Mexico has strengthened its lineup for the 2026 World Baseball Classic by adding infielders Jonathan Aranda and Joey Ortiz, pitcher Taijuan Walker, and outfielder Alek Thomas. These players join five other confirmed big leaguers as the team aims to surpass its third-place finish from 2023. The announcement came on Friday, highlighting the squad's growing talent pool.
Mexico is preparing for the 2026 World Baseball Classic with an expanded roster that includes several Major League Baseball standouts. On Friday, the team announced the addition of four new members: infielders Jonathan Aranda of the Tampa Bay Rays and Joey Ortiz of the Milwaukee Brewers, right-handed pitcher Taijuan Walker of the Philadelphia Phillies, and outfielder Alek Thomas of the Arizona Diamondbacks. This brings the total of confirmed big leaguers to nine, as Aranda, Walker, and Thomas reunite with the squad from the 2023 tournament, where Mexico achieved its best-ever third-place finish.
In the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Thomas contributed six runs across six games, while Walker delivered a strong performance, striking out eight batters over four scoreless innings in a win against Great Britain. Aranda appeared in limited action, going 1-for-6. Looking ahead, Aranda earned his first All-Star nod in 2025, batting .316 with an .882 OPS for the Rays before a left wrist fracture sidelined him for much of the season's final two months. Ortiz impressed defensively with 13 outs above average at shortstop and hit seven home runs for the Brewers last year. Thomas recorded nine home runs and a .659 OPS in 143 games for the Diamondbacks, and the 33-year-old Walker posted a 4.08 ERA over 123 2/3 innings in 34 appearances (21 starts) for the Phillies in 2025.
These newcomers join catcher Alejandro Kirk, outfielders Randy Arozarena and Jarren Duran, and infielders Ramón Urías and Luis Urías. Mexico opens Pool B play against Great Britain on March 6, 2026, at 1 p.m. ET in Houston's Daikin Park, alongside matches involving the United States, Italy, and Brazil. The bolstered roster positions Mexico to compete strongly in the international showcase.
