The World Baseball Classic is one of the most exciting events in baseball, coming to life every few years with a melting pot of players representing their home countries on a national stage.
The two-week tournament will feature many MLB stars that are stepping away from spring training for to play for their countries. Some of these players are ones that have been in spotlight for years dating back to college, long before making a name for themselves in the MLB.
Here’s a full list of MLB players competing in the WBC, and notable college players that have either went to become household names at the professional level or are just starting their journeys.
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Bonafide MLB stars
Paul Skenes (United States) — LSU/Air Force
Paul Skenes strikes out 12 in Men’s College World Series debut
The 23-year-old could technically still fall under the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed category, but with the 2025 NL Cy Young Award, throw that idea out the window.
Skenes has been one of the faces of the sport for the last few years, beginning with one of the most unique and awarded collegiate careers. The right-hander turned just two scholarship offers out of high school into a First-Team All-American freshman year at Air Force. He topped that a year later by winning the John Olerud Award, given to the nation’s best two-way player.
Yes, one of the best pitchers in the world was originally a two-way monster in college.
Skenes stepped fully into the spotlight after transferring to LSU as a pitcher for his junior year in 2023, setting the table for one of the most storied single seasons in school history. He went 13-2 with a 1.69 ERA and 209 strikeouts — snapping the SEC and LSU record — and won the National Pitcher of the Year Award and the Dick Howser Trophy.
The climax of his season was helping the Tigers win their seventh national championship. He was named the Men’s College World Series Most Outstanding Player, leading to a No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 MLB Draft.
Aaron Judge (United States) — Fresno State
The United States team captain is unquestionably the most well-known Fresno State player from the 2010s, donning the jersey from 2011 to 2013.
The three-time MLB MVP got to work the second he stepped on Pete Beiden Field. Judge won WAC Freshman of the Year, a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American award and First-Team All-Conference all in his first year. He hit .345, 18 home runs and 93 RBI for the Bulldogs over the course of his college career and secured two more First-Team All-Conference honors.
Besides helping Fresno State reach the NCAA tournament in 2011 and 2012. He also took the 2012 TD Ameritrade College Home Run Derby, foreshadowing what was to come in 2017. He entered the school’s sports Hall of Fame in 2019.
Cal Raleigh (United States) — Florida State
Florida State has a strong history of producing elite catchers, and Raleigh is somewhere on that long list, playing at FSU from 2016-18.
He was allergic to missing games for the Seminoles, playing in all of them his first two seasons. Raleigh won Freshman First-Team All-American honors from multiple outlets and more All-American awards his junior season.
2017 was an off year for the switch hitter, struggling at the plate partially due to a left thumb injury, but he shined in major postseason moments. He hit the winning run in the ACC championship game against North Carolina, drove in the tying run in the Super Regional final versus Sam Houston State and hammered a homer in the bottom of the ninth inning of a MCWS elimination game facing LSU.
Maybe another clutch, big swing will be on display soon for the MLB’s 2025 home run leader.
Alex Bregman (United States) — LSU
When talking about historic freshman seasons, Bregman’s name needs to be mentioned in the conversation.
He was named the 2013 National Freshman of the Year and First-Team All-American by multiple outlets, batting .369 with a 23-game hitting streak. The accolades didn’t stop there for Bregman, becoming the first freshman to win the Brooks Wallace Award, given to the top shortstop in the country. The only thing stopping him from being a top pick in the 2013 MLB Draft was his ineligibility.
Bregman continued to dominate for the next two seasons, hitting over .310 in both 2014 and 2015, and receiving the 2015 ABCA Gold Glove Award. He helped the Tigers reach the 2015 MCWS as well.
The three-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion was roommates with right-hander Aaron Nola, who made this list, too.
👉 Click here to watch Bregman’s LSU highlights
Kyle Schwarber (United States) — Indiana
Schwarber was a pivotal piece to Indiana’s success in the early 2010s. He was the heart of the Hoosiers’ heart of the batting order and anchored the defense at catcher.
