The World Baseball Classic, the global tournament last played in 2017, begins this week with group play. In all, 20 countries are mounting teams full of faces both familiar and less so. While much of the hype leading up to this week’s action revolved around which MLB stars would or would not be leaving their teams to play for their countries, the focus now shifts to the field.
MLB stars are far from the only significant players set to grace your screens. So as this gift of early March baseball (real, competitive baseball!) gets started, let’s take a look at 10 names to watch whom you probably already know and 10 names you can learn now to fully enjoy the splendor of the WBC.
Do know: Juan Soto (Dominican Republic) — Soto is on a fun enough team with the San Diego Padres, but now he’ll be one of the biggest bats in an absolutely stacked Dominican lineup. The 24-year-old was the biggest prize of last season’s trade deadline and remains the most patient hitter in baseball, holding a career .424 on-base percentage in MLB. With the likes of Manny Machado, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Eloy Jimenez behind him, you could be looking at the tournament’s runs leader right here — or it could be someone such as Julio Rodriguez or Wander Franco hitting in front of him.
Don’t know: Jung-hoo Lee (South Korea) — A dominant, run-producing outfielder for Korea’s Kiwoom Heroes, Lee will be posted to join an MLB organization after the 2023 season. After batting .349 with 23 homers in 2022, he won the KBO MVP award. He also has serious baseball lineage — and an amazing nickname as a result. His father, Jong-beom Lee, is a KBO icon dubbed “Son of the Wind.” Yep, that means your favorite team could employ in 2024 a new star known as “Grandson of the Wind.” Presumably, Lee will have to square off with Brewers closer Devin Williams‘ famous “Airbender” changeup to see who truly controls the flow of the atmosphere.
Do know: Shohei Ohtani (Japan) — Tall, expressive face, pitches and hits? Runs really fast? Usually plays for the Los Angeles Angels but can hit free agency after 2023? Heard of him? Yeah, Ohtani is the face of a tremendously talented Japanese team and probably the most famous player in the tournament, period.
Don’t know: Roki Sasaki (Japan) — Sasaki, only 21 years old, is the single most intriguing player on the WBC stage who hasn’t yet played in front of American audiences. A starting pitcher in Japan’s NPB, Sasaki took the baseball world by…