The 2026 World Baseball Classic is less than a month away and loads of major and minor leaguers will be participating in the tournament. Some MLB clubs are better than others about allowing their players to take part, and luckily our beloved Philadelphia Phillies are one of the good ones.
The Phillies have a whopping 15 players from their organization suiting up for 10 different national teams. With so many Phillies players getting in on the action, let’s rank them in terms of the impact they’ll have on their team, starting with the lowest.
Here's every Phillies player ranked by their projected impact in the 2026 World Baseball Classic
No. 15: Johan Rojas, Dominican Republic
Erstwhile centerfielder Johan Rojas has worn out his welcome in the City of Brotherly Love, mostly due to the front office’s miscasting him as an everyday player. The 25-year-old’s blazing speed and defensive wizardry haven’t been enough to make up for his nonexistent bat. In a Dominican outfield that features superstars Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Julio Rodríguez, Rojas will likely serve as little more than a defensive replacement and pinch runner.
No. 14: Dante Nori, Italy
A 2024 first-round pick, Dante Nori was eligible to play for three different teams in the WBC but ultimately the Canadian-born, American-raised outfielder chose to represent his family’s Italian heritage. At only 21 years old Nori has a lot of developing left to do in the minors, but acquitted himself decently well across three levels in 2025, and put on a clinic in the Arizona Fall League a few months ago. Much like Rojas, Nori isn’t likely to see much playing time in Italy’s outfield that features big leaguers Jac Caglianone, Jakob Marsee and Dominic Canzone.
No. 13: Jaydenn Estanista, Netherlands
Right-hander Jaydenn Estanista struggled in his first taste of Double-A action this past season, getting pummeled to the tune of a 6.14 ERA in 22 innings. The 24-year-old has good stuff, but free passes did him in as he walked 17 batters in that span. The Dutch team has plenty of offense, including former Phil Didi Gregorius, but sorely lacks pitching depth behind future Hall of Famer Kenley Jansen. There’s no telling how Estanista will fare on the world’s stage, but his club may have no choice but to roll the dice on the Curaçaoan.
No. 12: Brad Keller, USA
In a frustrating Phillies offseason that largely consisted of running back the same inadequate roster, reliever Brad Keller stands out as one of the few notable external reinforcements. The longtime Kansas City Royals starter found new life in the Chicago Cubs’ bullpen in 2025 and earned himself a nice two-year, $22 million pact from the Phils this winter. Keller should be a shutdown reliever for Team USA, but in a bullpen that features elite arms like Mason Miller and Griffin Jax he’ll be one of many.
No. 11: Max Lazar, Israel
Team Israel has gathered Jewish ballplayers from far and wide to put together a surprisingly competitive squad for this year’s tournament. Israel probably won’t make it out of the group stage, but they can put up a fight with current and former big leaguers scattered throughout the roster, including reliever Max Lazar, who has appeared in 47 contests for the Phillies over the past two years. The 26-year-old is a capable arm but will likely slot in behind more tenured major leaguers like Tommy Kahnle, Matt Bowman, and Eli Morgan.
No. 10: Mitch Neunborn, Australia
Despite having only two active major leaguers on the roster, Team Australia is still a threat to advance to the quarterfinals as they did back in 2023. The Phillies have a very active scouting presence Down Under, and the squad for this tournament is littered with Phillies connections, as seven former farmhands will be coached by IronPigs bench coach Chris Adamson. The only player still in the Phillies’ system is South African-born reliever Mitch Neunborn. The 28-year-old hit a wall upon reaching Triple-A last year but should be a crucial cog in an Aussie bullpen light on top-tier talent.
No. 9: Garrett Stubbs, Israel
Catcher Garrett Stubbs has become a fan favorite with his contagious smile and carefree attitude, despite receiving sparse big league playing time over the past four years. However, the Phillies’ front office values his relationship with the pitchers and clubhouse presence enough to keep him in the organization, and 2026 should be no different. While Stubby may mostly be a mascot for the Phillies, he’s set to be the starting catcher for Team Israel, taking over for longtime team captain Ryan Lavarnway. Interestingly enough, his backup will be his brother, C.J. Stubbs. Garrett drove in the winning run of Israel’s lone victory in 2023, and hopefully can do more of the same this year for a team that features Lazar and last season’s fan favorite Harrison Bader.