The Middletown, Ohio native was a two-time First-Team All-American and Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American, finishing his career ranked fifth in school history for slugging percentage (.607), sixth in home runs (40) and eighth in hits (238). Additionally, he was a Johnny Bench Award finalist, now known as the Buster Posey Award, which is given to the top catcher in the country.
He hit .341 across three seasons and helped IU reach its first and only MCWS in 2013. The MLB’s 2025 RBI leader joined the school’s sports Hall of Fame in 2025.
#OpeningDay is finally here!
The @MLB is back… and so are bombs like this from @kschwarb12! pic.twitter.com/B7GNtUPNlO
— Indiana Baseball (@IndianaBase) July 23, 2020
Also notable:
Aaron Nola (Italy), LSU: Nola has one of the most decorated resumes in SEC baseball history, building a trophy case full of personal accomplishments almost impossible to top.
For starters, he was the SEC Pitcher of the Year in 2013 and 2014, winning National Pitcher of the Year the latter season. His combined ERA across his sophomore and junior seasons was 1.52 with 256 strikeouts and seven complete games. The 2018 MLB All-Star spearheaded the Tigers’ pitching staff during its run to the 2013 MCWS.
Potential stars in the making
Jac Caglianone (Italy) — Florida
“Dominance” was Caglianone’s middle name at Florida, becoming the worst nightmare for opposing pitching staffs largely in 2023 and 2024.
Like Skenes’ early college career, he was one of the unicorns of the sport, winning the 2024 John Olerud Award. Hitting was his bread and butter, though, breaking the Gators’ single-season home run record with 33 in 2023 and finishing with the most in Florida program history. This included a historic run in April 2024, smashing one in nine straight games, tying the NCAA record.
By the time his college career ended at the 2024 MCWS, Caglianone had two First-Team All-Americans under his belt and a .355 batting average.
A 2024 MLB first round pick, his first stint in the majors for the Kansas City Royals wasn’t too hot, but 2026 provides an opportunity to bounce back.
👉 Check out Caglianone’s incredible two-way career
Jake Gelof (Israel) — Virginia
Many players’ collegiate goals include etching their names into school history, whether that’s by a statistic or team milestone.
Gelof didn’t just accomplish this once, he did it multiple times, cementing himself in Virginia program history. Becoming the Cavaliers’ all-time home run leader is only the start, as he broke UVA’s single season RBI record twice, tied numerous Virginia NCAA tournament single-game records and produced the school’s third-highest slugging percentage in a one season.
The three-year starter and 2024 MLB second round pick is surprisingly the only player on this list to not be recognized nationally as a First-Team All-American, but the the numbers show how impactful he was for the Cavaliers.
Nolan McLean (United States) — Oklahoma State
McLean’s definition of a two-way player in college looked different than stars like Skenes and Caglianone, initially committing to play baseball (pitcher and position player) and football (quarterback) at Oklahoma State.
But after redshirting his freshman football season, he hung up those cleats to focus solely on baseball, and the decision paid off. 2022 was his best year at the plate, hitting .285 with 19 home runs while getting named to the Perfect Game/Rawlings All-American Second Team. He became the third player in Cowboys history to earn conference honors at two different positions.
2023 was his strongest season on the bump, becoming a reliable piece to OSU’s bullpen, finishing with a 3.30 ERA and six saves, tied for a team-best.
Considering he’s one of the top prospects in the MLB after a strong stint in the big leagues for the New York Mets in 2025, it’s safe to say the 2024 MLB third round pick chose the right sport.
Game. Over.
6⃣ saves for @nolanmclean11, 7⃣ wins in a row for the Cowboys#OurStandard #GoPokes pic.twitter.com/5jXWsMbHIj
— OSU Cowboy Baseball (@OSUBaseball) March 8, 2023
Kyle Teel (Italy) — Virginia
Virginia has churned out just one Buster Posey Award winner since it was created in 2000: Kyle Teel.
