Earlier this week, Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor was named as the captain for Team Canada at the World Baseball Classic.

The WBC has already begun but Naylor and his Canadian teammates will open up play on Saturday morning against Colombia at 8 a.m. PT. Canada has never advanced out of pool play in the previous five versions of the tournament.

Ironically, Naylor will take on a pair of Mariners players in that opening contest: Infielder Michael Arroyo and pitcher Guillo Zuniga both play for the Colombians.

Arroyo is expected to help carry the Colombia offense.

As for Naylor, he'll get a chance to take the field with his brother Bo, who is a catcher in the Cleveland Guardians organization. The duo will join some rare WBC history, as noted by Sarah Langs of MLB.com:

Brothers to be WBC teammates, both having already made MLB debut:

2026 CAN Josh & Bo Naylor                 

2026 VEN William & Willson Contreras

2026 ISR C.J. & Garrett Stubbs

2023 PR Alexis & Edwin Diaz

2023 NED Joshua & Richie Palacios

2017 COL Donovan & Jhonatan Solano

2013, ‘09 MEX Adrian & Edgar Gonzalez

2013 PR Jose & Yadier Molina

2009 MEX Jerry Jr. & Scott Hairston

2006 PR Jose & Javier Valentin

A native of Mississauga, Ontario, Naylor played in the 2017 World Baseball Classic as a prospect as well.

Still just 28 years old, Naylor is a seven-year veteran of the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Guardians, Arizona Diamondbacks and Mariners. A career .269 hitter, the Mariners acquired him at the trade deadline in 2025. He hit .299 for Seattle with nine homers, 33 RBIs and 19 stolen bases in 54 games. He helped lead the M's to the American League Championship Series and re-signed this offseason on a five-year deal worth $92.5 million.

It is the biggest contract given to a free agent position player in Jerry Dipoto's tenure with the Mariners, which goes back a decade.

Started in 2006 to help grow the game internationally, the WBC is now in its sixth iteration. Team Japan has won three of the previous five titles, winning in 2003, 2006 and 2023.

The Dominican Republic won in 2013 and Team USA won in 2017. All three of those teams are favorites to do damage this time around as well. Venezuela, Mexico and Puerto Rico are also seen as threats.

As for Naylor and the Canadians, they'll be in Pool A, which plays pool play games in San Juan, Puerto Rico. They'll be joined by Colombia, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Panama. 

The Tokyo bracket of the tournament has already opened up play: Australia is 2-0 while Japan and Korea are 1-0. Chinese Taipei is 0-2 and Czechia is 0-2. 

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