The New York Mets continue to closely follow the players representing the franchise in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, where 11 Mets players are competing internationally. The team’s presence has been strongly felt, with Juan Soto leading the way for the Dominican Republic, one of the heavy favorites to win the tournament.
A total of seven different countries have at least one Mets player on their roster, but Juan Soto and Nolan McLean have drawn the most attention so far.
Juan Soto shining for a powerhouse Dominican Republic team
This is Juan Soto‘s second World Baseball Classic, after participating in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. His name stands out in a fearsome Dominican Republic lineup that generates enormous expectations and would intimidate almost any opponent.
Through four games – all victories for the Dominican Republic – Soto is hitting .333/.500/.733, with two home runs, four RBIs, five walks, and four strikeouts.
The New York Mets have closely watched Soto deliver home runs in key moments, something they hope will carry over into the upcoming MLB season. His first blast came against the Netherlands, ending the game via the mercy rule, while the second gave the Dominican Republic the lead against Venezuela, a lead they never gave up.
With performances like this, Juan Soto continues to show why he is one of the most feared hitters in Major League Baseball.
Did Nolan McLean fall short?
Many Mets fans were eager to see what version of Nolan McLean would appear on the international stage, but the reality is that his start against Italy did not go as expected.
The 24-year-old pitcher struck out three batters in the first inning last Tuesday, but things quickly unraveled. In the second inning he allowed two home runs, and by the third inning he had to leave the game after running into trouble.
Nolan McLean finished with three earned runs and the loss, a defeat that at the time threatened to eliminate Team USA from the World Baseball Classic.
In the end, however, Italy defeated Mexico, which allowed Team USA to advance to the next round of the WBC 2026.
Now it remains to be seen whether the Mets rookie will receive another opportunity in the competition. If he does, it could be his chance to redeem himself, because his first outing in the World Baseball Classic was clearly far from his best.
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