By Scott Barancik
[Updated 2/8/2026]
Major League Baseball, which owns the quadrennial World Baseball Classic tournament, unveiled Israel’s 2026 WBC roster on its website and social media accounts yesterday. The list of 30 players includes WBC veterans, newbies, current and former Major League players, one native-born Israeli, and a handful of ballplayers who qualify by virtue of Jewish ancestry or spouses.
Unlike the Olympics, which require that athletes be citizens of the country they play for, the WBC demands only that a player qualify for citizenship.
Absent from the list is 3B Alex Bregman (Cubs), who will play again for Team USA.
Israel’s baseball team is ranked #21 in the world. In its first game of the 2026 WBC, Israel will face 5th-ranked Venezuela. That game will take place March 7 at 7:00pm ET on FS2.
Following is information on each Team Israel player, manager, and coach in the 2026 WBC, plus a look at who isn’t playing.
WBC Veterans
Eleven men on the 2026 roster have previously represented Israel in the WBC or Olympics, and eight of them have MLB experience. Some also repped Israel in the European Baseball Championship, but that information is not included below.
- RHP Daniel Federman (former minor-league prospect) 2023 WBC
- 1B Spencer Horwitz (Pirates): 2023 WBC
- LHP Rob Kaminsky (free agent, MLB veteran): 2023 WBC
- RHP Dean Kremer (Orioles): 2017 WBC and 2023 WBC. Son of Israeli natives
- INF Assaf Lowengart (played in independent Frontier League): 2020 Olympics and 2023 WBC. Native of Israel
- 3B Noah Mendlinger (Cardinals/AA): 2023 WBC
- 1B Matt Mervis (Nationals/AAA, MLB veteran): 2023 WBC
- C CJ Stubbs (Blue Jays/minors, MLB veteran): 2023 WBC. Brother of Garrett Stubbs
- C Garrett Stubbs (Phillies): 2023 WBC
- RHP Robert Stock (Mets/AAA, MLB veteran): 2023 WBC
- RHP Zack Weiss (free agent, MLB veteran): 2020 Olympics and 2023 WBC
First-Time WBC Players
A dozen verified Jews on the 2026 roster have never played in the WBC.
- OF Harrison Bader (Giants)
- RHP Charlie Beilenson (Mariners/AA)
- RHP Josh Blum (Mets/High-A)
- RHP Harrison Cohen (Yankees/AAA)
- 3B Jake Gelof (Dodgers/High-A): 2023 WBC. Younger brother of 2B Zack Gelof (Athletics), who played in 2023 WBC
- RHP Max Lazar (Phillies)
- OF Zach Levenson (Cardinals/AA)
- RHP Josh Mallitz (Padres/AA)
- LHP Ryan Prager (Guardians/High-A)
- IF Benjamin Rosengard (independent league)
- LF RJ Schreck (Blue Jays/AAA)
- RHP Ben Simon (Mets/AA)
Players with Jewish Heritage or Jewish Spouse
Seven newcomers to Team Israel qualify for the roster via the WBC’s heritage rules, which allow players to represent a country if they are eligible for citizenship under its laws. While pitcher Eli Morgan—whose father is Jewish—has previously identified with the faith, he now identifies as Christian. The religious identifications of the remaining six players have not been publicly addressed.
- RHP Matt Bowman (Twins/AAA, MLB veteran): Wife is Jewish
- 1B Cole Carrigg (Rockies/AA): Father is Jewish
- RHP Jordan Geber (Mets/AA): Paternal grandfather is Jewish
- OF Troy Johnston (Rockies/AAA, MLB veteran): Father is Jewish
- RHP Tommy Kahnle (free agent, MLB veteran): Wife is Jewish
- RHP Carlos Lequerica (Tigers/High-A): Mother is Jewish
- RHP Eli Morgan (Royals/AAA, MLB veteran): Father is Jewish
Manager and Coaches
The following 12 men will guide Team Israel from the sidelines at the 2026 WBC. Listings include prior WBC or Olympic experience.
- C/1B Jason Agresti (current player in independent Frontier League): bullpen catcher.
- C Brad Ausmus (MLB veteran, former MLB manager): manager. Ausmus managed Team Israel in the qualification round of the 2013 WBC and was a coach at the 2023 WBC
- RHP Jason Bell (former D-1 player, current field coordinator for Houston Astros): first-base coach.
- C/RF/1B Blake Dickman (former D-1 player): bullpen catcher
- 3B Nate Fish (former D-1 player): batting-practice pitcher. Served as bullpen catcher and coach at 2013 WBC, coached at 2017 WBC, and coached first base at 2020 Olympics. College roommate of Kevin Youkilis
- OF Blake Gailen (former minor-league prospect): hitting coach. Played at 2017 WBC and 2020 Olympics, coached third base at 2023 WBC
- RHP Brad Goldberg (MLB veteran, current assistant pitching coach for Cleveland Guardians): pitching coach. Played at 2017 WBC
- IF Mark Loretta (MLB veteran): third-base coach. Coached at 2013 WBC
- RHP Jason Marquis (MLB veteran): bullpen coach. Played at 2017 WBC
- C Jerry Narron (MLB veteran, former MLB manager): outfield coach. Coached at 2017 WBC, bench coach at 2023 WBC
- LF/2B Tyger Pederson (former Dodgers prospect): hitting coach. Coached first base at 2023 WBC. Younger brother of Joc Pederson, who played at the 2013 WBC and 2023 WBC
- 1B/3B Kevin Youkilis (MLB veteran): bench coach. Coached hitting at 2023 WBC
2023 Players Not on 2026 Roster
More than half of the men who appeared on Israel’s 2023 WBC roster are not on the 2026 roster.
- LHP Richard Bleier
- LHP Jake Fishman
- 2B Zack Gelof
- RHP Brandon Gold
- C Jakob Goldfarb
- LHP Colton Gordon
- RHP Andrew Gross
- LHP Jake Kalish
- LHP Alex Katz
- LF Ty Kelly
- LHP Evan Kravetz
- C Ryan Lavarnway
- LHP Jake Miednik
- RHP Kyle Molnar
- RHP Bubby Rossman
- RHP Jacob Steinmetz
- 1B Danny Valencia
- RHP Joey Wagman
- SS Michael Wielansky
- RHP Jack Weinberger
- RHP Josh Wolf
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