He played for the Cavaliers from 2021 to 2023 like Gelof, and was a brick wall behind the plate and did damage whenever a bat was in his hands. A consensus First-Team All-American for six different outlets, Teel’s batting average never dipped below .400 the entire 2023 campaign while starting all 65 games at catcher.
Helping take UVA to the MCWS in 2021 and 2023, he ended his career in the school’s top 10 of home runs (seventh – 28), runs scored (eighth – 170), batting average (10th – .343) and more. He was a 2023 MLB first round pick and hit .273 in his rookie season for the Chicago White Sox last year.
👉 Click here to watch Teel’s extraordinary career at UVA
Also notable:
Andrew Fischer (Italy), Tennessee: Fischer was one of the best hitters in college baseball in 2025, leaving a lasting impression on the Volunteers faithful in his single season there.
Transferring from Duke and Ole Miss, the infielder and 2025 MLB first round pick matched his fiery persona every time he entered the batter’s box with a .341 batting average, reached base in all 65 games and smashed 25 home runs, the third-most in the nation. He was a First-Team All-American for six different outlets.
List of MLB players in the WBC
Below lists the players on an MLB team that are competing in the WBC, listed in alphabetical order by WBC team and then first name. Readers may have to scroll to read the entire table.
Note: Pitchers that are a part of the Designated Pitcher Pool (DPP) are not listed
WBC Team
Name
College
MLB Team
Australia
Travis Bazzana
Oregon State
Cleveland Guardians
Canada
Cal Quantrill
Stanford
Texas Rangers
Canada
Denzel Clarke
Cal State Northridge
Oakland Athletics
Canada
Edouard Julien
Auburn
Colorado Rockies
Canada
Eric Cerantola
Mississippi State
Kansas City Royals
Canada
Indigo Diaz
Michigan State
Chicago Cubs
Canada
Jared Young
Old Dominion
New York Mets
Canada
Liam Hicks
Arkansas State
Miami Marlins
Canada
Micah Ashman
Utah
Baltimore Orioles
Canada
Rob Zastryzny
Missouri
Milwaukee Brewers
Canada
Tyler Black
Wright State
Milwaukee Brewers
Chinese Taipei
Stuart Fairchild
Wake Forest
Cleveland Guardians
Colombia
Austin Bergner
North Carolina
Texas Rangers
Dominican Republic
Jeremy Peña
Maine
Houston Astros
Dominican Republic
Austin Wells
Arizona
New York Yankees
Great Britain
Brendan Beck
Stanford
New York Yankees
Great Britain
Jack Sepping
Brown
Milwaukee Brewers
Great Britain
Matt Koperniak
Trinity (DIII)
St. Louis Cardinals
Great Britain
Miles Langhorne
Charlotte
Milwaukee Brewers
Great Britain
Najer Victor
UCF
Los Angeles Angels
Great Britain
Tristan Beck
Stanford
San Francisco Giants
Great Britain
Ryan Long
Pomona-Pitzer (DIII)
Baltimore Orioles
Great Britain
Nate Eaton
VMI
Boston Red Sox
Israel
Benjamin Simon
Elon
New York Mets
Israel
Charlie Beilenson
Duke
Seattle Mariners
Israel
C.J. Stubbs
USC
Toronto Bluejays
Israel
Cole Carrigg
San Diego State
Colorado Rockies
Israel
Dean Kremer
UNLV
Baltimore Orioles
Israel
Garrett Stubbs
USC
Philadelphia Phillies
Israel
Harrison Bader
Florida
San Francisco Giants
Israel
Harrison Cohen
George Washington
New York Yankees
Israel
Jake Gelof
Virginia
Los Angeles Dodgers
Israel
Jordan Geber
Virginia Tech
New York Mets
Israel
Josh Blum
USC
New York Mets
Israel
Matt Mervis
Duke
Washington Nationals
Israel
Noah Mendlinger
Georgia College & State (DII)
St. Louis Cardinals
Israel
RJ Schreck
Vanderbilt
Toronto Bluejays
Israel
Robert Stock
USC
New York Mets
Israel
Ryan Prager
Texas A&M
Cleveland Guardians
Israel
Spencer Horwitz
Radford
Pittsburgh Pirates
Israel
Troy Johnston
Gonzaga
Colorado Rockies
Israel
Zach Levenson
Miami (Fla.)
