The 2026 World Baseball Classic is set to begin on Wednesday evening. Across the next couple of weeks, 20 countries will compete, with a champion being crowned on March 17.
To no surprise, the United States is one of the heavy favorites in the event. The 30-man roster features a majority of the best players in baseball, including Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Cal Raleigh, Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal.
Team USA is in Pool B and will play group stage games against Brazil, Great Britain, Italy and Mexico. Their first game of the tournament is on Friday, March 6 against Brazil at Daikin Park in Houston.
Rivals is looking back at where each member of Team USA played their high school baseball. Rosters will change throughout the event, so we’re looking at the 30 players that will be on the field and in the dugout or bullpen on Friday night.
There are 16 states represented on the roster. California, of course, leads the way with six. Texas and Georgia are next with four and three representatives, respectively. Pennsylvania, Alabama, North Carolina and Florida all have two each.
Pitchers
David Bednar, Mars Area (Mars, Pa.)
New York Yankees
Matthew Boyd, Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, Wash.)
Chicago Cubs
Garrett Cleavinger, Lawrence (Lawrence, Kan.)
Tampa Bay Rays
Clay Holmes, Slocomb (Slocomb, Ala.)
New York Mets
Griffin Jax, Cherry Creek (Englewood, Colo.)
Tampa Bay Rays
Brad Keller, Flowery Branch (Flowery Branch, Ga.)
Philadelphia Phillies
Clayton Kershaw, Highland Park (Dallas, Texas)
Retired
Nolan McLean, Garner (Garner, N.C.)
New York Mets
Mason Miller, Bethel Park (Bethel Park, Pa.)
San Diego Padres
Paul Skenes, El Toro (Lake Forest, Calif.)
Pittsburgh Pirates
Tarik Skubal, Kingman Academy (Kingman, Ariz.)
Detroit Tigers
Gabe Speier, Dos Pueblos (Goleta, Calif.)
Seattle Mariners
Michael Wacha, Pleasant Grove (Texarkana, Texas)
Kansas City Royals
Logan Webb, Rocklin (Rocklin, Calif.)
San Fransisco Giants
Garrett Whitlock, Providence Christian Academy (Lilburn, Ga.)
Boston Red Sox
Ryan Yarbrough, All Saints Academy (Winter Haven, Fla.)
New York Yankees
Catchers
Cal Raleigh, Smoky Mountain (Sylva, N.C.)
Seattle Mariners
Will Smith, Kentucky Country Day (Louisville, Ky.)
Los Angeles Dodgers
Infielders
Alex Bregman, Albuquerque Academy (Albuquerque, N.M.)
Chicago Cubs
Ernie Clement, Brighton (Rochester, N.Y.)
Toronto Blue Jays
Paul Goldschmidt, The Woodlands (The Woodlands, Texas)
New York Yankees
Bryce Harper, Las Vegas (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Philadelphia Phillies
Gunnar Henderson, Morgan Academy (Selma, Ala.)
Baltimore Orioles
Brice Turang, Santiago (Corona, Calif.)
Milwaukee Brewers
Bobby Witt Jr., Colleyville Heritage (Colleyville, Texas)
Kansas City Royals
Outfielders and Designated Hitter
Roman Anthony, Marjory Stoneman Douglas (Parkland, Fla.)
Boston Red Sox
Byron Buxton, Appling County (Baxley, Ga.)
Minnesota Twins
Pete Crow-Armstrong, Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
Chicago Cubs
Aaron Judge, Linden (Linden, Calif.)
New York Yankees
Kyle Schwarber, Middletown (Middletown, Ohio)
Philadelphia Phillies
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