Canada: World Baseball Classic 2026 Preview -

Having never progressed past the pool stage, Canada must see 2026 as its best chance to reach the knockout phase. The lowest-ranked team in the pool has a lot of power, veteran arms, and youthful exuberance.

World Baseball Classic: Pool A

Canada
Colombia
Cuba
Panama
Puerto Rico

Canada

WBC best results: Five attempts – never made it out of the pool stage
Current world ranking: 20
Manager: Ernie Whitt

What happened at the last WBC?

Let’s get real. None of us, aside from the most optimistic minds within GB baseball, ever imagined that Great Britain would be facing the Dream Team of the USA, featuring generational talents like Mike Trout and Mookie Betts. But from the groundwork of Liam Carroll to the qualification heroics of Drew Spencer, GB made it to Phoenix in 2023. And the opening game was against the hosts and favourites, the USA.

Despite Trayce Thompson giving Great Britain the early lead, the USA came back and comfortably took the win. Against the popular view at home that GB would get mercy-ruled in every pool game, Great Britain looked like they belonged on the biggest stage. They made us proud.

And so to the morning after the night before.

Less than 12 hours passed between the end of the GB v USA game and the first pitch in the GB v Canada game. Everyone knew that this was GB’s chance. This was the most winnable fixture in the group.

It started so well – Chavez Young walked, stole second and was moved over by Trayce Thompson. Matt Koperniak walked, executed the perfect hesitant steal of second, which enabled Young to steal home. Amazing. What a team.

Nick Ward then drove in Kopernia. B.J. Murray walked – Cal Quantrill was having a nightmare, and GB were so patient at the plate – Darnell Sweeney drove in Ward to make it 3-0 to GB. We joked about the mercy rule.

Is that what they call tempting fate? Canada scored 16 runs over the next four innings, invoking the mercy rule themselves with an 18-8 win.

With a 5-0 victory over Colombia, Canada finished third in the group, ahead of GB and Colombia but below the powerhouses of Mexico and the USA. Probably as good as they could have expected.

Canada: Three to watch

Josh Naylor: When the initial rosters were discussed, it seemed that the competition for first base could be between Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Josh Naylor, and Freddie Freeman. As it transpired, Guerrero Jr. opted for the Dominican Republic, and Freeman opted out, so Naylor’s name is one of the first on the lineup card. Back with Seattle after signing a five-year deal, the underrated Naylor swiped 30 bags with 20 homers in 2025.

Tyler O’Neill: With a physique that I expect to see when I look in the mirror, Tyler O’Neill is a powerful outfielder whose inability to stay healthy has robbed us of seeing his extraordinary ability over a sustained period. Despite two 30-plus homer seasons to his name, the 30-year-old has missed 337 games over the last five years. O’Neill holds the (probably) unbreakable record of homering in six consecutive Opening Day games. Could he celebrate Canada’s best-ever WBC performance with a seventh straight home run when the Orioles face the Twins on Opening Day?

Michael Soroka: When he broke into the big leagues in 2019, Soroka finished second in Rookie of the Year voting and sixth in the Cy Young. Injuries have prevented the former first-round pick from repeating his 29-start 2.68 ERA season, but he ended 2025 on a high, with five scoreless appearances in the Cubs bullpen. Soroka is joined by fellow-MLB pitchers Cal Quantrill, James Paxton, and Jameson Taillon. That is a wealth of MLB experience.

Potential X-factor

Owen Caissie moved from the Cubs to the Marlins in the deal that took pitcher Edward Cabrera to Chicago. MLB’s No. 42-ranked prospect has raw power to spare, and if he can keep the strikeouts in check, maybe he could replicate teammate Edouard Julien’s 2023 WBC.

Julien, who has just been traded to fill the void at second base in Colorado, broke out at the last World Baseball Classic, going 7-for-13 with two home runs.

Although, switching from the WBC to the big leagues wasn’t easy for Julien, who has been a 75 OPS+ player over the last two seasons. Maybe another tournament with the Maple Leaf on his chest will revitalise the career of the young Québécois.