10 standouts from the World Baseball Classic Qualifiers
Michael Clair
@michaelsclairThe World Baseball Classic Qualifiers have wrapped up, with Nicaragua, Chinese Taipei, Colombia and Brazil rounding out the field of 20 teams that will play in next year¡¯s World Baseball Classic. With less than 365 days to go until first pitch and before we leap headlong into roster previews and championship dreams, let¡¯s take a look back at the 10 players who impressed at the Taipei and Tucson Qualifiers.
1. Leonardo Reginatto - Brazil
Every time the Brazilian national team has needed him, Reginatto has come through. The 34-year-old third baseman has appeared in every World Baseball Classic tournament and Qualifier that Brazil has played in and he¡¯s hit the cover off the ball every single time. Now 34 years old ¨C and admitting that this would be his final Qualifier ¨C Reginatto went 5-for-13 with three doubles and four RBIs. That brings his career numbers in the Qualifiers (2012, ¡®16, ¡®22, ¡®25) to a remarkable 26-for-51 with 11 RBIs. He was no slouch in the 2013 Classic, either, going 4-for-11.
2. Brandon Leyton - Nicaragua
Leyton did it all at the Qualifiers: The former Reds prospect (back then he played under his middle name, Steven), smashed a laser-beam of a home run to take a 1-0 lead against Spain (which would prove crucial in Nicaragua¡¯s 2-1 extra-innings victory) and made some stellar plays with the glove en route to Nicaragua¡¯s 3-0 run through the Taipei Qualifier. He finished 6-for-13 with two doubles, a homer, and two RBIs.
3. Jes¨²s Marriaga - Colombia
Colombia never looked like they were in too much danger during the Qualifier, thanks in part to players like Marriaga. The outfielder was supernova in this one, slashing a ridiculous .500/.538/1.000 line with a home run, double, triple, and seven RBIs.
The only other player with seven ribbies in the Qualifiers? Why, that would be the next person on the list ¡
4. Rusber Estrada - Spain
Estrada has plenty of power: He hammered 44 home runs over the last two seasons combined in indy ball. He showed that off in the Taipei Dome. Estrada smashed two home runs ¨C the only player in either qualifier to go deep multiple times ¨C picking up five more hits and tying Marriaga with seven RBIs.
Spain is now 0-3 in win-and-advance games in the past two Qualifiers, but it¡¯s certainly no fault of Estrada¡¯s.
5. Ronald Medrano - Nicaragua
I¡¯ll give Medrano the nod here as he started off the Qualifier on fire, giving up one run and striking out eight in five innings against South Africa, but really, this honor could go to the entire Nicaraguan pitching staff. Facing long odds, Nicaragua won two 2-1 ballgames and then held the hosts Chinese Taipei ¨C the No. 2 ranked team in the world according to the WBSC ¨C scoreless to advance a perfect 3-0.
Interestingly, Medrano was the starting pitcher for Spain in the 2022 Qualifier and was on the mound to start against the Czech Republic in that year¡¯s final game. Something tells me he¡¯s in better spirits this time around.
6. Yu Chang - Chinese Taipei
Chang always takes it up another level at the World Baseball Classic. After being named to the All-WBC team in 2023, Chang was once again on fire at the plate as he helped Chinese Taipei return for the 2026 tournament. The veteran shortstop was 7-for-18 with four doubles and a home run. Two of those doubles came in the must-win second-place final against Spain.
7. Jo-Hsi Hsu - Chinese Taipei
While affiliated players Wei-En Lin (A¡¯s) and Po-Yu Chen (Pirates) looked good, American fans likely didn¡¯t need their morning coffee when Hsu took the mound. Standing just 5-foot-10, Hsu lit up radar guns with a fastball that touched 98 mph. Batters looked hopeless against him, as he struck out five in 3 2/3 innings of work. Injuries have kept him off the mound in recent years ¨C his 94 2/3 innings in the CPBL last year were a career-high ¨C but more performances like this should have big league teams calling.
8. Julio Teheran - Colombia
With reported Minor League and CPBL offers in hand, Teheran was still looking for a contract at the Qualifier. He surely only helped his case. The sinkerballer kept Brazil hitless through five innings, finally giving up a base hit on a bunt single in the sixth. Teheran needed only 54 pitches to pull that off, too, keeping Colombia¡¯s bullpen fresh for the rest of the tourney.
9. Brayan Buelvas - Colombia
After signing for $100,000 in 2018-19 with the A¡¯s, 2024 was a bit of a comeback for Buelvas. He reached Double-A during the season before tearing up the Colombian Winter League, getting him up to 29th in the A¡¯s system.
If the Qualifier was any indication, 2025 should see more of the same for the outfielder: Buelvas was 5-for-11 with a double, triple, four RBIs and a stolen base while playing solid center field defense.
10. Simon Baumgardt - Germany
Germany¡¯s bats went silent at the worst time in the Tucson Qualifier, its 29 strikeouts the most in the Tucson pool. Newcomer Baumgardt, who played as a grad student at Notre Dame last year, was one of the lineup¡¯s bright spots. The second baseman led the team in hits with six while drawing three walks, stealing a base, and driving in two.