The full rosters for the 2026 World Baseball Classic were revealed on Thursday, and the Toronto Blue Jays will be sending 12 players to the tournament that begins on March 5 in Japan.

Seven players with experience in the major leagues will be participating, including shortstop Andres Gimenez (Venezuela), shortstop Leo Jimenez (Panama), utility man Ernie Clement (United States), catcher Alejandro Kirk (Mexico), first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Dominican Republic), third baseman Kazuma Okamoto (Japan) and pitcher Yariel Rodriguez (Cuba).

That leaves five minor leaguers – pitchers Adam Macko (Canada), outfielder RJ Schreck and catcher C.J. Stubbs, both representing Israel, catcher Will Cresswell (Great Britain) and outfielder Ismael Munguia (Nicaragua).

Only eight teams across the major leagues sent more players to the tournament, with the New York Mets sending the most (17).

Guerrero figures to be a headliner for the dangerous Dominican Republic side that is expected to compete for the title. He and teammate Juan Soto of the Mets are two of the highest-paid players in the majors.

Guerrero, who signed a 14-year, $500 million contract in April to become the highest-paid player in team history, has a strong regular season in which he hit .292 with 23 home runs. But he ascended to another level in the postseason, hitting .397 with eight home runs and a jaw-dropping 1.289 on-base plus slugging across 18 games. He took home ALCS MVP honours and was left standing at third base as the potential tying run after hitting a double off the wall in the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 7.

Kirk, who was recently named the fifth-best catcher in baseball on MLB.com’s list of the best at each position, will pair with childhood friend Jonathan Aranda on the Tampa Bay Rays to headline Team Mexico after an All-Star campaign in which he hit .282 with 15 home runs.

Macko, 25, is a lefty who was acquired as part of the return in the deal that sent Teoscar Hernandez to the Seattle Mariners in 2022. He struggled to a 4.76 earned-run average in 23 games across two levels in the minors this year. He is the only Blue Jays player to represent Canada at the WBC this year – Guerrero was born in Canada while his father played for the Montreal Expos, but is not representing Canada.

Okamoto was one of the top contributors in the batter’s box for Team Japan in 2023, when they defeated the United States in the final to earn the country’s third WBC title. He hit .333 with two home runs and a 1.278 OPS – third on the team behind Shohei Ohtani and catcher Yuhei Nakamura.

Perhaps the most interesting prospect to watch in the tournament will be Schreck, an outfielder the Blue Jays received from the Mariners in exchange for Justin Turner at the trade deadline in 2024. MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson highlighted Schreck as a player to watch in Spring Training for the Blue Jays and one that could make a push for a roster spot if he performs well in Dunedin and at the WBC. He hit .249 with 18 home runs in 105 games spread across four levels in the minors in 2025.

Pool play will begin in Japan on March 5 and in the United States on March 6, with the knockout stages to begin on March 13 and the championship to be played in Miami’s Loan Depot Park on March 17.