World Baseball Classic’s biggest X-factors

RJ Hamster

World Baseball Classic’s biggest X-factors

Friday, February 27View In Browser TOP NEWS Need a bandwagon team for 2026? We got you Last year’s Ultimate Bandwagon Team was the Mariners. Not a bad choice! So which club is this year’s pick to root for if you don’t have a favorite team to cheer on to a championship?

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PLAY A SPORCLE BASEBALL QUIZ! MORE FREE GAMES AT MLB PLAY STAFF PICKS The biggest X-factors at this year’s World Baseball ClassicWhen rosters were unveiled earlier this month, it was abundantly clear just how much talent will take the field in this year’s tournament. With this in mind, here’s a look at eight players who could shape the 2026 event. If ABS success is a skill, these guys have itLooking at ABS challenge data from the 2025 Triple-A season, let’s look at some of the biggest standouts from the leaderboard. Comparing different 2026 top prospects listsHow does MLB Pipeline’s preseason Top 100 Prospects list line up with other notable baseball outlets? We’ve done the math. Prospect doesn’t hold back in U.S. history presentationAsked to give an American history lesson to his Red Sox teammates, Payton Tolle offered a rousing, funny, amped-up monologue — with a special guest to cap it all off. What came first, the pitchin’ or the eggs?Mets pitching prospect Ryan Lambert started guzzling 30 raw eggs a day. He became fanatical about his health and at times judges his teammates for their bad habits. And yet? It’s working, because he has never thrown harder. Spring Training tripleheader on MLB NetworkCatch the Marlins and Phillies in Grapefruit League play at 1 p.m. ET (available in Marlins market), followed by the Dodgers and Giants at 3 (available in Giants market), and capped with D-backs and Mariners at 8. 30 Clubs, 30 Camps on MLB NetworkMLB Network visits all 30 MLB camps in an eight-day stretch, with interviews, predictions, and analysis. Today’s stops include the Pirates and Cardinals at 6 p.m. ET and the Reds and Brewers at 7. Click here for the complete schedule.MORE STORIESSCOREBOARD
DET 5
BAL 6
NYM 5
HOU 0
HOU 4
STL 9
TB 5
BOS 7
MIN 4
PIT 6
WSH 3
PHI 7
ATL 3
NYY 7
MIA 8
TOR 7
SD 10
CIN 11
COL 11
SF 3
TEX 3
ATH 7
CWS 6
LAD 7
MIL 5
TEX 1
CHC 4
LAA 5
KC 10
AZ 13
CLE 7
SEA 8

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RJ Hamster