MLB · 9 hours ago

The 25 Top Prospects in the 2026 World Baseball Classic

SportsGrid Contributor Just Baseball

Host · Writer

Breakdown of Top 100 Just Baseball Prospects
So to recap, here’s a quick breakdown of which Just Baseball Top 100 prospects will be participating in this year’s World Baseball Classic. We’ll also provide a link directly to their scouting report in our latest top 100, so you can get fully caught up on who’s who.
- RHP Nolan McLean, USA, Just Baseball No. 3 prospect
- INF Travis Bazzana, Australia, Just Baseball No. 46 prospect
- OF Owen Caissie, Canada, Just Baseball No. 48 prospect
- C Harry Ford, Great Britain, Just Baseball No. 74 prospect
Top Prospects in the 2026 World Baseball Classic
The 2026 World Baseball Classic is underway and we’ve already seen a ton of action from the world’s best players. There’s something so refreshing about being able to watch teams from all around the planet and seeing said teams send the best players they’ve got to face off in a tournament.

We extensively previewed and broke down the rosters before the games kicked off, and it’s clear that this WBC should be one for the ages.

One thing we have yet to look at, though, is which top MLB prospects will be taking part in the action. Let’s break down where some of the game’s top up-and-coming studs will take the field.

The post Top Prospects in the 2026 World Baseball Classic appeared first on Just Baseball.
USA
With the United States having access to a true super-team, it’s easy to think that there is no need for any prospects on the team. But to every rule there is an exception and Team USA’s is Nolan McLean.

Just Baseball has McLean as the No. 3 MLB prospect and for good reason, as he boasts a 70-grade fastball that averaged 95.1 MPH in his 48-inning sample at the major league level. Slated to be the New York Mets’ future ace, McLean will first step into Team USA’s rotation, looking to build on his major prospect pedigree.
Australia
The Aussies may have an illustrious history of MLB relievers, but with Travis Bazzana in tow, they may be adding a second baseman to that list. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft is ranked as Just Baseball’s No. 46 MLB prospect.

Bazzana’s best skill is his plate discipline, a skill to watch out for this WBC. However, he also boasts some serious speed, so look out for busy basepaths when Team Australia is up to bat.
Puerto Rico
Elmer Rodriguez just boasted his best season yet after a trade for Carlos Narvaez sent Rodriguez to the New York Yankees. Rodriguez rose from High- to Double-A and made one start at Triple-A to end the season. He totaled a 2.58 ERA across 150 innings in 2025 and looks to slot into the P.R. rotation for some big contests in the WBC.

Edwin Arroyo is a name that has recently fallen off many prospect lists. Once a consensus top 100 guy, Arroyo was a part of the Cincinnati Reds’ return for Luis Castillo in 2022, alongside Noelvi Marte.

Since that trade, the former second-rounder has made a slow climb through the minors, posting a .716 OPS in Double-A Chattanooga in 2025. There is reason to look up, however, as Arroyo performed excellently in the Puerto Rican Winter League, to the tune of an .896 OPS in 70 PAs.
Canada
Owen Caissie is Just Baseball’s No. 48 prospect and made his MLB debut in 2025 for the Chicago Cubs. Traded to the Miami Marlins in the offseason for Edward Cabrera, Caissie projects as a starting outfielder for the Marlins in 2026. But first, he’ll look to grow his profile on the international stage for Team Canada.

Adam Macko comes to Team Canada as the only Slovakian-born player on the squad. A 7th-round pick back in 2019, Macko just completed his first full season in Triple-A Buffalo for the Toronto Blue Jays as a swingman. He pitched to an ERA just north of 5.00 in 64 innings.

Look to see Macko as a southpaw in Canada’s bullpen and to lean into hitters with his heater. He threw his fastball 45.5% of the time in 2026, averaging 93.0 MPH. In spring training, this pitch is up to 94.7 MPH, albeit in a three-inning sample.

Tyler Black also joins Canada as a first baseman and candidate for a corner outfield spot. Black debuted with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2024, but has only played 23 MLB games over the last two seasons. In his 2025 cup of coffee, Black excelled, going 2-for-8 with a double and five walks.
Colombia
Michael Arroyo was signed as an amateur free agent out of Colombia back in 2022 and has since cemented himself as a serious prospect in the Seattle Mariners’ system. Arroyo hit to a 139 wRC+ between High- and Double-A last season and has been off to a blazing start in his first few spring training games. As someone who is competing for a big league spot as soon as the stretch run, this is Arroyo’s chance to make the Mariners notice.
Panama
Leonardo Bernal was signed in 2021 and has posted above average hitting numbers at nearly every level since. Bernal saw a big power jump in 2025, posting a career-high 13 homers. Look for him to continue lifting the ball in the WBC, as his ground ball/fly ball ratio was at an all-time low of 1.14 last season.

A former first-round pick out of Vanderbilt, Enrique Bradfield Jr. is ready to suit up for Team Panama and flash his glove in the outfield. Bradfield is a speed- and glove-first center fielder, who can also hit for solid contact. He may not be hitting any towering home runs, but be sure to watch when he gets the chance to rob one.
Netherlands
Druw Jones, the second overall pick in 2022, is another son of a Hall of Famer looking to make his place in the big leagues. Those who remember his father, Andruw Jones, who is also the team’s manager, will remember his otherworldly defense. The same can be expected for Druw, a speedster with an amazing glove, who is still looking to refine his offensive game. FanGraphs has compared him to Michael A. Taylor.
Great Britain
After being blocked by Cal Raleigh and traded this offseason, Harry Ford is likely to be the catcher of the future for the Washington Nationals. He’s had a slow start to spring training, but the WBC is his chance to show Nationals fans what he’s capable of. Sitting at No. 74 per Just Baseball, Ford will look to build on several dominant offensive seasons in Seattle’s minor league system.

