World Baseball Classic qualifiers announced

Sixteen teams are in for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, and four spots remain for the main tournament. On Tuesday, the eight participating teams that will meet early next year in one of two Qualifiers were announced.

Four teams will play at the first Qualifier at the Taipei Dome in Taiwan from Feb. 21-25. Next, four more teams will head to Tucson, Ariz., from March 2-6. At each Qualifier, the top two ballclubs will advance to the World Baseball Classic in 2026.

Taipei Qualification Pool

2023 performance: Finished 2-2 in a five-way tie in Group A. Tiebreaker rules meant team finished last

With all five teams in Group A finishing 2-2, Chinese Taipei found themselves at the bottom of the group thanks to a worst-in-Group-A 31 runs allowed.

The good news for this year: It’ll be hosting at the brand-new Taipei Dome — perhaps making the remarkable fan atmosphere even louder and more intense. Currently tied for the No. 2 ranking by the WBSC, the team should be the favorites to emerge as one of the top two teams from this pool.

2023 performance: 0-4 in Group D

Nicaragua went winless in its first World Baseball Classic tournament, qualifying after defeating Brazil, 3-1, at the Estadio Nacional de Panamá in 2022. The team will need to find some more offense this time around: It scored just one run in all four of its World Classic Classic games.

Duque Hebbert, who was signed by the Tigers after he struck out Juan Soto, Julio Rodríguez, and Rafael Devers in his appearance against the Dominican Republic, made it to Single-A Lakeland this past season.

2023 performance: 0-2 in 2022 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers, did not qualify for tournament

South Africa held its own in the Qualifiers, dropping a tight 5-4 loss to Spain and were tied, 2-2, with Germany before giving up seven runs in the sixth inning to let the Germans run away with the game. It’ll look to get back into the World Baseball Classic main tournament for the first time since 2009.

2023 performance: Went 2-2 in 2022 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers, did not qualify for tournament

Spain will be looking for revenge. One of the favored teams at the Qualifiers in Regensburg, Germany, they had two opportunities to pick up one win to advance to the 2023 tournament. But upset losses to Great Britain and Czechia meant that Spain was on the outside looking in.

With a lineup featuring former Major League talent like Engel Beltre and Rhiner Cruz, the Spanish won their first European Baseball Championship since 1955 last fall and will try to return to the WBC for the first time since 2013.

Tucson Qualification Pool

2023 performance: 1-3 in Group C

Colombia started its WBC on fire, upsetting semifinalist Mexico, 5-4, in 10 innings. Veteran slugger Reynaldo Rodriguez led the way with three hits and three RBIs in the victory. Unfortunately, Colombia lost its next three games, including a nailbiting 3-2 loss to the United States to end group play and finish last.

2023 performance: 2-2 in WBC Qualifier, did not qualify for tournament

Long considered a potential sleeping giant in international baseball, Brazil — like Spain — had two chances to qualify for the 2023 WBC after starting its qualification tourney 2-0. Brazil were then shut out, 4-0, by Panama, and lost a rematch with Nicaragua — whom it had beaten earlier that week — 3-1.

Brazil will look to qualify for the main tournament for the first time since 2013.

2023 performance: 0-4 in Group B

China nearly had the win it needed to avoid the Qualifier, leading Czechia going into the top of the ninth. But after Martin Mužík’s home run, China dropped the game, 8-5, and would go on to finish last in Group B.

With team legend Ray Chang playing and coaching, the team kept the games competitive until it ran out of steam in a 22-2 loss to Korea to end the tournament. Should China fail to qualify, 2026 will be the first WBC it doesn’t participate in.

2023 performance: 1-2 at 2022 WBC Qualifiers, did not qualify for tournament

Hopes were high for Germany in 2022 as the nation played host for the Qualifiers after bringing in an experienced lineup featuring former Major Leaguers Aaron Altherr and Bruce Maxwell. The disappointing finish saw a change in management, with Jendrick Speer taking over the team and captain Simon Guhring retiring from international play.

That seemed to make immediate dividends: The team nearly took home bronze in the 2023 European Baseball Championships before a late comeback from the Netherlands saw them finish fourth. Young Brewers catching prospect Yannic Walther impressed in the tourney, posting an .862 OPS, while homering and driving in six.