Complete List of Dodgers Playing in World Baseball Classic 2026

Sep 25, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) (right) and infielder Hyeseong Kim (6) (left) celebrate in the locker after winning the National League West championship follow a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images | Allan Henry-Imagn Images

As expected, the Los Angeles Dodgers are slated to have five participants from their roster who are in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, plus multiple prospects from within the organization.

Current Dodgers who are playing in the WBC this year are Edwin Díaz (Puerto Rico), Hyeseong Kim (Korea), Shohei Ohtani (Japan), Will Smith (United States) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Japan). Dino Ebel is also going to reprise his role as third base coach for Team USA.

If Miguel Rojas had his druthers, the Dodgers would've had a sixth player in the WBC. But because Rojas is slated to turn 37 years old on Feb. 24, he was deemed uninsurable due to a new provision.

"If I can still play in the big leagues for the Dodgers, why not go to play for my team in Venezuela and represent my country?” Rojas asked rhetorically when discussing the matter during his appearance at DodgerFest.

"It's really hard to not have the opportunity to put my country on my chest and having the opportunity to represent them and help win a World Baseball Classic. Not having the opportunity to do it because I'm 37 years old, that's not right. I don't feel that's right."

Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernández and Andy Pages each withdrew from WBC consideration for various reasons. The Dodgers blocked Roki Sasaki from participating due to the amount of time he missed last season with a right shoulder impingement.

Which Dodgers are in World Baseball Classic 2026

Edwin Díaz (Team Puerto Rico)

Mar 15, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Puerto Rico relief pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) reacts after defeating the Dominican Republic at LoanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Edwin Díaz is pitching in the World Baseball Classic for a third time in his career. He previously was on the Team Puerto Rico roster in 2017 and 2023.

Díaz's participation this year comes as he's entering his first season with the Dodgers. Moreover, it's a return to the tournament in which the right-hander suffered a gruesome injury that required season-ending surgery.

Díaz's torn right patellar tendon from the 2023 WBC is believed to have been a factor in insurance coverage decisions this year.

Jake Gelof (Team Israel)

Jake Gelof was drafted by the Dodgers in the second round in 2023. He spent the bulk of last season with High-A Great Lakes after also finishing 2024 playing for the Loons.

The 2026 WBC is Gelof's first time participating in the event.

Clayton Kershaw (Team USA)

Oct 1, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) smiles in the dugout in the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Although no longer part of the Dodgers organization due to retiring at the conclusion of the 2025 season, the future Hall of Famer is participating in the WBC for the first time in his career.

Kershaw was poised to be part of the Team USA roster in 2023 but could not get insured. That's no longer an issue for the 37-year-old given he's not part of an MLB organization.

Kershaw is going to pitch out of the bullpen, just as he did with the Dodgers during the postseason.

Hyeseong Kim (Team Korea)

Oct 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Hyeseong Kim (6) celebrates in the dugout after defeating the Milwaukee Brewers in game four of the NLCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Hyeseong Kim is a WBC participant for the second time, but it's a first since he signed with the Dodgers.

Given some of the MLB experienced he gained last year, Kim could be in line for a larger role with South Korea in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Kim is going to be teammates on the Korean team with former Dodgers starter Hyun Jin Ryu.

Antonio Knowles (Team Great Britain)

Antonio Knowles was drafted by the Dodgers in the 13th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. The right-hander spent the majority of last season with Double-A Tulsa before earning a promotion to Triple- A Oklahoma City in the middle of August.

Knowles made just four appearances for the Comets before going on the seven-day injured list for the remainder of the season.

He went a combined 7-1 with 11 saves, a 3.54 ERA and 1.16 WHIP across 40 relief appearances during the 2025 Minor League season.

Shawndrick Oduber (Team Netherlands)

Shawndrick Oduber is an Aruba native who originally began his career by signing a Minor League contract with the Kansas City Royals in 2022. The Royals traded Oduber to the Dodgers in March 2025, and he went on to spend last season with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga.

Shohei Ohtani (Team Japan)

Mar 21, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Japan designated hitter and closing pitcher Shohei Ohtani (16) stands with the World Baseball Classic trophy trophy after defeating the USA in the World Baseball Classic at LoanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

This year is also a second time for Ohtani in the WBC. He memorably won MVP honors en route to leading Team Japan to a championship by defeating the United States in the 2023 gold medal game.

But this iteration of the tournament is going to see Ohtani limited to just designated hitter duties. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed Ohtani decided to not pitch in the WBC, but it later was reported he wouldn't have received insurance coverage for that anyhow.

Will Smith (Team USA)

Team USA's Will Smith rounds the bases after hitting a home run against Mexico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. | Joe Rondone / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Will Smith is back with Team USA for a second consecutive World Baseball Classic. He backed up J.T. Realmuto that year and now is going to complement Cal Raleigh.

Christian Suarez (Team Venezuela)

Christian Suarez is not quite a guarantee to be on the Team Venezuela roster in the World Baseball Classic. For the time being, he is part of the Designated Pitcher Pool (DPP), which is a reserve of up to six pitchers that each team can pull from after WBC pool play.

Teams are permitted to replace up to four pitchers after the first round of WBC games and up to two following the quarterfinals.

Suarez signed with the Dodgers as an international free agent out of Venezuela in July 2018. The southpaw spent the entirety of the 2025 season with the Drillers, going 4-3 with a 3.38 ERA in 42 appearances.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Team Japan)

Aug 4, 2021; Yokohama, Japan; Team Japan pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (17) reacts against Korea in a baseball semifinal match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-Imagn Images | Yukihito Taguchi-Imagn Images

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is in the WBC for a second time as well. The right-hander is the unquestioned ace of Samurai Japan and assured a heavy workload with the Dodgers last year is not going to be an issue.

2026 WBC pools

Pool A (San Juan, Puerto Rico): Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Panama, Puerto Rico

Pool B (Houston, Texas): Brazil, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, United States

Pool C (Tokyo, Japan): Australia, Chinese Taipei, Czech Republic, Japan, Korea

Pool D (Miami, Florida): Dominican Republic, Israel, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Venezuela