Julio Rodríguez leads the return of stars for the 2026 World Baseball Classic
Santo Domingo, R.D. – The Dominican Baseball Federation (FEDOM) has officially announced the return of Julio Rodríguez, known as “J-Rod”, to the national team that will compete in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. This news reaffirms the Dominican selection’s commitment to building a top-tier team for the championship. Following Japan’s victory in the 2023 edition, multiple countries are preparing for the 2026 tournament, including the Dominican Republic, which will seek to present one of the strongest and most talented rosters. During the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida, the general manager of the Dominican Republic national team, Nelson Cruz, and the manager for the 2026 Classic, Albert Pujols, announced several of the players who will be part of the team.Among the confirmed figures, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado stand out, both from the San Diego Padres, who will once again defend the Dominican colors. They are joined by Juan Soto and Julio Rodríguez, who demonstrated their power in the 2025 MLB season, connecting 75 home runs and driving in 198 runs. FEDOM also reported that Carlos Santana, Brayan Bello, Yainer Díaz, Seranthony Domínguez, Carlos Estévez, and Amed Rosario have been authorized to join the team. These players join Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Oneil Cruz, Sandy Alcántara and Cristopher Sánchez, strengthening the selection that aspires to the title.Do you know how we are going to satisfy our fanbase? By winning the championship. Whoever knows about baseball understands that we must structure the best possible team to represent the country.
Albert Pujols
