Team Canada heads into the 2026 World Baseball Classic with a problem it has never had before -- too much depth. As a result, confidence is flowing from the group that they can advance past the group stage for the first time in the tournament’s history. With Major League talent at almost every position, and a pool that doesn’t include Team United States or Team Mexico, Team Canada will look to ride a position player group filled with talent (Tyler O’Neill, Josh Naylor, Otto Lopez, Bo Naylor, Denzel Clarke) to the knockout stage.
Interest to play for Team Canada is at an all-time high, so much so that manager Ernie Whitt said at the Winter Meetings in December that this could be the first WBC that the club has to turn down Major League players due to limited roster space. Pitching is still a question mark, but Matt Brash, Jameson Taillon, Michael Soroka and Cal Quantrill are expected to suit up for Team Canada. That’s more than enough for the squad to believe it can reach the quarterfinals in Miami for the first time.
2026 World Baseball Classic
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“We’re going to start a potential Major League lineup in every position and have some depth off the bench that would be Major League quality as well,” Whitt said at the Winter Meetings. “We haven’t really had that too many times, so that’s exciting.”
2023 WBC Performance
Team Canada has failed to make it out of the pool/group stage in the previous six tournaments. That was no different in 2023, but Team Canada went 2-2 in pool play with an 18-8 win over Great Britain and 5-0 over Colombia. However, Team Canada lost 12-1 to Team USA and 10-3 to Team Mexico. Canada finished third in the pool to earn automatic qualification in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
2026 WBC schedule
The schedule is a little different this time around for Team Canada, which is not included in a pool with Team United States or Team Mexico, per usual. Instead, Canada is now in a pool with Puerto Rico, Cuba, Panama and Colombia. All games will be played at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Team Canada’s Pool A schedule:
• March 7: Colombia
• March 8: Panama
• March 10: Puerto Rico
• March 11: Cuba
If Team Canada advances, the quarterfinals will be held on March 13 and 14 and semifinals on March 15 and 16 before the championship on March 17. All games past pool play will be held in Miami at loanDepot park.
Best WBC performance
Team Canada’s most memorable World Baseball Classic may be the first in 2006, when Canada took down the United States 8-6 -- its only win against Team USA in the tournament’s history -- in addition to a win over Team South Africa. However, despite having the same record (2-1) as Team USA and Team Mexico, Canada failed to make it out of the group stage due to its -3 run differential.
Biggest games in country history
Team Canada has struggled to finish at the top of international baseball tournaments in the past, but the country still has more than a few big wins. At the 2004 Olympics, Canada finished third in an eight-team preliminary round to advance to the semifinals. Canada lost to Cuba for a chance to play in the Gold Medal game before dropping the Bronze Medal match against Japan. However, fourth is still the highest the country has ever placed in baseball at the Olympics.
In the Baseball World Cup, one of the premier international tournaments before the World Baseball Classic, Canada earned Bronze in both 2009 and 2011.
Notable MLB Players who may join the team
Josh Naylor, who signed a five-year, $92.5 million dollar contract with the Mariners this offseason after a run to the American League Championship Series, is expected to hold down first base after clobbering 51 homers over the past two seasons. Freddie Freeman, who has played for Team Canada in the past, has opted out and will not participate in this year’s World Baseball Classic. Jordan Romano, a two-time All-Star reliever, is also not expected to participate.
But the firepower doesn’t stop with Naylor, as his brother Bo is expected to be back behind the dish along with Liam Hicks. Edouard Julien could man second and Otto Lopez is penciled in at shortstop. An entire infield of Major League players, along with Tyler O’Neill, who crushed 30+ homers in both 2021 and ‘24, and Denzel Clarke, who is capable of making some of the craziest catches in the sport, are expected to round out a talented outfield. Jameson Taillon is likely to join Team Canada as well, anchoring the starting rotation.
“We haven’t had too many WBC’s where we’re starting really established Major Leaguers at almost every position,” Whitt said at the Winter Meetings. “... We didn’t have Josh [Naylor] last time, and obviously Josh in the mix is huge. … He really embraces what it means to play playoff baseball, play do-or-die baseball, and play for your country. So bringing hom back in the mix this time around I think is really going to add a dimension of intensity you love to have in these types of events.”
Minor League prospects who may join the team
Owen Caissie, who broke out with a monster homer in the 2023 WBC against Great Britain, is back again in the outfield mix. The then-Cubs’ No. 1 prospect is now in the Marlins’ organization after being the main trade piece in a deal for Edward Cabrera. The highest-drafted Canadian ever (45th overall in 2020) will get another chance to shine in the international event after making his MLB debut in August 2025 with the Cubs. His power is undeniable, and his speed and arm are not to be underestimated in both the outfield and on the basepaths.
“Owen’s going to be good to go. That’s good news,” Whitt said. “ … It was a coming out party for him [in 2023]. I mean, we knew the talent, obviously. When it’s young talent and you’re putting them on that stage, you don’t necessarily know how they’re going to handle it, but I mean, he handled it tremendously. He showed experience and composure beyond his years and I think we’d like to think that’s, certainly for a country like our, one of the benefits of the WBC -- where a player that has upside is close to the big leagues and can come out and show people that they’re ready for that stage at the Major League level. And he certainly did that.”
Story to watch
The biggest story for Team Canada in the 2026 World Baseball Classic is team success. Can this be the first time the country makes it out of pool play? There is certainly a lot of reason to believe so with a talented roster and what should be an easier path to the quarterfinals without Team USA or Team Mexico in the way. With one of Team Canada’s deepest and most talented rosters to date at an international tournament, this could be the year the country makes a run.
“It’s going to be a really competitive pool, but it’s going to be a very balanced pool,” Whitt said. “It’s one where at any given night, anybody’s got a realistic chance. So I think we’re going to be one of those teams that can definitely aspire to get out of the first round.”
Questions ahead of Upcoming Tournament
The biggest question is pitching depth, and Whitt mentioned at the Winter Meetings that pitchers are still being finalized for the roster. This could include a few Minor League arms that are talented enough but not exactly ready to be on an everyday Major League roster, per Whitt. Team Canada has struggled in the past against high-powered offenses, but due to their pool play change, the team believes it can manage its games in Puerto Rico. The second biggest question mark is replacing both the bat and leadership of Freeman. Missing the nine-time All-Star and 2020 NL MVP will be a huge hole for Team Canada, but Josh Naylor is more than a suitable replacement both at first base and in the clubhouse.