Ronald Acuna Jr. will participate in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr. will play for Team Venezuela in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, MLB announced. Acuna's presence will give the team a boost for the upcoming tournament. While teams such as the USA, Japan and Dominican Republic will be among the favorites, Team Venezuela could make things interesting.
Team Venezuela's Promising Outlook for 2026 World Baseball Classic
With Salvador Perez leading the squad, Team Venezuela has a promising outlook for the 2026 WBC. Acuna joining the roster will only increase their chances of upsetting the favorites in the tournament.
In addition to Acuna, it was also announced that Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers and Boston Red Sox players Maikel Garcia, Jackson Chourio and Wilyer Abreu will all play for Team Venezuela as well.
Team USA has arguably its best roster of all-time. Team Japan won the tournament in 2023. Nevertheless, Team Venezuela should be able to compete at a high level.
Acuna, 28, was limited to only 95 games played in 2025. He earned an All-Star selection nonetheless, the fifth of his career. Overall, the Braves star outfielder slashed .290/.417/.518 across 412 plate appearances. He added 21 home runs, 12 doubles and nine stolen bases in limited action.
The fact that Ronald Acuna Jr. was still able to produce those kinds of numbers despite playing in just over half of the '26 campaign is impressive to say the least. When healthy, Acuna is one of the best players in the entire sport. Just a couple of years ago, Acuna had an argument for being referred to as MLB's best player. While Shohei Ohtani has now earned that title -- and Aaron Judge is not far behind -- Acuna is arguably a top three player when healthy.
There were questions about his World Baseball Classic status due to his injury history. It was unclear if he would participate as a result. Now, however, Acuna is indeed set to play for Team Venezuela as they hope to earn a WBC victory.
The official 2026 World Baseball Classic rosters will be revealed on Thursday, February 5 at 7 PM EST on MLB Network. As for the tournament itself, it will begin on March 5 and run through March 17.
So, will Ronald Acuna Jr. be able to lead Team Venezuela to a World Baseball Classic championship? Only time will tell, but the team should certainly not be overlooked.