Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies (1) walks against the New York Mets in the fifth inning at Truist Park on June 19. Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Ozzie Albies, Ceddanne Rafaela Being Recruited For Intriguing WBC Roster

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Brady Farkas | Last updated Jul 2, 2025 8:15 AM ET

On Tuesday, we learned that San Diego Padres' standout Xander Bogaerts will be playing for the Netherlands at the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

The question is, will Boston Red Sox' outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela and Atlanta Braves' infielder Ozzie Albies be joining him?

The answer: Maybe. According to Netherlands manager Andruw Jones, the duo is being recruited for a spot on the roster. Both players are from Curacao, which is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Jones is from Curacao as well. Bogaerts is from Aruba - also part of the Kingdom.

Andruw Jones announces Xander Bogaerts has committed to play for Team Netherlands in the 2026 WBC!

Jurickson Profar, Ozzie Albies, Ceddanne Rafaela, Didi Gregorius, Jonathan Schoop, and Kenley Jansen are among those he's currently recruiting. pic.twitter.com/DYU0DIh31Y
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) July 1, 2025

Albies, 28, is in the ninth year of his career, all with the Braves. A three-time All-Star, he helped Atlanta win the 2021 World Series. However, this year has been a struggle. Entering play on Tuesday, he was hitting just .223 with six homers and 28 RBIs.

He's one of several middle infield options for the Netherlands, if they are able to successfully bring him onto the roster.

Rafaela, 24, is one of the best defensive outfielders in the sport. He also runs extremely well, as evidenced by his 11 stolen bases, entering play on Tuesday. He pairs with Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu and Jarren Duran to make one of the most exciting outfields in the majors.

The 2026 World Baseball Classic will begin next March. The 2023 version was extremely successful, with Japan beating the United States in an epic Gold Medal game. The US, Japan, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Netherlands all have designs on winning the title in 2026.

This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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