Speaking of Andrés Giménez, the Blue Jays’ official new starting shortstop will likely have that same assignment for Venezuela. Giménez’s offensive struggles have been well documented, but he’s proven that if you’re a perennial Gold Glove candidate defensively, you can still earn a spot on a major league roster. Hopefully, his 2026 will look more like his March 2025, and the WBC could be the first sign of that, or it could be the first glimpse of another below-average offensive season.

USA: Ernie Clement (IF)

If you ask Blue Jays fans, Ernie Clement can do no wrong. For the Canadian fans, he’s putting that to the test by earning a spot on a powerhouse USA team. In all seriousness, Clement showed up for Toronto when they needed him the most last year, setting an MLB record with 30 hits in a single postseason.

His playing time in the WBC might be scarce (some guys named Alex Bregman, Bobby Witt Jr., Gunnar Henderson, and Brice Turang are in the way), but if we know anything about Clement, he’ll make the most of whatever opportunity is given. He might see playing time against lefties during the tournament (both Henderson and Turang are lefties themselves), but even if he’s used solely as a defensive replacement, it was a spot well deserved.

WBC Pool Play action kicks off on March 5th, and for a more in-depth view of the tournament, here is how it’s taking shape.

Bonus: Former Blue Jays Players/Prospects in the Tournament

Liam Hendriks (RHP, Australia), Eric Pardinho (RHP, Brazil), Tiago da Silva (RHP, Brazil), Curtis Taylor (RHP, Canada), Otto Lopez (IF, Canada), Phillippe Aumont (RHP, Canada), Gio Urshela (IF, Colombia), Harold Ramirez (OF, Colombia), Seranthony Dominguez (RHP, Dominican Republic), Graham Spraker (RHP, Great Britain), Spencer Horwitz (1B, Israel), Alberto Mineo (C, Italy), Jon Berti (IF, Italy), Yusei Kikuchi (LHP, Japan), Hyun-Jin Ryu (LHP, Korea), Aaron Sanchez (RHP, Mexico), Rowdy Tellez (1B, Mexico), Taijuan Walker (RHP, Mexico), Osman Gutierrez (RHP, Nicaragua), Paolo Espino (RHP, Panama), José De Léon (RHP, Puerto Rico), Luis Quiñones (RHP, Puerto Rico), José Espada (RHP, Puerto Rico), Matthew Boyd (LHP, USA).