World Baseball Classic 2026 Preview: Netherlands
Rosters were announced for the 2026 World Baseball Classic in the early hours of Friday morning, and the ninth-ranked Netherlands features a veteran roster, including a typically strong infield. In total, six players who saw action in MLB in 2025 will suit up for manager Andruw Jones, who was recently elected to the U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame. The Kingdom Team, ranked No. 9 in the world, will compete in Miami as part of Group D, which features the Dominican Republic, Israel, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
As with previous Dutch roster, Jones will have big names from the Major Leagues at his disposal during the sixth edition of the World Baseball Classic: Xander Bogaerts, Kenley Jansen, and Jurickson Profar all return. Ozzie Albies and Ceddanne Rafaela both make their first appearance in the Kingdom Team. Albies, second baseman of the Atlanta Braves, is a three-time All-Star and has won two Silver Slugger Awards, but missed the last WBC due to an injury. Rafaela is a converted middle infielder who is now the center fielder for the Boston Red Sox, for whom he won a Gold Glove Award in 2025.
Besides these active big leaguers, Didi Gregorius, Chadwick Tromp, Sharlon Schoop, and Shairon Martis all return. Martis, who turns 39 a few days after the tournament, made his international debut at the 2006 World Baseball Classic and has worn the Orange for every WBC since 2016, making this his fifth appearance.
Pitchers Jamdrick Cornelia, Shawndrick Oduber, Ryjeteri Merite, Jaitoine Kelly, and Dylan Wilson all make their debut for the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Each saw time in the minor leagues last summer. There is one field player who is in the selection for the first time: Druw Jones. The son of the national team coach and recently minted Hall-of-Famer Andruw Jones, he was selected second overall in the 2022 draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks and was a consensus Top 100 prospect before the 2024 season. This year, he won a Gold Glove as the best defensive center fielder in the minors.
Only one of the seven Dutch prospects who saw time in the minors in 2025 made the roster (Arij Fransen, who is now a free agent), indicative of the depth of players available to KNBSB. (For more on Dutch minor leaguers, see our End of Season Update: [link]). Noteable absences from the 2023 World Baseball Classic include Wladimir Balentien, Roger Bernadina, Tom de Blok, Mike Bolsenbroek, Ray-Patrick Didder, Jair Jurrjens (who is one of the team’s pitching coaches), Sicnarf Loopstok, Josh Palacios, Richie Palacios, Dashenko Ricardo (now one of the team’s bullpen catchers), Jonathan Schoop, Andrelton Simmons, and Pedro Strop.
The Netherlands squad travels to the U.S. on Feb. 19 to prepare for the Classic in Fort Myers. From Mar. 1, the professional players will join the selection in Sarasota. On Mar. 3 and 4, the team Jones will play games against the Baltimore Orioles (in Sarasota) and the Tampa Bay Rays (in Port Charlotte).
On Mar. 6, the Dutch open with a game against Venezuela. The Kingdom Team also will face Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic and Israel in Group D. All group games will be played at loanDepot Park in Miami, the home of the Miami Marlins.
In 2009, the Netherlands memorably defeated the D.R. twice before losing to Venezuela—its only matchup against the South American country in the WBC—but have not played the Dominicans in the Classic since a 4-1 loss in 2013. In 2017, the Dutch avenged a 4-2 opening round loss to Israel with a 12-2 victory over their fellow WBSC Europe members. The team has never played Nicaragua in the World Baseball Classic, but lost 5-0 to the Central Americans in the 1996 Olympics, 13-2 in the 1998 World Cup, and and 8-4 in the 2009 World Cup, hosted by the Netherlands.
The Netherlands has competed in all five previous World Baseball Classics, reaching the semifinals in 2013 and 2017, but losing the bronze medal game each time. In 2023, the Oranje finished third in Pool A in Taichung, where each team compiled an even 2-2 record. Overall, the Dutch are 13-15 with a -10 run differential in WBC history, though since 2013, the country is 10-9 with +7 scoring margin.
The full roster is below, courtesy of Baseball Reference [link]. Columns to the right can be seen by clicking and dragging