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MLB World Baseball Classic Pool A features several familiar faces on Team Puerto Rico and Team Canada. Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic Pool A kicks off play in San Juan, Puerto Rico with Cuba vs. Panama and Puerto Rico vs. Colombia on March 6. If you’re looking for a wide-open group, you’ve found it. Puerto Rico boasts a strong roster, though it has been diminished by insurance issues. And some of Cuba’s big leaguers have passed on playing. So, there’s room for a surprise from Colombia, Panama or perhaps Canada, which has arguably fielded its best entry ever as they seek to reach the WBC quarterfinals for the first time. Advertisement Team Canada has never advanced beyond pool play in the World Baseball Classic, but the Canadians did finish fourth at the 2004 Olympics — losing to Japan in the bronze medal game — and they’ve won a couple of gold medals at the Pan Am Games. Their roster has major-league players at most spots, giving them a fighting chance to advance. Manager: Ernie Whitt An American-turned-Canadian baseball icon, Whitt was born in Michigan and played 15 seasons in the majors, most of them with the Toronto Blue Jays. He has been Team Canada’s manager since 1999, when he led the team to a bronze medal at the Pan Am Games. Whitt has since led Canada to two Pan Am gold medals and a fourth-place finish in the 2004 Olympics. He’s managed Team Canada in all five World Baseball Classics and was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009. Players you already know: 1B Josh Naylor, OF Tyler O’Neill, SP James Paxton Freddie Freeman withdrew from this year’s WBC after playing for Canada in 2017 and 2023, but he’ll be replaced at first base by Naylor, who’s been consistently productive the past four years. Naylor’s brother, Bo, will be Team Canada’s primary catcher, and the rest of the infield will also have considerable major-league experience (Edouard Julien, Otto López, Abraham Toro). The rotation, too, could be solid with Michael Soroka, Jameson Taillon, Logan Allen and Cal Quantrill alongside the 37-year-old Paxton, who didn’t pitch last season but has the sixth-most strikeouts and seventh-most wins of any Canadian-born pitcher in Major League history. Players you should know: RF Owen Caissie, CF Denzel Clarke Caissie and Clarke were Double-A prospects when they played for Team Canada in the 2023 WBC, but they’re returning this year as legitimate big leaguers, having both debuted in 2025. Caissie, a left-handed slugger, was traded from the Chicago Cubs to the Miami Marlins this offseason (he was the key return in the Edward Cabrera deal), and Clarke, a speedy defender, is the starting center fielder for the Athletics. Versatile infielder Tyler Black, a former first-round pick in the Brewers system, could also play a role. Notably absent: 1B Freddie Freeman, SP Nick Pivetta Advertisement Freeman’s parents are Canadian, and he played for Team Canada in the past two WBC tournaments before withdrawing this year, citing personal reasons.  Padres starter Nick Pivetta, who might have been the ace of the Team Canada staff, also declined to play, saying he wanted to focus on preparing with the Padres (Pivetta also withdrew from the 2023 WBC after contracting COVID-19). Notable Canadian relievers not on the roster include Guardians closer Cade Smith and former Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano. Pool schedule (all times ET) March 7: vs. Colombia, 12 p. m. , FS2

March 8: vs. Panama, 7 p. m. , FS2

March 10: at Puerto Rico, 7 p. m. , Tubi

March 11: at Cuba, 3 p. m. , FS2 Colombia did not advance beyond pool play in its first WBC appearance in 2017, but close games against the United States and the Dominican Republic put the team’s unheralded roster on the map. “We won a lot of respect, ” 2017 manager Luis Urueta said after Colombia took the star-studded DR into extra innings. Colombia qualified for this year’s WBC by winning a qualifying tournament last March, and their roster includes Jose Quintana and Julio Teheran, the most accomplished Colombian pitchers in major-league history. Manager: José Mosquera A former catcher and scout, Mosquera has made a name for himself as a manager and a coach. He was Caimanes de Barranquilla’s manager in 2022, when they became the first Colombian team to win the Caribbean World Series, and he was Team Colombia’s bench coach for the WBC in 2023. His bench coach is Jhonatan Solano, a former big-league catcher and the brother of Team Colombia infielder Donovan Solano. Players you already know: SP Quintana, SP Teheran, INF Gio Urshela There have been 15 Colombian-born pitchers in major-league history, and the leaders — by far — in every statistical category are Quintana and Teheran, each of whom is on this roster. Quintana, 37, is coming off another solid season (105 ERA+) and is now pitching for the Rockies. Teheran, 35, pitched in Mexico last year but was an All-Star with the Braves in 2014 and 2016. On the position side, two versatile infielders, Urshela and Donovan Solano, are Colombian headliners and the most successful major leaguers from the country since Edgar Renteria and Orlando Cabrera. Players you should know: 2B Michael Arroyo, 1B Reynaldo Rodriguez Advertisement Arroyo, 21, is one of the top prospects in the Seattle Mariners’ farm system and made Keith Law’s top 100 prospects list in 2025. He represents youthful upside, while Rodriguez, 39, brings veteran know-how. Although he never played in the Majors, Rodriguez has thrived as a power hitter in Mexico and was named Caribbean Series MVP in 2022, when Caimanes de Barranquilla became the first Colombian team to win the championship. Notably absent: 2B Jonathan India Just like in 2023, India was speculated to be part of Team Colombia but was ultimately not included on the roster. He withdrew from the team in 2023 and was never part of the final roster this year. India, the Royals’ second baseman, grew up in Florida, but his mother is from Colombia. Pool schedule (all times ET) March 6: vs. Puerto Rico, 7 p. m. , FS1