Gary Gill Hill was drafted out of high school by the Tampa Bay Rays, and just completed his second consecutive season with 100 or more innings. While Hill’s ERA jumped from 3.15 to 3.82 with the jump to High-A, the bigger concern lies in his underlying metrics. While he’s likely to see time for Great Britain in the WBC, fans should watch out for his home run numbers, which spiked in 2025.

Whether Brendan Beck can still be considered a prospect is up for debate, but the Yankees minor leaguer will nonetheless be suiting up for Great Britain this cycle. Beck, a 19th-round pick out of Stanford in 2021, is not a flamethrower by any means, but he boasts excellent command with a wipeout slider.
Italy
A recent first-round pick for the Philadelphia Phillies, Dante Nori soared through the minors in his first full pro season. After a 110 wRC+ in Single-A, he got a promotion to High-A, where after just 11 games, he went up to Double-A. Nori has excellent on-base skills, but will look to hone his power better on this international stage.

Sam Antonacci is another Italian player with a Double-A promotion in 2025. Antonacci has a much larger sample at that level than Nori, however, hitting to a 153 wRC+ and an OBP of .435. His hit tool is by far the most impressive part of Antonacci’s game. He will likely be a bench bat for Team Italy, but don’t be surprised if he pinch hits when the goal is to string together some base hits.

Sam Aldegheri has been a consistent rotation presence in the Los Angeles Angels’ minor league system over the past two seasons. After posting a 3.72 ERA in 128.1 innings at Double-A, Aldegheri saw a late-season promotion to Triple-A. As he looks to prove that he can hang in the big leagues, Aldegheri will use the WBC as a stage to show the Angels what he can do.

Nick Morabito is an outfield prospect for the Mets and spent all of 2025 at Double-A. He hit to a 120 wRC+ and posted a career-high .112 ISO, a sign that he could develop more power in the years to come.

Andrew Fischer was the Brewers’ first-round draft pick in 2025. While many of these Italian prospects are contact-first guys, Fischer is the exact opposite. At Tennessee, he was the SEC’s home run leader in 2025, and ranked just one homer behind the NCAA DI lead. Look for serious power out of Fischer in WBC action.
Mexico
Samy Natera has risen through the Angels’ system quickly for a 17th-round pick. He split time as a reliever between Double- and Triple-A in 2025, posting over 13 K/9 overall and eight saves in Double-A. The concern for Team Mexico fans are the walk and home run numbers, which spiked for Natera after he reached the Triple-A level.

Luis Gastelum is a late bloomer, who signed with the St. Louis Cardinals as a 21-year-old free agent after playing in the Mexican Pacific Winter League. He will also slot into Team Mexico’s bullpen after saving 10 contests in Double-A in 2025.
Chinese Taipei
Wei-En Lin spent his first pro season as a swingman in the Athletics’ system. He totaled 87 innings in the end to the tune of a 3.72 ERA, and may be poised to rise up the team’s ranks. He is currently at 13th in their system, per FanGraphs.

Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang is another Taiwanese pitcher in the Athletics’ organization. After some injuries early in his career, he pitched a career-high 145.2 innings in 2025, posting a 4.08 ERA. These numbers are down from 2024, with his Home run-to-fly ball ratio spiking from 4.7% to 13.3%.

Hao-Yu Lee and Jonathon Long were also initially on the Chinese Taipei roster but withdrew due to injuries.
Israel
Cole Carrigg was a top-10 Colorado Rockies prospect per FanGraphs in 2025. After signing a $1.3 million signing bonus in 2023, Carrigg used his speed to steal 99 bases over the past two seasons. While it remains to be seen whether he will start for Team Israel, Carrigg can at the very least be an excellent pinch runner in the WBC.

Vanderbilt product RJ Schreck came to Toronto in the Justin Turner deal, and is competing for an MLB job in spring training. Schreck posted a 166 wRC+ in 41 Double-A games in 2025 and a 143 wRC+ in 58 Triple-A games. While Schreck will be spending time away from the Blue Jays to compete with Team Israel, he is surely thinking of the WBC as an audition for an MLB roster spot.
Breakdown of Top 100 Just Baseball Prospects
So to recap, here’s a quick breakdown of which Just Baseball Top 100 prospects will be participating in this year’s World Baseball Classic. We’ll also provide a link directly to their scouting report in our latest top 100, so you can get fully caught up on who’s who.
- RHP Nolan McLean, USA, Just Baseball No. 3 prospect
- INF Travis Bazzana, Australia, Just Baseball No. 46 prospect
- OF Owen Caissie, Canada, Just Baseball No. 48 prospect
- C Harry Ford, Great Britain, Just Baseball No. 74 prospect
Top Prospects in the 2026 World Baseball Classic
The 2026 World Baseball Classic is underway and we’ve already seen a ton of action from the world’s best players. There’s something so refreshing about being able to watch teams from all around the planet and seeing said teams send the best players they’ve got to face off in a tournament.

We extensively previewed and broke down the rosters before the games kicked off, and it’s clear that this WBC should be one for the ages.

One thing we have yet to look at, though, is which top MLB prospects will be taking part in the action. Let’s break down where some of the game’s top up-and-coming studs will take the field.

The post Top Prospects in the 2026 World Baseball Classic appeared first on Just Baseball.

The 25 Top Prospects in the 2026 World Baseball Classic

BETTING NEWS

FUTURES

EDITOR'S PICKS

For the Best of SportsGrid, Grab the App

BETTING NEWS

FUTURES