Shushkewich: Four keys to Canada's success at World Baseball Classic

Veteran big leaguer Jameson Taillon, whose parents were born in Canada, will pitch for Canada in the World Baseball Classic for the first time since 2013.

February 20, 2026

By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

The World Baseball Classic is back in 2026, with 20 teams set to compete for the coveted championship title that has gained momentum in recent years.

The upcoming tournament will feature some of the game’s biggest stars taking their talents to the international stage for both pride and bragging rights.

For Canada, the 2026 squad is one of the deepest rosters the nation has assembled since the tournament began in 2006. Although the club is without some of its biggest names this time around, the squad features numerous professional arms that boast a wealth of experience against top talent. More than 18 players on the roster have appeared in Major League Baseball, and a few familiar names are returning to don the Maple Leaf for what is likely their final time.

Canada will compete in Pool A, facing Colombia, Cuba, Panama, and Puerto Rico while playing in San Juan. It’s a tough draw, as each nation brings sneaky-good talent in its own way. Colombia and Panama can give Canada their fair share of trouble, while Cuba boasts numerous players with international experience. And despite missing key players due to insurance issues, Puerto Rico remains a powerhouse nation and is expected to take the top spot in the pool.

At the World Baseball Classic, Canada has never advanced beyond the round-robin stage and will be looking to reverse that trend with its deep staff.

Here are four key points Canada will need to lean on if it hopes to succeed in the 2026 tournament:

Utilize the veteran starters

Pitching has been one of the focal points for Team Canada over the years, and this time around there are several veterans who have committed to the team and should be able to handle the pressure that comes under the bright lights.

Jameson Taillon (Lakeland, Fla.), Michael Soroka (Calgary, Alta.), Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.), Adam Macko (Stony Plain, Alta.), Logan Allen (West Palm Beach, Fla.), and Jordan Balazovic (Mississauga, Ont.) can all start games for Canada. The club also has James Paxton (Ladner, B.C.) waiting in the wings if needed. Paxton is a year removed from the game, so he may not be in a position to start, but the experience is there if the coaching staff wants to use the veteran for a few early innings before turning things over to the bullpen.

Taillon is the likely candidate to start against Puerto Rico given his veteran experience on the mound, while Soroka and Quantrill will likely get the nod against Cuba or Colombia, two of the stronger teams in the pool. Macko or Balazovic could be tabbed for the game against Panama, an opponent that ranks lower on paper, with bullpen depth waiting in the wings should either struggle.

Canada will be without Nick Pivetta (Victoria, B.C.), Jonah Tong (Markham, Ont.), and 2023 starter Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.) for this tournament, but the current crop of arms has plenty of experience and gives Canada a strong foundation heading into March.

Bullpen arms must step up for the task

Any Toronto Blue Jays fan will tell you that a bullpen can make or break a team, and for Team Canada, relief pitching has been one of its biggest challenges at the World Baseball Classic.

Canada will be without key relievers Cade Smith (Abbotsford, B.C.), Matt Brash (Kingston, Ont.), Erik Sabrowski (Edmonton, Alta.) and Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.), all of whom opted not to participate. Manager Ernie Whitt will also be without intriguing prospect Garrett Hawkins (Saskatoon, Sask.), as the Padres reliever looks to impress in big league camp this spring.

Macko, Allen, Micah Ashman (Sandy, Utah), Carter Loewen (Abbotsford, B.C.), and Matt Wilkinson (Vancouver, B.C.) will represent Canada at the international level for the first time. Antoine Jean (Montreal, Que.) and Eric Cerantola (Oakville, Ont.) will also be experiencing their first WBC event, although both relievers have donned the red and white at the U-18 level.

If Macko or Allen are not used in the rotation, both could become key middle-relief arms, providing valuable innings before handing the ball to the next reliever. Macko, Cerantola, Ashman, Loewen, Jean, and Wilkinson are all prospects who will use this experience to boost their stock within their organizations.

Returning to the WBC stage are Indigo Diaz (North Vancouver, B.C.), Noah Skirrow (Cambridge, Ont.), Rob Zastryzny (Edmonton, Alta.), and Philippe Aumont (Gatineau, Que.), with Aumont returning after several years away from a Major League mound.

With Smith, Brash, Sabrowski and Romano absent, Canada will likely rely on Zastryzny and Aumont in high-leverage situations, while Skirrow impressed in 2023, throwing five scoreless innings with just two hits allowed in the win over Colombia. Allen also likely sits in this category as well given his MLB experience, and Cerantola is another arm that the coaching staff can turn to given his Triple-A experience.

While several key names are not making the trek to San Juan this March, opportunity arises for others to rise to the occasion. Pitching under the bright lights against top international talent is one way to stand out to a home organization, especially with players missing time in spring camp to pursue this opportunity.

Rely on the upside bats

In terms of position-player depth, this is easily one of the deepest teams Canada has assembled, despite missing Freddie Freeman, who is sitting out for personal reasons. The club will also be without Tigers prospect Trei Cruz (Toronto, Ont.), who opted to remain in camp.

Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) will be the go-to power bat anchoring the lineup. He’ll be joined by Tyler O'Neill (Maple Ridge, B.C.), Denzel Clarke (Pickering, Ont.), Owen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.), and Bo Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.), a group that brings both power and speed to the top of the order.

An intriguing addition is Matt Davidson (Peoria, Ariz.), who has spent the past three seasons playing overseas in Japan and Korea. Across 360 games between NPB and the KBO, Davidson has hit 103 home runs and driven in 263 runs, including 30+ homers in each of the past two seasons in Korea. He will likely serve as Canada’s DH and provide right-handed power.

Rounding out the group are Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.), Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.), Adam Hall (London, Ont.), Edouard Julien (Quebec, Que.), Jacob Robson (Windsor, Ont.), Jared Young (Prince George, B.C.), and Tyler Black (Stouffville, Ont.), who is representing Canada for the first time in his professional career. Joining Naylor behind the plate is Liam Hicks (Toronto, Ont.), who turned heads in 2025 as a mainstay on the Miami Marlins roster after being selected in the Rule 5 Draft the previous offseason. This is one of the best 1-2 punches behind the plate that Canada has seen at the WBC.

The infield core of Lopez, Julien, Toro and Naylor boasts MLB experience, while the outfield trio of O’Neill, Clarke, and Caissie provides depth and elite defence. Contact hitters like Lopez and Hicks can grind out at-bats, followed by power threats from both sides of the plate throughout the order. And with Clarke patrolling centre field, very few fly balls should find grass.

Whitt can also rotate the DH role among Black, Young, or Davidson depending on the matchup, adding versatility to the lineup.

Take advantage of a depleted Puerto Rico

Heading into roster announcements, all eyes were on Puerto Rico. Insurance issues dominated the conversation, and when the dust settled, the host nation was missing several key names.

Veterans Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa and Javier Báez were left off the roster, while José Berríos will only be eligible after the round-robin stage.

Puerto Rico still boasts talent — including Nolan Arenado, Willi Castro, Eddie Rosario, Fernando Cruz, Heliot Ramos, Seth Lugo, and Edwin Díaz — but the lineup looks significantly different from what it might have been.

Canada has the pitching depth and lineup strength to beat a depleted Puerto Rican squad. Saving its best arm in Taillon and getting production from the top of the order could see Canada finish atop Pool A when all is said and done, but it’s up to them whether they can capitalize on the opportunity.