Japan’s National Baseball Team Adds 11 Members to Participate in Upcoming World Baseball Classic (WBC)

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:49 JST, January 16, 2026

Another 11 players have been selected to defend Japan’s title in the upcoming World Baseball Classic in March.

NPB Enterprise Inc. and other organizers announced the additions to Samurai Japan on Friday.

Tomoyuki Sugano, who pitched for Major League Baseball’s Baltimore Orioles last season, returns to the national squad for the first time in two tournaments. In his debut year since departing from the Yomiuri Giants, where he was the ace pitcher, he delivered a solid performance, recording 10 wins.

From the domestic leagues, Hanshin Tigers infielder Teruaki Sato earned his first selection to the national team. Sato was a driving force behind his team’s Central League championship last season, clinching two league batting titles with 40 home runs and 102 RBIs.

Also joining the roster are pitcher Yuki Matsumoto of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, catchers Seishiro Sakamoto of the Hanshin Tigers and Kenya Wakatsuki of the Orix Buffaloes, and outfielder Shota Morishita of the Hanshin Tigers.

From the previous championship-winning squad, infielder Shugo Maki of the Yokohama DeNA BayStars was selected, along with infielder Sosuke Genda of the Saitama Seibu Lions, and the trio of infielder Taisei Makihara, outfielder Kensuke Kondoh, and outfielder Ukyo Shuto from the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.

Eight players, including the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, were announced in December. Once the remaining 11 members have been selected, the roster for Japan’s 30-man team will be complete.