The vast majority of players headed to the 2026 World Baseball Classic fit into several categories: veterans, superstars, and players who’ve been there & done that at the international level. But what about the next generation? Here’s a look at nine prospects to watch for in the 2026 WBC.
Travis Bazzana – Australia
Perhaps the most notable of the bunch is Travis Bazzana, the first overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.
Bazzana is a potentially electric hitter at second base, one who did nothing but hit at Oregon State but was slowed down by injuries during the 2025 season. Still, his numbers weren’t bad at all in the Minors last season. Bazzana slashed .245/.389/.424 with nine home runs and 31 extra-base hits over 84 games.
Very patient hitter at the plate, and one who has a keen eye at the plate. That combination of power, speed, and plate discipline could make Bazzana a top-of-the-order fixture for years.
Cole Carrigg – Israel
Rockies prospect Cole Carrigg was a second-round pick out of San Diego State in 2023. One year later, Carrigg had a strong season in the Minors, as the infielder/outfielder posted a .850 OPS and smacked 17 home runs, almost all of which came in High-A. Plus, 51 stolen bases for him.
But this past season, Carrigg didn’t have as successful a season in Double-A. As we noted in our Rockies farm review for 2025, Carrigg had swing-and-miss trouble at the plate. And on top of that, Carrigg loves to swing the bat and didn’t walk that much (8.4%), at least compared to what one would expect from a top prospect.
Still, Carrigg hit 15 home runs and stole over 40 bases. He’s still one of the toolsiest players in the Colorado system.
Harry Ford – Great Britain
Three years ago, Harry Ford put on a show for Great Britain. He’ll look to do the same in 2026.
Things have changed for Ford since 2023. Ford just finished a season with Low-A in 2023. Now, he’s a National who made his MLB debut late last season with the Seattle Mariners.
Ford is a potential high-OBP hitter who has the potential to be an everyday catcher at the MLB level. He’ll look to accrue regular playing time in 2026 with the Nationals, who also have Keibert Ruiz on the roster.
Luis Gastelum – Mexico
Cardinals reliever Luis Gastelum impressed two years ago when he struck out 73 over 51 innings last season and impressed with his fastball/changeup combo. Now, Gastelum’s potential ceiling looks to be even higher.
Gastelum was the best swing-and-miss pitcher in the Texas League last season. That helped him accrue 92 strikeouts over 62.2 IP with Double-A Springfield.
And while he had an ERA over 4.00 in Springfield, Gastelum only conceded three home runs in Double-A.
Antwone Kelly – Netherlands
This won’t be Antwone Kelly‘s first trip in the WBC. Kelly threw a scoreless inning three years ago for the Netherlands.
Kelly, who was added to the Pirates’ 40-man roster this past November, had a big year in A-ball. The right-hander netted a swing-and-miss rate over 30% last season with Greensboro.
He’s shown good velocity over the years, as well.
Wei-En Lin – Chinese Taipei
The Athletics have produced plenty of elite hitting talent over the past few years. Now, the wait is on some of the organization’s pitchers to join them.
One of them is Wei-En Lin, the left-hander who had a fast rise from Low-A to Double-A last season. Lin induced a lot of swing-and-miss in Low-A and High-A, which has helped put him on the path to being a potential high-impact starter.
Low-to-mid-90s fastball for Lin, alongside a changeup, a slider, and a curveball.
Nolan McLean – USA
It feels weird to still categorize Nolan McLean as a prospect.
McLean didn’t pitch like a prospect when he dominated at the Major League level once he was promoted in mid-August. However, he hasn’t exhausted his rookie eligibility to this point.
He’ll be part of a Team USA pitching staff that is deep on paper but may not look as strong as it did, thanks to potential pending departures from the roster.
Nick Morabito – Italy
Mets outfielder Nick Morabito isn’t a power hitter. However, the 22-year-old and former second-round pick has developed nicely into a potential future asset for the Mets.
Morabito is a high-contact hitter who broke out two years ago after he slashed .312/.403/.398 with 142 hits and 59 stolen bases in A-ball. This past season, Morabito posted a .733 OPS in Double-A, along with 49 stolen bases. He then had a loud AFL season, as Morabito hit .362 in Arizona.
Fast outfielder, one who’s seen a lot of time in center but has experience playing all three outfield positions.
Elmer Rodriguez – Puerto Rico
The last prospect on our list is Elmer Rodriguez, who has already made a good impression in camp for the Yankees.
Rodriguez is one of the best pitching prospects in the Yankees system. A tall right-hander, Rodriguez has a deep arsenal and one that was used effectively in his first spring outing against the Orioles. Two fastballs that can run up to 96 MPH, coupled with a slider and a changeup.
The right-hander posted high swing-and-miss rates in the Minors and also generates a ton of groundballs.
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