Top 50 WBC Players to Draft in 2026 (Ranked by Position)

Drafting a winning WBC fantasy team starts with knowing who to target. We've ranked the top 50 players across all positions using a combination of MLB performance, international track record, and projected WBC role. Every player listed is confirmed on a 2026 WBC roster.

Top 10 Overall

1. Shohei Ohtani 🇯🇵 — DH — The most complete player in baseball. Japan's crown jewel and the #1 pick in every draft.
2. Juan Soto 🇩🇴 — OF — Elite plate discipline and power from a loaded Dominican Republic squad.
3. Aaron Judge 🇺🇸 — OF — America's biggest bat on a stacked Team USA roster.
4. Bryce Harper 🇺🇸 — 1B — USA's first baseman and postseason-tested superstar. Competes with Judge for the USA slot — check our country strategy guide.
5. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 🇩🇴 — 1B — DR's power-hitting first baseman, competes with Soto for the DR slot.
6. Ronald Acuña Jr. 🇻🇪 — OF — Five-tool talent leading Venezuela's outfield.
7. Fernando Tatís Jr. 🇩🇴 — OF — Electric player, another DR slot contender.
8. Nolan Arenado 🇵🇷 — 3B — Puerto Rico's premier bat and defensive anchor at third base.
9. Yoshinobu Yamamoto 🇯🇵 — SP — Dominant pitcher, but competes with Ohtani for the Japan slot.
10. Randy Arozarena 🇲🇽 — OF — Mexico's most explosive hitter with WBC experience.

Top Pitchers (SP & RP)

Starting pitching is critical in the WBC format. Target aces from countries likely to play many games:

• Yoshinobu Yamamoto 🇯🇵 — SP — Elite strikeout stuff, Japan's ace
• Paul Skenes 🇺🇸 — SP — USA's young flamethrower
• Tarik Skubal 🇺🇸 — SP — Cy Young-caliber lefty for Team USA
• Sandy Alcántara 🇩🇴 — SP — DR's workhorse with postseason pedigree
• Pablo López 🇻🇪 — SP — Venezuela's top arm
• Seth Lugo 🇵🇷 — SP — Puerto Rico's ace, consistent fantasy producer
• Hyun Jin Ryu 🇰🇷 — SP — Korea's veteran with WBC experience
• José Urquidy 🇲🇽 — SP — Mexico's ace with postseason pedigree
• Aaron Nola 🇮🇹 — SP — Italy's surprise ace, elite strikeout pitcher
• Kenley Jansen 🇳🇱 — RP — Netherlands' legendary closer
• Edwin Diaz 🇵🇷 — RP — Puerto Rico's electric closer
• Mason Miller 🇺🇸 — RP — USA's flamethrowing reliever

Top Catchers

Catcher is the thinnest WBC fantasy position. Secure one early from a good country:

• Salvador Perez 🇻🇪 — C — Power-hitting catcher, competes with Acuña for Venezuela slot
• William Contreras 🇻🇪 — C — Another VEN option with a strong bat
• Alejandro Kirk 🇲🇽 — C — Mexico's bat-first catcher
• Cal Raleigh 🇺🇸 — C — USA's power-hitting backstop
• Kyle Teel 🇮🇹 — C — Italy's young prospect behind the plate

Top Infielders

• Gunnar Henderson 🇺🇸 — SS — USA's emerging superstar shortstop
• Bobby Witt Jr. 🇺🇸 — SS — Five-tool talent, another USA infield star
• Alex Bregman 🇺🇸 — 3B — Clutch postseason performer for Team USA
• Nolan Arenado 🇵🇷 — 3B — Puerto Rico's best bat in the infield
• Ozzie Albies 🇳🇱 — 2B — Netherlands' best offensive infielder
• Xander Bogaerts 🇳🇱 — 2B — Netherlands' veteran with WBC experience
• Manny Machado 🇩🇴 — 3B — DR's hot corner anchor
• Hyeseong Kim 🇰🇷 — 2B — Korea's multi-position star
• Josh Naylor 🇨🇦 — 1B — Canada's top bat with power upside
• Vinnie Pasquantino 🇮🇹 — 1B — Italy's power-hitting first baseman
• Mark Vientos 🇳🇮 — 3B — Nicaragua's breakout slugger
• Jazz Chisholm Jr. 🇬🇧 — 2B — Great Britain's biggest name and most explosive bat

Top Outfielders & DH

• Shohei Ohtani 🇯🇵 — DH — #1 overall for a reason
• Juan Soto 🇩🇴 — OF — Elite production from DR
• Aaron Judge 🇺🇸 — OF — USA's anchor in the outfield
• Ronald Acuña Jr. 🇻🇪 — OF — Speed + power from Venezuela
• Randy Arozarena 🇲🇽 — OF — Mexico's most dangerous bat (note: he plays for Mexico, not Cuba!)
• Jarren Duran 🇲🇽 — OF — Speed demon in Mexico's outfield
• Jackson Chourio 🇻🇪 — CF — Venezuela's young star in center
• Julio Rodríguez 🇩🇴 — OF — Young star on the rise for DR
• Seiya Suzuki 🇯🇵 — OF — Japan's reliable outfield producer
• Masataka Yoshida 🇯🇵 — OF — Contact machine (if not using Japan for Ohtani)
• Jurickson Profar 🇳🇱 — OF — Netherlands' best outfield option
• Kyle Schwarber 🇺🇸 — DH — USA's designated power hitter
• Tyler O'Neill 🇨🇦 — OF — Canada's power outfielder

Late-Round Value Picks

Don't overlook these late-round targets. For more sleepers, check our complete sleepers guide.

• Jac Caglianone 🇮🇹 — DH — Italy's power prospect, could be a huge value pick
• Travis Bazzana 🇦🇺 — 2B — Australia's #1 draft pick, top prospect value
• Harrison Bader 🇮🇱 — CF — Israel's best outfielder with MLB experience
• Spencer Horwitz 🇮🇱 — 1B — Israel's on-base machine
• Willson Contreras 🇻🇪 — DH — Venezuela's DH slot, veteran bat
• Edouard Julien 🇨🇦 — 2B — Canada's patient hitter, walks machine
• Dean Kremer 🇮🇱 — SP — Israel's ace, solid strikeout upside
• Ceddanne Rafaela 🇳🇱 — CF — Netherlands' dynamic center fielder
• Oneil Cruz 🇩🇴 — OF — DR's raw power and speed combo
• Gleyber Torres 🇻🇪 — 2B — Venezuela infield depth with upside

Use these rankings alongside our WBC draft strategy guide for the complete preparation toolkit. Check how scoring works to understand which stats matter most.