming a bullpen. Garrett Whitlock and Mathew Boyd have said they are interested in playing and are expected to join.
The team does not have a first baseman yet. Bryce Turang could be the starting second baseman, and Gunner Henderson could slide to third base to allow Witt Jr. to handle shortstop. Bryce Harper could be a great option to play first base, but there is no word on whether he will commit yet. If he does, he would hit in the heart of the lineup alongside the best hitters in the sport.
