Andy Devaney
The Great Britain WBC roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic has finally dropped, and it’s anything but shy. Great Britain is back for a second consecutive tilt at the tournament, opening against Mexico in Houston on 6 March, and this time they’re turning up with Jazz, Harry and a dugout full of intent.
“This is a talented, exciting roster that will represent Great Britain with pride at the World Baseball Classic,” said Manager Bradley Marcelino. “I’m proud to have Jazz and Harry leading this group as co-captains – they bring the energy and competitiveness that define this team. We’ve assembled a world-class coaching staff around them, and we’re ready for the challenge ahead. This team is all in and ready to compete on the world stage this March.”
Not exactly the language of a team just happy to make up the numbers.
Jazz & Harry: Co-captains with star power
If you were trying to sell the neutral fan on this Great Britain WBC roster, you’d start with the names on the marquee.
Jazz Chisholm Jr, now with the New York Yankees and on international duty for Great Britain for the first time in a decade, brings the kind of electricity that could power the Houston skyline on his own. Alongside him, Washington Nationals catcher Harry Ford – the heartbeat of the 2023 campaign – steps up again as co-captain.
Marcelino has made it clear this is their team to lead. Jazz supplies swagger, Ford supplies steel, and together they set a tone that says: “We’re not here for the selfies.”
Experience, upside and a deeper talent pool
The 2026 Great Britain WBC roster is a blend of familiar faces and fresh blood.
There are 11 returnees from the 2023 World Baseball Classic squad:
Donovan Benoit, Chavez Fernander, Harry Ford, Ryan Long, BJ Murray, Michael Petersen, Jack Seppings, Trayce Thompson, Tyler Viza, Nick Ward and Vance Worley.
They’re joined by 13 senior-level debutants for Great Britain: Jack Anderson (Boston Red Sox), Brendan Beck (New York Yankees), Tristan Beck (San Francisco Giants), Nate Eaton (Boston Red Sox), Lucius Fox, Gary Gill Hill (Tampa Bay Rays), Ivan Johnson (Cincinnati Reds), Antonio Knowles (Los Angeles Dodgers), Miles Langhorne (Milwaukee Brewers), Ian Lewis Jr (Miami Marlins), Kristian Robinson (Arizona Diamondbacks) and Najer Victor (Los Angeles Angels).
Throw in the rest of the squad – many with big-league or high-level minor-league track records – and suddenly Great Britain doesn’t look like a plucky outsider so much as a proper tournament nuisance.
Full 2026 Great Britain WBC roster
⚾ Player listFor the completists (and the scouting departments), here’s the full list of players heading to the World Baseball Classic:
From Yankees and Dodgers to Rays, Cubs and Brewers, this is a roster stamped all over with MLB organisation logos – a sign of just how far the British programme has come in a short span of tournaments.
The brains trust: a big-league flavoured staff
A noisy dugout is all well and good, but Great Britain has also built an impressive staff to steer this thing.
Manager Bradley Marcelino (Arizona Diamondbacks) sits at the top of a structure that looks increasingly like a Major League operation rather than a plucky volunteer committee:
Great Britain WBC 2026 staff
🧢 Coaching & supportIt’s a staff built to leave no stone, stat line or scouting report unturned.
“As Performance Director, I’m incredibly proud of the commitment, professionalism, and unity shown throughout this campaign, “said Gary Anderson. “This is a hugely talented Great Britain team assembled and backed by a highly professional performance team, built from a programme that has advanced and developed rapidly over recent years. I am excited for this team to take the field and continue to build on Great Britain Baseball’s upward trajectory.”
When the person in charge of performance sounds that bullish, you can be sure the spreadsheets look good.
Spring training, British style: Phoenix tune-up before Houston
Before Great Britain rolls into Houston for that opening showdown with Mexico, the Great Britain WBC roster will sharpen its spikes at a preparation and training camp in Phoenix, Arizona, hosted by the Milwaukee Brewers.
On the schedule:
- 3 March – Exhibition vs Milwaukee Brewers in Phoenix
- 4 March – Exhibition vs San Diego Padres in Peoria
Both games are slated for 8:10 PM GMT, giving fans back home a primetime look at how the roster is shaping up before the serious stuff starts.
Further details – including how to watch both exhibition games and the World Baseball Classic in Great Britain – will be announced soon, so expect British baseball’s corner of the internet to get louder as March approaches.
Great Britain’s place on the world stage
The World Baseball Classic is sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) as the sport’s official National Team World Championship. For Great Britain, this is only their second appearance, following their debut at the 2023 edition – but the ambition has clearly outgrown the “happy to be here” label.
With a Great Britain WBC roster that boasts Major League pedigree, hungry newcomers and a high-end performance team behind the scenes, this campaign feels less like a cameo and more like a statement of intent.
How fans can follow Great Britain Baseball
If you want to stay locked in on Great Britain’s journey through the 2026 World Baseball Classic and beyond, the federation’s digital bases are covered:
- Facebook: Great Britain Baseball
- X (formerly Twitter): @gb_baseball
- Instagram: @gbbaseball
- TikTok: @gbbaseball
For tournament-wide information, including schedules, opponents and global updates, head to MLB’s World Baseball Classic hub at mlb.com/world-baseball-classic.
In the meantime, pencil 6 March into your diary. Great Britain is bringing Jazz, Harry and a seriously upgraded supporting cast to Houston – and this time, the rest of the baseball world might want to pay attention.
