2026 World Baseball Classic: Francisco Lindor To Captain Puerto Rico

The World Baseball Classic is nearly here, with the 2026 edition scheduled for next March. With the tournament fast approaching, most of the participating nations have started to assemble their squads with their focus on making a deep run. In the case of Puerto Rico, it appears that its first player has already been announced. It was confirmed on Wednesday night that Francisco Lindor will captain the country’s 2026 World Baseball Classic squad.

The New York Mets superstar hit .450 and recorded five RBI in Puerto Rico’s 2023 quarterfinals run. He was also the captain of the team during that tournament. Being a veteran presence and also establishing himself as one of the best players in all of baseball, Lindor is the perfect choice for the role as he looks to lead Puerto Rico back to the title game of the World Baseball Classic. Just like they were in 2017.

Lindor’s Career At a Glance

Throughout his career, Lindor has shined year in and year out. Drafted eighth overall in the 2011 MLB Draft by the then-named Cleveland Indians, Lindor made four All-Star teams, from 2016-2019, with Cleveland and guided them to a World Series appearance in 2016. The franchise’s first since 1997. While Lindor has always been a good hitter, winning a Silver Slugger in 2017 and 2018, he also was an elite defender during his time in Cleveland, winning Gold Glove Awards in 2016 and 2019.

After struggling in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Lindor was traded to the New York Mets ahead of the 2021 season. He then signed a massive 10-year, $341 million extension. Since becoming a Met, Lindor has continued to dominate the league, being named to the All-MLB Second Team three consecutive times, winning Silver Slugger Awards in 2023 and 2024 with a second-place MVP finish behind Shohei Ohtani in 2024.

What Lindor Brings To World Baseball Classic

In naming Lindor captain, Puerto Rico is opting to keep things consistent as they look to put together a much deeper tournament run than what they were able to do in 2023. Entering his third World Baseball Classic, it is expected that Lindor will be a well-respected voice and a guy that some of the younger players can lean on in any situation. Puerto Rico will go into the tournament as one of the favorites, along with the USA, Japan, and the Dominican Republic. They will great pressure to live up to the hype.

So far this season for the Mets, Lindor has played well as he is currently hitting .268 with a home run and seven RBI. He has formed an elite duo with free agent acquisition Juan Soto. Through 19 games so far this season, the Mets are 12-7 and lead the National League East. With a lineup that features Soto, Lindor, and Pete Alonso, the Mets are expected to be a World Series contender after falling just short last season. They hope that they can get over the hump this year.

Final Thoughts

Puerto Rico will most likely boast a roster full of big-name superstars, but naming Lindor the captain of the World Baseball Classic was the obvious choice. A staple for the team throughout the last few tournaments as well as being one of the best players in the league, Lindor has earned the role and after doing well as the captain last time, there was every reason to give him another opportunity to lead his nation to glory.