Which 5 White Sox Players Will Suit Up in the World Baseball Classic?
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While Opening Day may be a few weeks away, baseball fans will still have a chance to watch plenty of stars in action.
Not only is spring training in full gear, but the World Baseball Classic is officially set to kick off this week. As MLB squads host some exhibition games, Chinese Taipei and Australia will officially start the tournament on Wednesday night at the Tokyo Dome. Plenty of familiar faces should be in the starting lineups, including a White Sox infielder!
Speaking of which, now feels like the perfect time to review which members of the South Side squad will be representing their country over the next couple of weeks. The organization has a total of five players competing, including its most popular offseason signing.
White Sox Player in this Year's WBC
Curtis Mead – Australia
First Game: TPE vs. AUS – 9:00 PM CT (March 3, Tokyo Dome – Japan)
The 25-year-old from Adelaide, Australia, is headed overseas for his taste of the World Baseball Classic. Acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in the trade for Adrian Hauser, the Sox were able to give Mead the opportunity he wasn't getting in Tampa. To be sure, he started his journey with the organization in Triple-A, but a prompt injury to Miguel Vargas led to a quick spot in the lineup for the infielder.
Once the third-best prospect in the Rays system, Mead was in need of a fresh start. Nevertheless, he proceeded to slash .240/.280/.304 in a somewhat underwhelming 41 games and 132 innings with the Sox. The opportunities should remain there for Mead to take a step in the right direction this season, especially when we consider he can play all over the infield. However, with expectations rising on the South Side, he is going to have to show meaningful improvement at the plate. A strong performance in the WBC would be a good start!
Seranthony Domínguez – Dominican Republic
First Game: NCA vs. DOM – 6:00 PM CT (March 6, LoanDepot Park – Miami)
Seranthony Domínguez represents one of the most exciting pickups for the White Sox this season. Finishing the 2025 campaign as the World Series runner-ups, Domínguez will give the team a reliable closer with a high-velocity fastball and a surprisingly deep supporting cast of pitches. He held a 3.16 ERA with 79 strikeouts in his 62.2 innings pitched last season. For a team that really struggled to finish off games in 2025, Domínguez is the exact kind of veteran presence who could make a meaningful difference.
For what it's worth, Domínguez has only appeared in 2.0 innings during spring training thus far, striking out one batter and allowing zero runs. His limited action only gives fans more of a reason to tune in to the Dominican Republic in the coming days. Domínguez could be a big part of what some expect to be a deep run.
Kyle Teel – Italy
First Game: BRA vs. ITA – 12:00 PM CT (March 7, Daikin Park – Houston)
One of the White Sox' most talked-about young players, Kyle Teel, projects to be a key piece of Team Italy in this year's WBC. The catcher is heading into just his second season of MLB action after a very solid Year 1 at the plate. While he will continue to compete for starts with Edgar Quero, Teel's potential to send the ball deep is what continues to make him a fascinating prospect. He even added 20 lbs of muscle this offseason as he looks to improve his power.
With that said, Teel has struggled thus far in Cactus League play. He has mustered only a single hit in his 14 at-bats, striking out a total of six times. Meanwhile, Quero has been lighting it up at every turn and is looking like the true breakout candidate. Can Teel reclaim the spotlight with a strong performance for Team Italy?
Sam Antonacci – Italy
First Game: BRA vs. ITA – 12:00 PM CT (March 7, Daikin Park – Houston)
The White Sox will have two representatives on Team Italy. Sam Antonacci has had the exact opposite spring of his teammate, bursting onto the scene with some incredibly well-rounded play. In his 18 total plate appearances, he has had four hits, four RBIs, two home runs, five walks, and three stolen bases. In other words, when it comes to the Opening Day roster, the 23-year-old has given manager Will Venable A LOT to think about.
If he continues this hot play on the WBC play, he might very well be the next Sox prospect to make his major league debut.
Munetaka Murakami – Japan
First Game: JPN vs. TPE – 4:00 AM CT (March, 6 Tokyo Dome – Japan)
You know him, and you already love him. No White Sox player will draw more buzz than Munetaka Murakami. The Japanese native shocked the MLB world this season when he chose to ink a two-year contract with the Sox after an incredible career in the Nippon Baseball League. While he may not have treated Sox fans to one of his signature blasts during Spring play, he still recorded five hits (two doubles) with two RBIs in his 13 at-bats.
Murakami is no stranger to the WBC stage. He was a fundamental part of the Japan team that beat the Americans in the previous tournament. Not only did he hit a walk-off home run in the semi-final game, but he hit another bomb in the championship to help steal the crown.
Elias Schuster is a sports journalist and content creator from the northern suburbs of Chicago. A graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he has covered the Bulls since 2019-20 and previously served as the editor of BN Bulls at Bleacher Nation. He has been the Publisher for Bulls On SI since December of the 2025-26 season. When he isn't obsessing over hoops, Elias spends his time obsessing over practically every other sport – much to his wife's dismay. He also loves strolling the streets of Chicago for the best cozy bar or restaurant to set up shop and write his next article.
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