DETROIT — When the World Baseball Classic opens next month, the Detroit Tigers will be represented across eight national teams by 10 players, three coaches and a certain special assistant to the president.
The Tigers will have the most representatives on the Venezuelan team, with second baseman Gleyber Torres, right-handed pitcher Keider Montero and newly acquired left-handed pitcher Enmanuel De Jesus earning spots. Tigers legend and future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera will serve as the club’s hitting coach.
Ace left-hander Tarik Skubal will be the Tigers’ lone player representative on the United States team, while Tigers bench coach George Lombard will serve on the staff as first-base coach.
Other Tigers on WBC rosters include infield prospect Hao-Yu Lee (Chinese Taipei); minor-league right-hander Carlos Lequerica (Israel); outfielder Jahmai Jones and right-handed pitcher Woo-suk Go (Korea); new closer Kenley Jansen (Netherlands); and minor-leaguer Duque Hebbert, who will try to reprise his heroics from four years ago for Nicaragua.
Tigers third base coach Joey Cora and bullpen coach Juan Nieves will fill the same roles for Puerto Rico.
Tigers shortstop Javier Báez is not on the team after testing positive for marijuana during the last Classic in 2023. The news was first reported by Primera Hora, and Báez is listed among a handful of MLB players listed for marijuana violations on the International Testing Agency website.
MLB no longer prohibits marijuana use or penalizes positive tests, so the result will have no impact on Báez’s professional career.
The WBC tournament begins March 5 at the Tokyo Dome (March 4 at 10 p.m. ET in the United States). The other pools — located in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Houston; and Miami — begin play on March 6.
There are many other players with ties to the Tigers on the 20 WBC rosters. Here is a rundown:
Australia: Right-hander Warwick Saupold, 36, who pitched for Detroit from 2016–18, is on the staff, along with former Tigers minor-leaguers Jack O’Loughlin, a left-hander, and outfielder Ulrich Bojarski. Third base coach Andrew Graham managed 14 consecutive seasons at four levels in the Tigers’ system, most recently at Double-A Erie in 2025. He was not retained for 2026.
Canada: Pitchers Phillippe Aumont and Jordan Balazovic are former Mud Hens. Catcher Liam Hicks briefly spent time in the organization and traveled with the club as a taxi squad player during the Tigers’ 2024 playoff run. He was lost in the Rule 5 Draft and is coming off a successful rookie season with the Marlins. Outfielder Jacob Robson, a Windsor native, was in the Tigers’ system from 2016–22 and appeared in four MLB games in 2021.
Colombia: Longtime MLB pitcher Julio Teheran, who pitched for the Tigers in 2021, and third baseman Gio Urshela, who played for Detroit in 2024, are on the roster. Longtime Tigers minor-league pitcher Austin Bergner recently signed with the Texas Rangers. He has eligibility for the national team through his mother.
Czechia: Utility man Terrin Vavra, who played parts of three seasons in Baltimore, is the son of former Tigers coach Joe Vavra.
Dominican Republic: Right-hander Elvis Alvarado and Edwin Uceta both passed through the Tigers organization. Left-hander Gregory Soto was a two-time All-Star with the Tigers. Former Tigers player Placido Polanco will be a coach.
Great Britain: Right-hander Jack Anderson was in the Tigers’ system from 2021–24 before being selected by the Red Sox in the minor-league phase of the Rule 5 Draft. Another pitcher, Chavez Fernander, is from the Bahamas and was drafted by Detroit, pitching in the system from 2018–23. Outfielder Trayce Thompson was a Toledo Mud Hen before a late-career resurgence with the Dodgers in 2022.
Israel: Reliever Tommy Kahnle, who pitched for the Tigers in 2025, is on the roster. Former Tigers player and skipper Brad Ausmus will be the manager.
Italy: Former Tigers pitcher Michael Lorenzen is on the staff, along with veteran MLB infielder Jon Berti, a Royal Oak native who still lives in the Detroit area.
Mexico: Veteran right-hander José Urquidy, who pitched briefly for the Tigers last year and recently signed with the Pirates, is on the squad.
Netherlands: Sharlon Schoop is on the roster. His brother and former Tiger Jonathan Schoop is currently facing legal issues in Curacao. Jair Jurrjens, who began his MLB career with the Tigers 20 years ago, will be the Dutch pitching coach.
Nicaragua: Veteran right-hander Erasmo RamÃrez, a former Tiger, will anchor the pitching staff. Coaches Randall Simon, Gary Pettis and Jacque Jones all played for the Tigers during their careers.
Panama: Right-hander DarÃo Agrazal briefly passed through the organization during the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
Puerto Rico: Former Tigers utility man Willi Castro, who recently signed with the Rockies, will be on the club. Juan González will serve as hitting coach.
USA: Veteran lefty Matthew Boyd will join Skubal on the American pitching staff.
Team USA is listed at +110 to win the World Baseball Classic tournament on BetMGM. Our comprehensive BetMGM Sportsbook review shows you how to navigate through their platform.
Venezuela: Third baseman Eugenio Suárez and former Tigers farmhand Carlos Guzman, a right-handed pitcher, are on the roster. Victor MartÃnez will serve as assistant manager.
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