St. Louis Cardinals
Italy
Aaron Nola
LSU
Philadelphia Phillies
Italy
Alek Jacob
Gonzaga
San Diego Padres
Italy
Andrew Fischer
Tennessee
Milwaukee Brewers
Italy
Dan Altavilla
Mercyhurst
Minnesota Twins
Italy
Dominic Canzone
Ohio State
Seattle Mariners
Italy
Gordon Graceffo
Villanova
St. Louis Cardinals
Italy
Greg Weissert
Fordham
Boston Red Sox
Italy
Jac Caglianone
Florida
Kansas City Royals
Italy
Jakob Marsee
Central Michigan
Miami Marlins
Italy
Joe La Sorsa
St. John’s
Pittsburgh Pirates
Italy
Kyle Nicolas
Ball State
Pittsburgh Pirates
Italy
Kyle Teel
Virginia
Chicago White Sox
Italy
Matt Festa
East Stroudsburg
Cleveland Guardians
Italy
Michael Lorenzen
Cal State Fullerton
Colorado Rockies
Italy
Miles Mastrobuoni
Nevada
Seattle Mariners
Italy
Ron Marinaccio
Delaware
San Diego Padres
Italy
Sam Antonacci
Coastal Carolina
Chicago White Sox
Italy
Vinnie Pasquantino
Old Dominion
Kansas City Royals
Italy
Zach Dezenzo
Ohio State
Houston Astros
Korea
Dane Dunning
Florida
Seattle Mariners
Korea
Riley O’Brien
Idaho
St. Louis Cardinals
Korea
Shay Whitcomb
UC San Diego
Houston Astros
Mexico
Samy Natera Jr.
New Mexico State
Los Angeles Angels
Mexico
Joey Ortiz
New Mexico State
Milwaukee Brewers
Mexico
Nick Gonzales
New Mexico State
Pittsburgh Pirates
Mexico
Robert Garcia
UC Davis
Texas Rangers
Mexico
Jarren Duran
Long Beach State
Boston Red Sox
Mexico
Brennan Bernardino
Cal State Dominguez Hills
Colorado Rockies
Nicaragua
Freddy Zamora
Miami (Fla.)
Milwaukee Brewers
Panama
Enrique Bradfield Jr.
Vanderbilt
Baltimore Orioles
Panama
Logan Allen
FIU
Cleveland Guardians
Puerto Rico
Carlos Cortes
South Carolina
Oakland Athletics
Puerto Rico
Rico Garcia
Hawaii Pacific
Baltimore Orioles
Puerto Rico
Seth Lugo
Centenary (DIII)
Kansas City Royals
United States
Aaron Judge
Fresno State
New York Yankees
United States
Alex Bregman
LSU
Chicago Cubs
United States
Cal Raleigh
Florida State
Seattle Mariners
United States
David Bednar
Lafayette
New York Yankees
United States
Ernie Clement
Virginia
Toronto Bluejays
United States
Garrett Cleavinger
Oregon
Tampa Bay Rays
United States
Garrett Whitlock
UAB
Boston Red Sox
United States
Griffin Jax
Air Force
Tampa Bay Rays
United States
Joe Ryan
Stanislaus State (DII)
Minnesota Twins
United States
Kyle Schwarber
Indiana
Philadelphia Phillies
United States
Mason Miller
Gardner-Webb/Waynesburg (DIII)
San Diego Padres
United States
Matthew Boyd
Oregon State
Chicago Cubs
United States
Michael Wacha
Texas A&M
Kansas City Royals
United States
Nolan McLean
Oklahoma State
New York Mets
United States
Paul Skenes
LSU/Air Force
Pittsburgh Pirates
United States
Tarik Skubal
Seattle
Detroit Tigers
United States
Will Smith
Louisville
Los Angeles Dodgers