The World Baseball Classic is just over a month away, and the official rosters for all participating teams will be revealed next week. The Dominican Republic is considered one of the favorites to win the international event, but they will have to be at full strength in order to defeat teams like the United States and Japan.
Well, on Sunday, the New York Mets announced that Juan Soto will be participating in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic in March. He joins a star-studded roster that already includes Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., and more bona fide MLB stars.
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Juan Soto IN for World Baseball Classic
It had always been expected that Juan Soto would suit up for his home country in this year’s WBC, but this news comes just a day after it was announced that Francisco Lindo would not be representing team Puerto Rico this year due to insurance concerns.
Now, Puerto Rico is in jeopardy of having to forfeit being in the tournament due to an incomplete roster.
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Soto will add some very helpful power to the DR’s already solid lineup. He just finished the first season of his massive $700 million contract, and looked to be worth the game’s largest contract ever given out. He hit 43 home runs in 2025 with 38 steals (NL leader), a .396 on-base percentage, and an OPS+ of 160 in his first season in a Mets uniform.
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When Does the World Baseball Classic Start?
For Juan Soto and the Dominican Republic, its first game in pool play is on March 6 against Nicaragua.
Japan is the reigning champion, and Team USA won back in 2017.
The last time the Dominican Republic won this event was back in 2013.
Soto has a lot of accolades across MLB already on his resume, which includes a World Series title, six Silver Slugger awards, and four All-Star appearances. He’s finished in the top five in MVP voting four times throughout his career, and is undoubtedly one of the better hitters in MLB.
However, he will join his fellow countrymen this March with attempts to bring home an international trophy to the D.R.
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