5 WBC Stars Who Will (Or Won't) Carry That Momentum Into the MLB Season

The confetti has barely settled in Miami and we’re already two days from Opening Night.

But before we fully flip the calendar to the regular season, I want to flag five players who did something in this WBC that changes how I’m watching them in 2026. Not just “they played well”: I mean specific things they showed that have direct implications for their MLB seasons.

Some of these guys you know. Some you may have only learned existed in the last two weeks. Either way, put them on your radar.

1. Maikel García, SS, Kansas City Royals

What he showed: The WBC MVP was the best player in the entire tournament. And I don’t mean “best by WBC standards.” I mean he outperformed everybody, including a bunch of All-Stars, in the games that mattered most. He homered in the quarterfinal to help knock out Japan, and came through in every big spot in the final.

Why it translates: García has always had the glove. The bat has been the question. But in the WBC he wasn’t just making contact. He was squaring balls up, working counts, and coming through in moments where lesser hitters expand the zone and pop out. That’s a discipline thing. And discipline doesn’t show up on a box score; you have to watch the at-bats to see it.

He’s in a Royals lineup built around Bobby Witt Jr. and has the kind of short, efficient swing that plays well in a full season. I’m not saying 25 home runs. I’m saying the guy who was the best player in the WBC is about to be underrated on your fantasy waiver wire in week one.

Fantasy note: Low ownership everywhere. Grab him now before the hype kicks in.

2. Eugenio Suárez, 3B, Free Agent / TBD

What he showed: A 37-year-old who has bounced around rosters the last two years homered in the semifinal against Italy and then hit the go-ahead RBI double in the ninth inning of the WBC final. That is not nothing.

Why it translates: Okay, I’m not telling you to build your team around him. But Suárez has always had pop (he’s hit 30+ home runs in a season three times), and he’s going to sign somewhere before Opening Day because of what just happened. Whatever team gets him is getting a motivated veteran with a massive confidence boost and a swing that still has torque in it.

He was essentially playing for a contract in this tournament. He won.

Watch for: Wherever he signs, give him 4-6 weeks before making any judgments. WBC energy is real.

3. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers

What he showed: The most expensive pitcher in baseball history was on the losing side of Japan’s earliest-ever WBC exit. He pitched well personally: his stuff was electric, the fastball velocity was where it needs to be, the splitter was the nastiest it’s looked since he came to the US.

Why it translates: This is a chip-on-the-shoulder narrative. Yamamoto is too good and too proud to let Japan’s failure in the WBC be the story of his 2026. He’s walking into Dodger Stadium motivated. His arsenal is healthy and sharp. Last year had injury interruptions. This year feels different.

Fantasy note: If you can get him in the third round, you’re stealing. WBC reputation damage from Japan’s results shouldn’t tank his value.

4. Roman Anthony, OF, Boston Red Sox

What he showed: Anthony played for Team USA and was their most exciting young bat in the tournament. In the semifinal against the Dominican Republic (the tightest game of the knockout stage), he hit the go-ahead solo homer in the fourth inning off Gregory Soto to put the US ahead for good. He was 21 years old, playing in the biggest game of his life, and looked like he belonged there more than most of the veterans around him.

Why it translates: This is going to be Anthony’s first full MLB season with the Red Sox. He debuted last June, got hurt, and still managed to hit .329 with a .930 OPS over his final 55 healthy games. The plate discipline is the real thing: he draws walks, he doesn’t expand the zone, and he makes contact at exit velocities that show up in the top five of the league. He’s 21. The WBC was essentially a coming-out party on a global stage, and he handled it without blinking.

Fantasy note: The Red Sox are putting him in the leadoff spot for 2026. A young hitter with his OBP profile and power ceiling at the top of a major league lineup is a fantasy steal in the middle rounds.

5. Jazz Chisholm Jr., CF, New York Yankees (🚨 The Warning)

What he showed: Chisholm represented Great Britain (the Bahamas is a British territory) and was genuinely bad. Not slump bad. Jazz Chisholm bad, which is its own specific flavor of disappointing: lots of energy, lots of style, not enough production when it actually mattered. Great Britain got handled by USA 9-1, and Chisholm’s bat was quiet in a lineup that needed him to be loud. The strikeouts were real. The defensive miscues were real. The highlights-over-substance reputation that’s followed him his whole career? On full display.

Why it matters: The Yankees are betting that Chisholm in center field is a revelation. Maybe it will be. He has the athleticism to pull it off and the offensive upside is undeniable when everything clicks. But “when everything clicks” has always been the catch with Jazz. He’s heading into a contract year on a team with World Series expectations, fresh off a WBC where he underperformed on an international stage. That’s pressure on top of pressure. If the swing decisions don’t improve, the Yankees are going to have a problem at the top of their order.

Watch for: His strikeout rate in April. If it’s creeping past 30%, the WBC wasn’t a blip. It was a signal.

The WBC is the best possible scouting report for the first month of the MLB season. Four of these guys gave you reasons to be excited. One gave you a reason to be cautious. Pay attention to all five.

All of them have live player pages on Mitchell’s ScoreBug: Statcast numbers, game logs, and season stats as they update in real time. Opening Day is four days away.

Who’d I miss? Reply or hit me on Twitter. Genuinely curious who else stood out to you.