Earlier in the month, Team USA officially announced that Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan will represent his home country in the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), joining back-to-back Cy Young Award winners Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal in the team's starting rotation. Additionally, Twins center fielder Byron Buxton is expected to be on the USA's preliminary roster. Given Buxton's talent, he should eventually be on the final roster.
Additionally, Minnesota starting pitcher Pablo López is expected to play for Team Venezuela, according to The Minnesota Star Tribune's Bobby Nightengale. López pitched for Venezuela in the 2023 WBC.
In addition to watching their team's biggest stars compete in the WBC, Minnesota fans will also be able to watch three former Twins compete in the tournament.
These 3 former Twins will compete in 2026 WBC with Buxton, Ryan, López
RHP Griffin Jax - Team USA
Jax will compete with former teammates Ryan and Buxton on Team USA during next year's WBC. Jax, a former U.S. Air Force Reserve officer, will be part of a bullpen that includes Mason Miller, Garrett Whitlock, Garrett Cleavinger and more.
The Twins traded Jax, 31, to the Tampa Bay Rays for right-handed starting pitcher Taj Bradley on July 31. He made his MLB debut as a starting pitcher in 2021 and converted to a bullpen role after struggling as a starter. He ended up being one of the Twins' most counted-on high-leverage relievers over the past few years. In 356 2/3 career innings, Jax has a 4.04 ERA (3.57 FIP) with 405 strikeouts and 104 walks. He finished the season strong with the Rays, sporting a 3.60 ERA across 20 innings.
OF Harrison Bader - Team Israel
Bader, currently a free agent, joins right-handed starting pitcher Dean Kremer and catcher Garrett Stubbs on Team Israel's roster for the 2026 WBC. Bader, 31, signed a one-year, $6.25 million deal with the Twins in the 2024-25 offseason. He far surpassed the Twins' expectations, posting 2.7 bWAR and a 113 OPS+ while playing elite defense in left field, and occasionally center field, in 96 games before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in late July for two prospects, outfielder Hendry Mendez and right-hander Geremy Villoria.
Upon being traded to the Phillies, Bader posted 1.3 bWAR and a .306/.361/.463 (124 OPS+) slash line in 50 games while mainly playing center field. He will likely be Israel's starting center fielder during the WBC.
RHP Liam Hendriks - Team Australia
Younger Twins fans likely don't even remember when Hendriks pitched for their favorite team. He made his MLB debut with Minnesota as a starting pitcher in 2011. After posting a 6.06 ERA in 156 innings with Minnesota, Hendriks was designated for assignment in the 2013-14 offseason.
After a brief stint with the Kansas City Royals, the Australian native converted to a full-time bullpen role with the Toronto Blue Jays. He had a 2.92 ERA in 58 games with Toronto in 2015, then was traded to the Oakland Athletics for right-handed pitcher Jesse Chavez on November 20, 2015. He spent five seasons with Oakland, posting a 3.08 ERA with 332 strikeouts and 71 walks across 263 innings out of the bullpen. He represented the Athletics in the 2019 All-Star Game.
After his stint with the Athletics, Hendriks, 36, signed a three-year, $54 million contract with the Chicago White Sox. He represented Chicago in the All-Star Game in 2021 and 2022, before being diagnosed with Stage 4 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He fully recovered in mid-2023 and made five appearances for the White Sox that year.
He signed a two-year, $10 million deal with the Boston Red Sox in February 2024, but missed the whole 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John Surgery. He made 14 appearances with Boston in 2025, posting a 6.59 ERA in 13 2/3 innings. He is currently a free agent.