Corey Seager has a teammate who was expected to be a pitching option for Team USA at the 2026 World Baseball Classic, but Jack Leiter will not be on the national team’s roster for the tournament, and it remains unclear who ultimately denied his participation.
“Though Team USA reached out about adding the Rangers’ right-hander to its World Baseball Classic roster, ultimately, the second-year starter will not participate, two people with knowledge of the situation told The Dallas Morning News,” Evan Grant wrote.
In his article for The Dallas Morning News, Grant makes it clear that it is still unknown who was behind the decision to prevent Leiter from playing in the WBC. “It is unclear if insurance was at the heart of the Leiter situation or if there were other concerns expressed by the Rangers,” Grant wrote.
Not a heavy workload for Leiter
While it is still not clear who was responsible for keeping Leiter off Team USA’s roster, it’s worth noting that his participation in the World Baseball Classic would not have placed significant stress on his arm. Grant reports that Leiter was expected to be used primarily during the opening phase of the tournament.
“Leiter, 25, was expected to be added as a piggy-back reliever, who likely would have appeared only in the first round for Team USA, which is scheduled to open the tournament March 6 against Brazil in Houston. It likely would have taken him away from the Rangers for at least one start, perhaps more,” Grant wrote.
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Leiter finished the 2025 season with a 3.86 ERA, a strong mark that officially made it his best year as a starter. He appeared in 29 total games for the Rangers, marking his second MLB season alongside Seager.
Grant also notes that one possible reason Leiter could be out of the 2026 WBC picture is organizational change within the Rangers, including the arrival of a new manager, Skip Schumaker, and a new pitching coach. “This will be the first time Leiter will go to camp with the opportunity to simply prepare for his job, rather than trying to win a roster spot,” Grant wrote.
