Maikel Garcia se junta à Venezuela para o Clássico Mundial de Beisebol

Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia will join his fellow countrymen during the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

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Garcia was named Thursday to Team Venezuela ahead of the upcoming tournament. He is the second Royals player on the team — catcher/first baseman Salvador Perez will captain the Venezuelan squad when the WBC begins in early March.

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A native of La Sabana, Venezuela, Garcia recently signed a five-year contract extension with the Royals after becoming an All-Star for the first time in 2025. Garcia, 25, hit .286 with 16 home runs, 74 RBIs and 123 OPS+ in 160 games.

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This offseason, Garcia won his first Gold Glove at third base. He also garnered American League MVP votes and was a finalist for the Silver Slugger Award.

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Now, Garcia will display his talent on a global scale. He joins a Venezuelan team that includes MLB stars Ronald Acuña Jr., Jackson Chourio and Wilyer Abreu, among others.

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Four other Royals are taking part in the World Baseball Classic. Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. will represent the United States; first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino and outfielder Jac Caglianone will play for Italy; and pitcher Seth Lugo will suit up for Puerto Rico.

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The World Baseball Classic begins on March 4. Twenty teams will be vying for the 2026 title. There are four rounds of pool play — located in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Miami, Houston and Tokyo. The teams will compete for eight spots in round-robin play.

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The top two teams in each pool will advance. From there, a bracket is established with a set of quarterfinal, semifinal and championship matchups.

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Japan returns as the reigning WBC champion. In 2023, Japan defeated the U.S. to win its third WBC title.