The Cleveland Guardians will have decent representation in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Opening Day is still over two months away, but meaningful, competitive, and entertaining baseball will be here before we know it with the 2026 World Baseball Classic just around the corner. The 2023 competition was a resounding success, which has only built up even more hype for the upcoming tournament.
The Classic showcases baseball’s top players from around the world, and there are several members of the Cleveland Guardians organization who will be participating in this year’s contest.
Here are the players from Cleveland’s organization who will be playing, along with the country they will be competing for.
- LHP Logan Allen (Panama)
- INF Travis Bazzana (Australia)
- RHP Dylan DeLucia (Italy)
- OF Stuart Fairchild (Chinese Taipei)
- RHP Matt Festa (Italy)
- INF Dayan Frias (Colombia)
- C Bo Naylor (Canada)
- LHP Ryan Prager (Israel)
- LHP Matt Wilkinson (Canada)
Apr 16, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Cleveland Guardians catcher Bo Naylor (23) looks on prior to the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Cleveland Guardians at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn ImagesAs it pertains to the current big-league roster, the Guardians will only be missing three players for a portion of spring training for the tournament: Allen, Naylor, and Festa. Bazzana and Fairchild received non-roster invites to Major League camp, but are not on Cleveland’s 40-man roster.
Obviously, Naylor, Cleveland's catcher, being absent for part of training could be an issue, but it will actually give David Fry time to get comfortable behind the plate again.
The most notable name missing from this group is Jose Ramirez, who did not play for the Dominican Republic during the 2023 WBC either.
Ramirez was actually asked about his status for the WBC shortly after signing a seven-year contract extension, keeping him in Cleveland until 2032, but the third baseman wasn’t interested in talking about the Classic at that time.
“At the moment, I don’t want to talk about any other thing. We’re just focusing on my contract here in Cleveland,” said Ramirez through his interpreter, Auggie Rivero.
However, there’s still a possibility that Ramirez could join the team later on in the tournament, per Francys Romero.
Still, there will be plenty of Guardians to keep an eye on once the 2026 World Baseball Classic officially get sunderway on March 5, with the championship taking place in Miami on March 17.
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