For the past two World Baseball Classic tournaments, Team Israel has been a part of the event, as the country’s roster has been primarily comprised of American-born Jewish players. That theme will continue in 2026. Israel’s roster is filled with pro talent, and headlined by Harrison Bader, Spencer Horwitz, Dean Kremer, and Tommy Kahnle.

Pitchers

• RHP Charlie Beilenson (Mariners)
• RHP Josh Blum (Mets)
• RHP Matt Bowman (Twins)
• RHP Harrison Cohen (Yankees)
• RHP Daniel Federman (Orioles)
• RHP Jordan Geber (Mets)
• RHP Tommy Kahnle
• LHP Rob Kaminsky
• RHP Dean Kremer (Orioles)
• RHP Max Lazar (Phillies)
• RHP Carlos Lequerica (Tigers)
• RHP Josh Mallitz (Padres)
• RHP Eli Morgan (Royals)
• LHP Ryan Prager (Guardians)
• RHP Ben Simon (Mets)
• RHP Robert Stock (Mets)
• RHP Zack Weiss

There’s a fair amount of MLB experience among the Team Israel pitching staff.

Most of that is concentrated among the reliever core. Tommy Kahnle, who boasted one of baseball’s best changeups for years, will headline a bullpen that’ll also include Max Lazar, Eli Morgan, Robert Stock, and Matt Bowman. All four of those players have MLB experience.

Israel’s rotation will once again be led by Dean Kremer. Kremer, a workhorse in the Baltimore rotation, threw four scoreless innings in the 2023 World Baseball Classic for Israel.

As for notable prospects, Ryan Prager was drafted and signed by the Guardians last year. Prager was one of the better college pitchers over the last few years with Texas A&M.

Harrison Cohen, a non-roster invite for the Yankees, is a reliever in the New York organization. Cohen had a swing-and-miss rate over 32% last season with Double-A Somerset.

And speaking of swing-and-miss rates, Mariners prospect Charlie Beilenson had one of the best last season in the Northwest League.

Catchers

• C CJ Stubbs (Blue Jays)
• C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies)

The Stubbs brothers will be the two backstops for Team Israel in 2026.

CJ, a longtime Minor Leaguer, made his MLB debut last season with the Nationals. The 29-year-old was drafted by the Astros in 2019 and took a while to work his way up to the Majors. He’s now a member of the Blue Jays organization.

Garrett spent the vast majority of 2025 in Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The 32-year-old played in parts of seven Major League seasons, split between the Astros and Phillies.

Infielders

• INF Cole Carrigg (Rockies)
• MI Jake Gelof (Dodgers)
• 1B/2B Spencer Horwitz (Pirates)
• INF Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals)
• 1B Matt Mervis (Nationals)
• INF Ben Rosengard

Aside from one player, all of Israel’s infielders are with an MLB team. The headlining infielder is Spencer Horwitz, the Pirates’ first baseman, who had a nice first season with the Bucs.

Horwitz hit 11 home runs last season for the Pirates, and nine of those came in the second half. The 28-year-old slashed .305/.396/.520 in the second half last season.

Cole Carrigg, a non-roster invite for the Rockies this spring, is one of the better prospects in the Colorado system. Carrigg has a nice blend of power and speed but is also aggressive. And as noted in our farm recap, there was a lot of swing-and-miss in his game.

Jake Gelof, a Dodgers prospect, and Noah Mendlinger will join those two. Matt Mervis, a former top prospect in the Cubs system, will also be on Team Israel’s squad.

Benjamin Rosengard hit .463 with 10 home runs and 32 extra-base hits for Idaho Falls in the Pioneer League last season.

Outfielders

• CF Harrison Bader (Giants)
• OF Troy Johnston (Rockies)
• OF Zach Levenson (Cardinals)
• OF Assaf Lowengart
• OF RJ Schreck (Blue Jays)

The headliner among the outfield group — and the team itself — is new Giants outfielder Harrison Bader.

The former Phillie signed with the Giants in late January, months removed from what was a renaissance season from Bader. He finished in the top quarter of the league in wOBA and hit 17 total home runs between the Twins and Phillies.

Bader will be one of several outfielders with pro experience, including former Marlins farmhand Troy Johnston and Blue Jay RJ Schreck.

Zach Levenson was a fifth-round pick by the Cardinals back in the 2023 MLB Draft. Levenson slashed .245/.367/.403 with 12 home runs and 34 extra-base hits across 108 games, split between High-A and Double-A.

Assaf Lowengart is the lone player on Team Israel’s roster to be born in the country (all other players were born in the United States). Lowengart was an independent ball player who spent one season at William & Mary (2024).

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