March 7: at Canada, 12 p. m. , FS2

March 8: at Cuba, 12 p. m. , FS2

March 9: vs. Panama, 12 p. m. , FS2 Runners-up in the 2006 inaugural World Baseball Classic, Team Cuba has not since returned to the championship game. The team’s next-best finish was in 2023, when Team Cuba lost to the United States in the semifinals. Although the team’s roster is light on major-league talent, it includes two of the best pitchers in Japan’s NPB. Manager: Germán Mesa An elite defensive shortstop who won an Olympic gold medal with the Cuban team in 1992 and an Olympic silver in 2000, Mesa served as Team Cuba’s bench coach in 2023 and this year replaced Armando Johnson as the team’s manager. He has previously managed in Cuba and Nicaragua, and he’s managed El Salvador’s national team. Players you already know: 3B Yoán Moncada, INF Alexei Ramirez, RP Yariel Rodríguez The 2023 Cuban team included quite a few major-league hitters — Moncada, Luis Robert Jr. , Andy Ibáñez and long-retired Yoenis Cespedes — but this year’s team is light on major-leaguers, with Moncada being the only Team Cuba player on a 40-man roster. Ramirez, 44, won two Silver Sluggers in his career but hasn’t played in the majors since 2016. Rodríguez threw 73 solid innings for the Blue Jays last season — he’s been both a starter and a reliever — but he was taken off the 40-man this winter. Advertisement Players you should know: SP Livan Moinelo, RP Raidel Martinez, OF Yoelquis Guibert, DH Alfredo Despaigne Moinelo pitched for Cuba in the WBC as a reliever in 2017 and 2023, but he has since emerged as one of the best starting pitchers in Japan’s Pacific League. He had a breakout season in 2024 and was even better in 2025, pitching to a 1. 56 ERA with 172 strikeouts in 167 innings. He won the league’s MVP award. Cuban reliever Martinez is also a star in Japan and has been a dominant NPB closer since 2020. Guibert, 31, is among the most notable Cuban position players who have not made the jump to American professional baseball, while Despaigne, 39, is among the greatest Cuban sluggers of all time. Livan Moinelo made a seamless transition from the bullpen in 2024 and is now an indisputable top 3 SP in NPB. He was sick at the Premier12 but should be at full strength at the WBC, potentially winning Cuba 1 game almost single-handedly. He was the PL MVP and PLCS MVP in 2025. https: //t. co/9jl AFv HMUf pic. twitter. com/Yib Jy SMYj Q — Yakyu Cosmopolitan (@yakyucosmo) December 30, 2025 Notably absent: CF Andy Pages, OF Yordan Alvarez, CF Luis Robert Jr. Following his breakout season with the Dodgers, Andy Pages would have been the top major-league hitter in the Cuban lineup, but he withdrew from the team, saying he wanted to “work on what is most important for my career. ” Various political and legal complications have long kept top major-league talent — Alvarez, Yandy Díaz, Aroldis Chapman, Raisel Iglesias, etc. — from playing for Team Cuba, and Mets center fielder Robert, who played for Cuba in 2023, announced late last year that he would not return to the team “until everyone is allowed to play. ” Pool schedule (all times ET) March 6: at Panama, 12 p. m. , FS2

