Venezuela is shaping up to have one of the best rosters at the 2026 World Baseball Classic, but who will join captain Salvador Perez in the upcoming tournament?
On Thursday, it was announced that Ronald Acuña Jr., Maikel Garcia, Jackson Chourio and Wilyer Abreu are joining Venezuela’s roster. In the 2023 WBC, Venezuela made it to the quarterfinals, where the team lost in an eventful 9-7 defeat against the United States.
Venezuela begins play in Pool D of the World Baseball Classic on March 6 against the Netherlands at noon ET at loanDepot park in Miami.
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This will be Acuña’s second WBC appearance, as he joined Venezuela’s 2023 team before he embarked on a historic 41-homer, 73-stolen base season. After tearing his ACL in May 2024, Acuña returned last season with a .935 OPS, 21 home runs and nine stolen bases in 95 games.
Garcia is making his WBC debut after a breakout 2025 season that saw the Royals’ third baseman tally an .800 OPS, 16 home runs, 23 steals, 17 outs above average and 5.6 WAR (per FanGraphs). Garcia’s breakout sparked the Royals to sign him to a long-term extension this offseason.
Chourio hadn’t even debuted in the Majors during the last WBC, as he ranked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 8 prospect entering the 2023 season. The young Brewers star has hit 20-plus home runs and swiped 20-plus bases in each of his first two seasons and is a key reason for Milwaukee’s recent success.
Abreu has developed into one of the better all-around outfielders in baseball for the Red Sox. Abreu’s 15 outs above average are tied with the D-backs' Corbin Carroll for the most among right fielders since 2024 and he’s posted a .784 OPS in that time.