Over 100 players representing four countries are in Tucson this week for the World Baseball Classic qualifier, which begins Sunday morning at Kino Veteran’s Memorial Stadium.
Between Colombia, Germany, China and Brazil, two of those teams will punch their tickets to the World Baseball Classic in 2026.
Each team at the World Baseball Classic qualifier has MLB and high-level professional baseball connections on their rosters.
Here are 10 players you should keep an eye on at the World Baseball Classic qualifier this week.
Jaden Agassi
Position: Right-handed pitcher
Country: Germany
The rundown: Agassi’s parents, tennis legends Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, combined for 30 grand slams during their professional tennis careers. Although Jaden Agassi was born and raised in Las Vegas, he’s playing for Germany, Graf’s home country; she hails from Mannheim, Germany. Agassi played college baseball at USC from 2021-23. He most recently pitched for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers (Ohio) of the MLB Draft League. In six starts, Agassi recorded 28 strikeouts and had a 2.96 ERA across 27 1/3 innings.
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Dante Bichette Jr.
Position: Outfielder
Country: Brazil
The rundown: The son of four-time MLB all-star Dante Bichette is playing for his mother’s home country. Bichette’s brother, Bo, a standout shortstop for the Toronto Blue Jays, isn’t playing in the World Baseball Classic qualifier and is currently in Florida for spring training. Dante Bichette Jr. was drafted by the New York Yankees in 2011 and last played for the Washington Nationals organization in 2019.
Guillermo Moscoso
San Francisco Giants pitcher Guillermo Moscoso throws against the San Diego Padres during the first inning Sept. 29, 2013.Â
Position: Right-handed pitcher
Country: Colombia
The rundown: The 41-year-old was one of the final additions to the Colombia roster after pitcher Nabil Crismatt and catcher Jorge Alfaro were made unavailable after initially joining the roster. Crismatt and Alfaro are currently playing for their respective MLB clubs in spring training. Moscoso pitched for the Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants from 2009-13. Moscoso has held stints with minor league clubs and has played in Mexico and Japan. Even though Moscoso is Venezuelan, his parents are Colombian, allowing him to play for Colombia.
San Diego Padres' Jorge Alfaro, center, and teammates celebrate after he drove in the winning run with single during the 10th inning against the San Francisco Giants, July 7, 2022, in San Diego. The Padres won 2-1.Â
Jose Quintana
Position: Left-handed pitcher
Country: Colombia
New York Mets pitcher Jose Quintana delivers against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series on Oct. 9, 2024, in New York.
The rundown: The MLB pitching veteran is a free agent after playing the last two seasons with the New York Mets. Quintana made his MLB debut with the Chicago White Sox in 2012 and was named an MLB All-Star in 2016. Over his MLB career, Quintana has a 3.74 ERA and 1,727 strikeouts. Quintana was the headliner of Colombia’s pitching rotation in the 2023 World Baseball Classic but withdrew after suffering a rib injury.
Harold Ramirez
Position: Outfielder
Country: Colombia
Colombia's Harold Ramirez, right, reacts against umpire Alex Ortiz who called his strikeout during a World Baseball Classic qualifying championship game against Panama in Panama City, in 2016.
The rundown: The former MLB outfielder and designated hitter has played for the Miami Marlins, Cleveland Indians, Tampa Bay Rays and Washington Nationals from 2019-24. Ramirez has a .285 batting average with 38 home runs and 287 RBIs in the majors. He’s under contract with the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos of the Mexican Baseball League.
Lucas Ramirez
Position: Outfielder
Country: Brazil
The rundown: Ramirez’s father, Manny Ramirez, a 12-time MLB All-Star and two-time World Series champion, is from the Dominican Republic, but his mother, Julianna, is Brazilian. The former Tennessee Volunteers commit was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the 17th round of the 2024 MLB Draft.
Julio Teherán
Colombia starting pitcher Julio Teheran throws during the first inning in a first-round game of the World Baseball Classic against Canada in 2017, in Miami.
Position: Right-handed pitcher
Country: Colombia
The rundown: Teherán, a two-time World Baseball Classic veteran and MLB All-Star for the Atlanta Braves, pitched for the New York Mets last season and had stints with the Cubs and Orioles organizations. The 34-year-old Teherán has an 81-82 record, a 3.85 ERA and 1,260 strikeouts in the majors.
Gio Urshela
Position: Infielder
Country: Colombia
The rundown: The third baseman has played for the Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Angels, Detroit Tigers and Atlanta Braves since 2015. Urshela has a .273 batting average with 73 home runs and 332 RBIs in 2,626 at-bats in the MLB.
Nick Wittgren
Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Nick Wittgren walks back to the mound between batters during the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles, June 11, 2023.
Position: Right-handed pitcher
Country: Germany
The rundown: The middle reliever last played in the MLB in 2023, when he had a 4.97 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 29.0 innings for the Kansas City Royals. Other notable German players include first baseman and outfielder Donald Lutz, who is the first German-born player to play in the MLB, and Markus Solbach, who has 778 strikeouts in 996 innings at the minor league, independent league and international levels.
Jeremy Wu-Yelland
Position: Left-handed pitcher
Country: China
The rundown: The former Hawaii Rainbow Warrior was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB Draft. Since 2018, Wu-Yelland has pitched 246 1/3 innings with a 4.34 ERA. Wu-Yelland has allowed 197 hits and 14 home runs during that span. He has yet to make his MLB debut.
Contact Justin Spears, the Star’s Arizona football beat reporter, at jspears@tucson.com. On X(Twitter): @JustinESports
Justin Spears
Sports Reporter
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