2026 World Baseball Classic managers: Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina among those on bench

With the World Baseball Classic looming, some of the highest-profile names in the sport will be on the diamond for two weeks representing their country.

As they do so, some of the most compelling names of the league’s past will be coaching the players they once called their peers. While Mark DeRosa returns to the bench for Team USA, reigning champion Japan will replace Hideki Kuriyama with Hirokazu Ibata. The Dominican Republic will be helmed by the legendary Albert Pujols, whereas Yadier Molina is reprising his role with Puerto Rico.

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It isn’t just the managers, either. There are plenty of notable names on coaching staffs, including Miguel Cabrera as Venezuela’s hitting coach, Andy Pettitte serving as pitching coach for Team USA, Matt Holliday as Team USA’s hitting coach, and Edgar Martinez as Puerto Rico’s hitting coach, among others.

Molina and Cabrera are both with the MLB teams they ended their careers with in spring training serving as special assistants, whereas Pujols has been managing in the Dominican Republic. He will serve his first season for the Estrellas Orientales after coaching the Leones de Escogido.

World Baseball Classic managers

Dominican Republic: Albert Pujols
Puerto Rico: Yadier Molina
Netherlands: Andruw Jones
Chinese Taipei: Hao-jiu Tseng
Great Britain: Bradley Marcelino
Italy: Francisco Cervelli

World Baseball Classic managers to know

Mark DeRosa, USA

Managing his second straight World Baseball Classic for the United States, Mark DeRosa is helming a team that has significantly bigger names than Team USA’s 2023 runner-up squad.

DeRosa has enlisted pitchers Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes to anchor his pitching staff, albeit in a limited capacity, a far cry from the 2023 iteration when it was Merrill Kelly and Kyle Freeland at the wheel. DeRosa, who played for eight MLB teams from 1998 to 2013, has some big names on the bench with him, as well. Brian McCann is an assistant coach, Andy Pettitte is serving as pitching coach, Matt Holliday will be the hitting coach, and David Ross is the bullpen coach. Michael Young is serving as DeRosa’s bench coach.

Hirokazu Ibata, Japan

Taking the place of Hideki Kuriyama is Hirokazu Ibata for Japan. Ibata’s NPB career spanned from 1998 to 2015, with his first 15 seasons coming with the Chunichi Dragons and his final two with the Yomiuri Giants.

Ibata was part of the Japan team that finished third at the 2013 World Baseball Classic in the twilight of his NPB career, going 10-for-18 at the plate, including a game-tying single in the ninth inning against Chinese Taipei. Ibata has a glut of talent to work with. Although Shohei Ohtani won’t be pitching, his staff will feature the likes of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Hiromi Itoh, and Koki Kitayama. Pending MLBers Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto will also be representing Japan.

Albert Pujols, Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic should be on everyone’s radars as potential winners of this tournament. With players like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Julio Rodriguez, and Juan Soto, Platano Power is alive and well despite a disappointing showing in 2023.

Albert Pujols will be managing the team for the first time as he continues his coaching career. Pujols, who is one of just four players to hit 700 MLB home runs, has been dipping his toes into managing. He won the Serie final with the Leones de Escogido and is now entering his first season with the Estrellas Orientales. Pujols was seemingly courted by the Angels in their last interview process, but they ultimately hired Kurt Suzuki.

Yadier Molina, Puerto Rico

Another name MLB fans, and particularly Cardinals fans, will recognize, Yadier Molina will reprise his role as Puerto Rico manager after also coaching it in the 2023 WBC.

Known as one of the headiest players in MLB history, Molina is serving as a special assistant to president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom with the Cardinals. After a brief stint managing in Venezuela in 2022, Molina navigated Puerto Rico out of a brutal group in 2023 that had Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. He won Manager of the Year when he returned to the Navegantes del Magallanes, leading it to a championship.

Andruw Jones, Netherlands

One of the newest inductees to the National Baseball Hall of Fame after appearing on his ninth ballot, Andruw Jones will be on the bench for the Netherlands.

Jones represented the Netherlands in 2006 and 2013, having been born in Curacao. Notable players on his roster include Kenley Jansen, Ozzie Albies, Xander Bogaerts, Didi Gregorius, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Jurickson Profar.

Omar Lopez, Venezuela

Astros fans should be extremely familiar with Omar Lopez.

One of the most experienced coaches in the World Baseball Classic, Lopez has been in the Astros organization since 1999 and has been their bench coach since 2024. He has Miguel Cabrera as a hitting coach and Johan Santana as a pitching coach, along with Victor Martinez as an assistant.

The Venezuela roster is similarly loaded, with Eduardo Rodriguez, Ranger Suarez, Wilyer Abreu, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Eugenio Suarez all in the fold.

Ian Kinsler, Israel

Ian Kinsler is another familiar MLB face, and he’ll be on the Israel bench.

Kinsler, who obtained his Israel citizenship in 2020, was part of the 2017 USA team that won gold. He managed Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, exiting after pools with a 1-3 record.

Dusty Baker, Nicaragua

One more ride before he hits the Dusty trail.

Dusty Baker will manage Nicaragua for what he is calling his “last hurrah,” and is acknowledging that it’s going to be hard for it to get to quarterfinal play.

Baker, one of the most accomplished managers in MLB history, is looking to go out with a bang in a pool that has the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the Netherlands, and Israel. It’s a long shot, but as Baker himself has said, it could be “fun.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina headline World Baseball Classic managers

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