Samurai Japan's World Baseball Classic squad will boast a record eight MLB players for the upcoming tournament after manager Hirokazu Ibata revealed the roster Monday.
Among those selected are Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Dodgers -- key members of Japan’s championship-winning team in 2023 -- as well as Munetaka Murakami, who signed with the White Sox; Kazuma Okamoto, who inked a deal with the Blue Jays; and Seiya Suzuki of the Cubs, who missed the last tournament due to injury. One remaining roster spot is still under consideration and will be announced once it's finalized.
Two members from the 2023 team not on the roster are the Dodgers' Roki Sasaki and the Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar. The 24-year-old Sasaki dealt with an injury-plagued rookie season, but he was a postseason sensation in the Dodgers' title defense. Nootbaar, who became a hit in Japan in the previous Classic, had surgery on both of his heels in the offseason.
Japan's 2026 roster brings back 15 members from the previous championship-winning squad, giving the team exceptional depth and experience to defend its WBC title.
“Wearing a Japanese uniform once again fills me with a deep sense of pride and responsibility," Yamamoto said in a statement on the official Samurai Japan website. "I’ve trained hard this offseason to be in the best possible condition for the WBC. Together, with great teammates and a dependable coaching staff, we’ll unite as one and aim for the top.”
Team Japan roster (As of Jan. 26; * indicates members of the 2023 WBC team; players' name in bold indicate MLB-affiliated players, including free agents)
Pitchers
Daichi Ishii (Hanshin Tigers)
Hiromi Itoh (Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters) *
Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers) *
Yusei Kikuchi (Angels)
Koki Kitayama (Nippon-Ham)
Tomoyuki Sugano (Orioles / FA)
Ryuhei Sotani (Orix Buffaloes)
Taisei Ota (Yomiuri Giants) *
Kaima Taira (Saitama Seibu Lions)
Hiroto Takahashi (Chunichi Dragons) *
Atsuki Taneichi (Chiba Lotte Marines)
Yuki Matsui (Padres) *
Hiroki Matsumoto (SoftBank Hawks)
Hiroya Miyagi (Orix Buffaloes) *
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Dodgers) *
Catchers
Seishiro Sakamoto (Hanshin Tigers)
Yuhei Nakamura (Tokyo Yakult Swallows) *
Kenya Wakatsuki (Orix Buffaloes)
Infielders
Kazuma Okamoto (Blue Jays) *
Sosuke Genda (Saitama Seibu Lions) *
Kaito Kozono (Hiroshima Carp)
Teruaki Sato (Hanshin Tigers)
Shugo Maki (DeNA BayStars) *
Taisuke Makihara (SoftBank Hawks) *
Munetaka Murakami (White Sox) *
Outfielders
Kensuke Kondo (SoftBank Hawks) *
Ukyo Shuto (SoftBank Hawks) *
Seiya Suzuki (Cubs)
Shota Morishita (Hanshin Tigers)
Players based in Japan will hold a training camp in Miyazaki Prefecture from Feb. 14-24 before competing in the Samurai Japan Series, which begins Feb. 27. MLB-based players are expected to join the team starting with exhibition games in Osaka on March 2.
Japan is one of the most successful nations in tournament history, having won the tournament three times in 2006, '09 and '23.
Placed in Pool C, Japan will face Australia, South Korea, Czechia and Chinese Taipei. Team Japan will open its tournament on March 6 against Chinese Taipei at the Tokyo Dome.