2026 WBC Team Japan (Samurai Japan) Complete Roster
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2026 WBC Team Japan (Samurai Japan)
Manager Hirokazu Ibata leads Samurai Japan as they aim to defend their title at the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Roster Announcement Timeline
| Date | Players | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| December 26 | 8 | First wave (pitchers only) |
| January 16 | 11 | Second wave |
| January 26 | 10 | Third wave |
| February 6 | 1 | Final announcement |
29 players have been announced. The official 30-man roster will be finalized by WBCI on February 6.
Pitchers (15)
| No. | Name | Team | Throws/Bats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yuki Matsui | Padres (MLB) | L/L |
| 11 | Yoshinobu Yamamoto | Dodgers (MLB) | R/R |
| 14 | Hiromi Ito | Nippon-Ham Fighters | R/R |
| 15 | Ooze | Yomiuri Giants | R/R |
| 16 | Shohei Ohtani | Dodgers (MLB) | R/L |
| 17 | Yusei Kikuchi | Angels (MLB) | L/L |
| 18 | Tomoyuki Sugano | Free Agent (ex-Orioles) | R/R |
| 19 | Hiroto Takahashi | Chunichi Dragons | R/R |
| 20 | Hiroya Miyagi | Orix Buffaloes | L/L |
| 21 | Ryuhei Sotani | Orix Buffaloes | L/L |
| 26 | Atsuki Taneichi | Chiba Lotte Marines | R/R |
| 47 | Koki Kitayama | Nippon-Ham Fighters | R/R |
| 53 | Yuki Matsumoto | SoftBank Hawks | R/L |
| 61 | Kaima Taira | Seibu Lions | R/R |
| 69 | Daichi Ishii | Hanshin Tigers | R/R |
Catchers (3)
| No. | Name | Team | Throws/Bats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Kenya Wakatsuki | Orix Buffaloes | R/R |
| 12 | Yuhei Nakamura | Yakult Swallows | R/R |
| 22 | Seishiro Sakamoto | Hanshin Tigers | R/R |
Infielders (7)
| No. | Name | Team | Throws/Bats | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Sosuke Genda | Seibu Lions | R/L | SS |
| 3 | Shugo Maki | DeNA BayStars | R/R | 2B |
| 5 | Taisei Makihara | SoftBank Hawks | R/S | 2B/SS |
| 6 | Kaito Kozono | Hiroshima Carp | R/L | SS |
| 7 | Teruaki Sato | Hanshin Tigers | R/L | 3B |
| 8 | Kazuma Okamoto | Blue Jays (MLB) | R/R | 1B/3B |
| 55 | Munetaka Murakami | White Sox (MLB) | R/L | 3B |
Outfielders (4)
| No. | Name | Team | Throws/Bats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Ukyo Shuto | SoftBank Hawks | R/L |
| 9 | Kensuke Kondo | SoftBank Hawks | R/L |
| 23 | Shota Morishita | Hanshin Tigers | R/R |
| 51 | Seiya Suzuki | Cubs (MLB) | R/R |
Key Players
Shohei Ohtani (Pitcher/DH)
2023 WBC MVP. Led the Dodgers to a World Series championship in 2024. Expected to compete as a two-way player.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Pitcher)
Dodgers ace right-hander. Won the NPB pitching triple crown during his time in Japan.
Munetaka Murakami (Infielder)
Moved to MLB White Sox in 2025. Hit the walk-off single in the 2023 WBC championship game.
Seiya Suzuki (Outfielder)
Power-hitting outfielder for the Cubs. Expected to be a key piece in Japan's lineup.
Players by Team
| Team | Count |
|---|---|
| SoftBank Hawks | 4 |
| Hanshin Tigers | 4 |
| Orix Buffaloes | 3 |
| Nippon-Ham Fighters | 2 |
| Seibu Lions | 2 |
| MLB Teams | 8 |
| Other NPB | 6 |
Exhibition Games Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 22 (Sat) | vs SoftBank | Miyazaki |
| Feb 23 (Sun) | vs SoftBank | Miyazaki |
| Feb 27 (Fri) | vs Chunichi | Vantelin Dome Nagoya |
| Feb 28 (Sat) | vs Chunichi | Vantelin Dome Nagoya |
| Mar 2 (Mon) | vs Orix | Vantelin Dome Nagoya |
| Mar 3 (Tue) | vs Hanshin | Kyocera Dome Osaka |