No. 8: Edmundo Sosa, Panama
Speaking of infectious personalities and fan favorites, utilityman Edmundo Sosa is slated to be part of Team Panama’s infield alongside Vince Velasquez trade piece Jonathan Araúz and Joe Girardi’s favorite Johan Camargo. Sosa came to Philadelphia in a deadline deal back in 2022, and has remained an important Swiss Army knife for the Phillies since that time. On a Panamanian roster chock-full of big league talent, Sosa could play a major role in advancing out of a wide-open pool with Puerto Rico, Cuba, Canada, and Colombia.
No. 7: Taijuan Walker, Mexico
Free agent bust Taijuan Walker has taken plenty of slings and arrows during his three seasons in Philly, but the former All-Star mercifully is entering the final year of his disastrous contract. While Phillies fans await his exodus, Team Mexico supporters are thrilled to see him return, as the Louisianian shoved in the 2023 tournament. The 33-year-old fits nicely onto a stacked Mexican team, joining a fearsome rotation with big leaguers Javier Assad, Taj Bradley, and José Urquidy.
No. 6: José Alvarado, Venezuela
Flamethrower José Alvarado has a complicated relationship with the Phillies, as the southpaw broke out in 2022 but torpedoed the team’s already-shaky bullpen with a suspension this past summer. Ultimately, the Phils picked up Alvarado’s club option this winter and will lean on him to be a key piece of the bridge to closer Jhoan Duran. As far as the WBC goes, Alvarado is one of the more talented hurlers in the entire tournament, but on a Venezuelan squad overflowing with high-quality big leaguers, including Ranger Suárez, he won’t be expected to shoulder the entire load.
No. 5: Gabriel Barbosa, Brazil
Team Brazil made an unlikely advancement out of last year’s qualifiers and earned a spot in the main tournament. Unfortunately, they were unable to convince Brazilian-American major leaguers Dylan Lee, C.J. Kayfus, and almost-Phillie Bo Bichette to play. Due to that and a paucity of Brazilian-born MLB players, it’ll be a miracle if they secure just one win and avoid relegation. To that end, Team Brazil will need Phillies farmhand Gabriel Barbosa to step up for a pitching staff short on recognizable names behind journeyman Thyago Vieira and Joseph Contreras, son of former Phillie José Contreras.
No. 4: Aaron Nola, Italy
Aaron Nola was one of the few success stories of the Phillies’ decade-long rebuild, and the former All-Star has been a rock atop the club’s rotation for 11 seasons. Unfortunately, injuries led to the worst season of the 32-year-old’s career in 2025. With five years and over $120 million remaining on Nola’s contract, the Phillies are wearing out their rosaries praying that he'll return to form. The Louisianian has opted to honor his Italian heritage in the WBC, becoming far and away the most accomplished pitcher in national team history. The Italians have put together a dangerous roster with Nola anchoring a pitching staff that includes former Phils propspect Sam Aldegheri and no-hitter artist Michael Lorenzen.
No. 3: Bryce Harper, USA
American fans were devastated when future Hall of Famer Bryce Harper missed the 2023 tournament following elbow surgery, missing out on a dream pairing of him and alternate universe-Phillie Mike Trout. While Trout was a victim of insurance shenanigans for this year’s competition, Team USA will finally get to employ the 33-year-old Harper. The Las Vegas native has done just about everything there is to do in the bigs besides win a ring, and he can check off one more box by helping his country win a gold medal.
No. 2: Kyle Schwarber, USA
While Bryce Harper is a big addition to Team USA, MVP runner-up Kyle Schwarber is the heartbeat of the offense. The three-time All-Star and World Series champion anchored the 2023 team’s lineup, and is set to bring his light-tower power to this year’s event. The most important hitter on the Phillies pocketed a tidy $150 million to stay with the team in free agency this winter and is a vital part of the most talented roster in World Baseball Classic history.
No. 1: Cristopher Sánchez, Dominican Republic
While Harper and Schwarber are the engines that drive the Phillies’ offense, there’s no more important pitcher in the wake of Zack Wheeler’s injury than Cy Young runner-up Cristopher Sánchez. A rare stroke of genius for the Matt Klentak regime, the lanky southpaw has blossomed from project arm to ace over the past few years and is signed to a club-friendly extension through 2030. He’ll be an integral part of the Dominican rotation as well, joining a squad brimming with elite talent. They have no shortage of Phillies connections, including former Phils Carlos Estévez, Seranthony Domínguez, and Gregory Soto, as well as bench coach Plácido Polanco, a bygone All-Star in Philadelphia.