Team Dominican Republic already boasts an impressive roster of Major League talent for this year’s World Baseball Classic.
But on Sunday, it may have added its biggest star yet as Mets slugger Juan Soto confirmed his intention to play in the Classic once again for the Dominican Republic.
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The Dominican Baseball Federation also announced the additions of Athletics starter Luis Severino and Pirates reliever Dennis Santana to the mix.
Soto was fantastic -- naturally -- in the 2023 WBC. Although his team didn’t advance out of pool play, he went 6-for-15 at the plate with two home runs, five extra-base hits and a 1.500 OPS.
Soto’s 2025 season, his first with the Mets, started a little slowly, but by the end of the year, he had put together another fantastic stat line. It included a career-high 43 home runs and a .921 OPS. Soto also stole 38 bases, which dwarfed his previous career high of 12. He led the Majors in walks for the fourth time in his career, earned his sixth Silver Slugger and finished third in the National League MVP voting.
The 27-year-old will suit up alongside Julio Rodríguez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Ketel Marte, Fernando Tatis Jr. and many other MLB luminaries for the Dominican Republic. Their squad will begin play in Pool D at 7 p.m. ET on March 6, taking on Nicaragua at loanDepot park in Miami.
Severino and Santana will both be participating in the World Baseball Classic for the first time this year.
Severino, who joined the Athletics on a three-year, $67 million deal last offseason, recorded a 4.54 ERA over 29 starts in his first season with the club. He owns a lifetime 3.92 ERA over 10 seasons, peaking with consecutive All-Star selections as a member of the Yankees in 2017-18.
Santana has found a home with the Pirates after bouncing around over his first seven seasons. Claimed off waivers by Pittsburgh in June 2024, the right-hander has recorded a 2.28 ERA over 109 appearances in a Pirates uniform.