The Dominican Republic, a perennial powerhouse, has assembled a star-studded roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, while Israel aims to build on its underdog story in the challenging Pool D. Both teams will compete in Miami, facing tough opponents including each other on March 9. With high expectations for the Dominicans and survival hopes for Israel, the pool promises intense matchups.
The Dominican Republic enters the 2026 World Baseball Classic with sky-high expectations, boasting the most Major League players born outside the United States since 1995. General manager Nelson Cruz has crafted a 30-man roster featuring elite talent: pitchers like Sandy Alcantara, Luis Severino, and Cristopher Sánchez; infielders including Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Manny Machado, and Ketel Marte; and outfielders such as Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Julio Rodríguez. New manager Albert Pujols, fresh off leading Leones del Escogido to the LIDOM championship and Caribbean Series title in 2024-25, faces the challenge of juggling this embarrassment of riches in a short tournament.
The team's 2023 performance was disappointing, finishing 2-2 in Pool D at Miami's loanDepot park, with losses to Venezuela and Puerto Rico by a combined 10-3, failing to reach the quarterfinals. Their best moment remains the 2013 championship, an undefeated 8-0 run capped by a 3-0 final win over Puerto Rico, where Edwin Encarnación's two-run double and Fernando Rodney's save shone. Pool D repeats in 2026, with the Dominicans opening against Nicaragua on March 6, followed by the Netherlands on March 8, Israel on March 9, and Venezuela on March 11.
Israel, making its third WBC appearance, relies on a roster of mostly American Jewish players, blending big leaguers like Harrison Bader, Spencer Horwitz, Dean Kremer, and Garrett Stubbs with prospects such as Jake Gelof and Harrison Cohen. In 2017, they went 3-0 in pool play, upsetting South Korea 2-1 and beating Cuba 4-1 before quarterfinal exits. But 2023 brought struggles: 1-3 in Pool D, with a 3-1 win over Nicaragua overshadowed by 25-1 losses to the others. Kremer, the squad's pitching anchor, impressed in 2023 with 4 innings, 3 hits, and 4 strikeouts against Nicaragua.
Israel's schedule starts with Venezuela on March 7, Nicaragua on March 8, the Dominicans on March 9, and the Netherlands on March 10. Fans hope for at least one more win to secure future qualification, banking on improved pitching beyond Kremer to challenge the pool's giants.