March 8: vs. Colombia, 12 p. m. , FS2

March 9: at Puerto Rico, 7 p. m. , FS1

March 11: vs. Canada, 3 p. m. , FS2 Winless in the first two World Baseball Classics, Team Panama failed to qualify in 2013 and 2017 but returned in 2023 and got two wins against Chinese Taipei and Italy, but it wasn’t enough to advance beyond pool play. Manager: Jose Mayorga Advertisement Ten years ago, Mayorga was a minor-league catcher in the lower levels of the Philadelphia Phillies’ organization when the Phillies suggested a career change: They wanted him to become their big-league bullpen catcher. Mayorga accepted and shifted suddenly into coaching. He’s since risen to minor-league manager, and currently manages the Class-A Vancouver Canadiens in the Toronto Blue Jays’ farm system. His coaching staff in the WBC includes three-time All-Star Carlos Lee, who has the most major-league home runs of anyone born in Panama, and currently serves as Team Panama’s hitting coach. Players you already know: SS José Caballero, SP Logan Allen Team Panama has 15 players currently with a major-league organization, including seven on 40-man rosters. The team is unusually deep at catcher (Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya, Cardinals prospect Leonardo Bernal, and veteran Christian Bethancourt), but there are also plenty of proven defenders in the infield (big-league utilitymen Caballero, Edmundo Sosa, Jonathan Araúz, Rubén Tejada and Leo Jiménez). Allen, who’s competing for a spot in the Guardians’ rotation, qualified for the team because his mother is from Panama. Players you should know: OF Enrique Bradfield Jr. , RP Alberto Baldonado Although he has yet to reach the majors, 24-year-old Bradfield is a notable prospect in the Orioles’ farm system. He’s an elite runner and defender who cracked Law’s latest top-100 prospects list and could be in the big leagues at some point this season. Baldonado, who pitched briefly in the big leagues in 2021, has been a good reliever in Japan since 2023 and should be one of the top arms in Team Panama’s bullpen. Dario Agrazal, Jaime Barria, Paolo Espino, Javy Guerra, Ariel Jurado and Humberto Mejía bring additional major-league experience to the pitching staff. Notably absent: RP Justin Lawrence A longtime Rockies reliever who could be an important part of the Pirates’ bullpen this season, Lawrence was on Team Panama in 2023 and closed out their first-ever WBC win against Chinese Taipei. However, he missed most of last season with an elbow injury and was reportedly among those who did not receive insurance to play in this year’s tournament. Advertisement Pool schedule (all times ET) March 6: vs. Cuba, 12 p. m, FS2

March 7: at Puerto Rico, 7 p. m, FS1

March 8: at Canada, 7 p. m. , FS2

March 9: vs. Colombia, 12 p. m. , FS2 WBC runners-up in 2017 and 2013, Team Puerto Rico should be among the favorites, but their roster has been decimated by players being denied insurance coverage. The situation created enough uncertainty that, for a while, it seemed possible Puerto Rico would withdraw from the tournament. Ultimately, the team is going to play, but with a diminished roster. One thing on the team’s side: Pool A is going to play its initial round-robin games in Puerto Rico at San Juan’s Hiram Bithorn Stadium. Manager: Yadier Molina Continuing a proud tradition of elite Puerto Rican catchers, Molina made 10 All-Star teams during his major-league career with the Cardinals. He has been managing in Venezuela and Puerto Rico since his retirement in 2022, including as Team Puerto Rico’s WBC manager in 2023. He has spoken openly about his desire to become a big-league manager. Molina’s WBC coaching staff includes two of the great Puerto Rican hitters of all time, Edgar Martinez and Juan Gonzalez, as hitting coaches, and two veteran MLB coaches — and former players — Joey Cora and Sandy Alomar as the base coaches. Players you already know: RP Edwin Díaz, 3B Nolan Arenado, SP Seth Lugo Díaz is returning to the WBC three years after he tore the patellar tendon in his right knee during a postgame celebration. The injury cost him all of the 2023 regular season. Unlike some of his would-be teammates, though, Díaz was cleared by insurance to play. Arenado is a somewhat surprising addition to the now shorthanded infield. He played for Team USA in the 2023 WBC, but his mother has Puerto Rican and Cuban heritage. Lugo, whose paternal grandfather is Puerto Rican, is returning to the team after pitching for Puerto Rico in 2017. Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos, Rockies super utilityman Willi Castro and Twins righty Jorge López give Team Puerto Rico three more former All-Stars. Players you should know: INF Darell Hernaiz, INF Luis Vázquez, SP Elmer Rodríguez Advertisement If Team Puerto Rico had its usual group of infielders, up-and-down utility players like Hernaiz (a bat-first player with the A’s) and Vázquez (a glove-first option with the Orioles) might have been afterthoughts. But as it is, one of them could be the starting shortstop. Or, maybe it will be Reds prospect Edwin Arroyo, who hasn’t advanced beyond Double A. On the mound, Rodríguez is the No. 6 prospect in the New York Yankees’ farm system and, according to Law, has the upside of a No. 2 starter. Notably absent: SS Francisco Lindor, 3B Carlos Correa, SP José Berríos, SS Javier Báez Lack of insurance coverage cost Team Puerto Rico its captain, Lindor, who had elbow surgery in October (though, he might not have been able to play anyway following a spring hamate injury). Correa and Berríos were also denied insurance coverage for the WBC, as was Twins catcher Victor Caratini. Tigers All-Star utilityman Báez, a Team Puerto Rico mainstay in 2017 and 2023, was also deemed ineligible due to a positive test for marijuana. Pool schedule (all times ET) March 6: at Colombia, 7 p. m, FS1

March 7: vs. Panama, 7 p. m. , FS1

March 9: vs. Cuba, 7 p. m, FS1

March 10: vs. Canada, 7 p. m. , Tubi Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle Chad Jennings is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Boston Red Sox and Major League Baseball. He was on the Red Sox beat previously for the Boston Herald, and before moving to Boston, he covered the New York Yankees for The Journal News and contributed regularly to USA Today. Follow Chad on Twitter @chadjennings22