Despite the attention around the MLB stars who will suit up for Samurai Japan at the World Baseball Classic this spring, Hirokazu Ibata’s roster is mostly made up of NPB stars.
Last season’s Central League MVP Teruaki Sato of the Hanshin Tigers and 2025 Sawamura Award winner Hiromi Ito from the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters are among the 21 players from Japan’s top league who will try to help Japan claim a second consecutive WBC title.
The official rosters for the tournament were unveiled late last week, and Japan is not the only team bolstered by NPB talent.