Is this the Mexico team that goes all the way?
In 2023, they were one inning away from advancing to the championship of the World Baseball Classic, leading 5-4 in the ninth inning of one of the most thrilling games of the tournament, when Munetaka Murakami’s walk-off double in the semifinals sent Japan through.
Still, Mexico’s third-place finish was its best ever showing at the tournament, and this time it will have All-Star closer Andres Munoz available to hold leads late.
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The team will again be led by Randy Arozarena, who tends to rise to the occasion when the spotlight is brightest. In the last WBC, Arozarena delivered in the clutch at the plate while patrolling left field expertly with his typical swagger. He’s among a large contingent of MLB returnees from the impressive 2023 team, which exceeded expectations while going 3-1 in pool play — including an 11-5 win against Team USA — before storming past Puerto Rico with a late charge in the quarterfinals.
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There are questions about the rotation, and it will hurt not having Isaac Paredes in the lineup this time around, but the additions of Muñoz, Alejandro Kirk, Joey Ortiz and Taj Bradley to the group add more high-end talent to the roster. Kirk is a huge upgrade behind the plate, Arozarena and Duran give Mexico two of the best corner outfielders in the tournament, and Aranda is coming off an All-Star season with the Rays.
No matter the competition, Mexico will not be intimidated by its opponent. That will be important, considering it is in a pool with the USA yet again as well as a formidable Italy squad. If it makes it out of pool play, manager Benji Gil’s experienced group is capable of once again making a deep run.
Here’s one look at a potential Mexico lineup:
Randy Arozarena and Jarren Duran will be one of the best 1–2 punches at the WBC (Getty Images)
Lineup:
- Randy Arozarena (R)
- Jarren Duran (L)
- Alejandro Kirk (R)
- Jonathan Aranda (L)
- Nick Gonzales (R)
- Rowdy Tellez (L)
- Ramón Urías (R)
- Alek Thomas (L)
- Joey Ortiz (R)
So, how would that look defensively?
Outfield
LF: Randy Arozarena
CF: Alek Thomas
RF: Jarren Duran
Arozarena led off at the last tournament, and that worked out well. He dazzled as one of the best hitters in the whole field, going 9-for-20 with seven extra-base hits. Duran only got five at-bats in the last tournament and was not yet the player he would become, accumulating 15.5 WAR over the last three years. The top half of the Mexico lineup can do a lot of damage. Thomas and Alejandro Osuna, who debuted for the Texas Rangers in 2025, bring more MLB experience to the outfield group, which also includes Julián Ornelas, the older brother of Padres prospect Tirso Ornelas. Thomas was Mexico’s starter in center in the last tournament, and he would seem the likeliest fit to retain that role.
Infield
1B: Jonathan Aranda
2B: Nick Gonzales
SS: Joey Ortiz
3B: Ramón Urías
C: Alejandro Kirk
DH: Rowdy Tellez
All-Stars Aranda and Kirk should be locks at their positions. Aside from that, Gil can mix and match across the infield among a relatively light-hitting but versatile group of current and former big-leaguers that includes Ortiz, Gonzales and brothers Ramon and Luis Urias. They were well below-league-average MLB hitters last year, but an infield that includes Ortiz and Gonzales up the middle with Kirk behind the plate should make Mexico’s pitchers thrilled. Luis had a terrific 2023 WBC (.825 OPS), so it’s possible he ends up starting at second or third, but I gave Ramón the nod here coming off a 2.2-WAR season between Baltimore and Houston. Joey Meneses also was a 2023 WBC standout (.963 OPS), but Tellez has more recent success after posting a 124 OPS+ in 50 games for the Rangers last season. Gil could decide to use Tellez as the DH against righties and Meneses against lefties. Jared Serna, another versatile defensive prospect for the Marlins, rounds out the roster.
Javier Assad will need to step up for Mexico on the mound. (Photo by Daniel Bartel/Getty Images)
Rotation
RHP Javier Assad
RHP Taijuan Walker
RHP Taj Bradley
Losing Jose Urquidy for insurance reasons is going to sting for a Mexico roster that doesn’t have a ton of starting pitching options, so it will need a lot from this trio if it wants to repeat its 2023 success. After firing 5.2 scoreless innings of relief in the last tournament, Assad might now have to be Mexico’s ace. He has spent most of the last two years as a starter with the Cubs, amassing a 3.72 ERA over that time. Walker threw four scoreless innings in the last WBC, but he has a 4.88 ERA over the last three years with the Phillies. Bradley, a former top prospect, struggled last season between Tampa Bay and Minnesota but adds a hard fastbal and vital depth to the group.
Mexico has an All-Star closer in Andrés Muñoz waiting in the bullpen.
Bullpen
RHP Andrés Muñoz
RHP Victor Vodnik
LHP Robert Garcia
LHP Brennan Bernardino
LHP Samy Natera Jr
RHP Daniel Duarte
LHP Alexander Armenta
RHP Jesus Cruz
RHP Alex Carrillo
RHP Luis Gastelum
RHP Roel Ramírez
RHP Gerardo Reyes
Mexico will need a lot of innings — and potentially some bullpen games — from this group, which features a number of big-league talents as well as a KBO pitcher in Armenta. Muñoz is the standout of the unit, coming off back-to-back All-Star seasons with the Mariners. Last year, he didn’t allow his first earned run of the season until his 25th appearance of the year. There’s some interesting depth in front of him. Vodnik is prone to hard contact, but he throws in the high-90s and managed a 3.02 ERA in Colorado last season. Garcia and Bernardino are coming off strong years in the Texas and Boston bullpens, respectively. Natera, an Angels prospect, struck out 85 batters but also walked 42 in 57 innings between Double-A and Triple-A last year.
