With the World Baseball Classic beginning on Tuesday night, we take a look at Pool A, which kicks off all of the action in Taichung, Taiwan. Yes, the games will be on late at night or early in the morning, but it is a good way to get your fix of meaningful baseball games in before the start of the regular season.

While there is one prohibitive favorite in the group, the race for second place and a trip to Tokyo for the quarterfinals will be a fun one to watch with familiar Major League names, top prospects trying to make their mark, and players we don’t get to see often on the international stage that can become household names with a strong performance over the next couple of weeks.

Here is the schedule for Pool A:

March 7

 Cuba vs. Netherlands (11 p.m ET, FS1)

March 8

 Panama vs. Taiwan (6 a.m, FS2)

Panama vs. Netherlands (11 p.m, FS2)

March 9

 Italy vs. Cuba (6 a.m, tubi)

Cuba vs. Panama (11:30 p.m, FS1)

March 10

 Italy vs. Taiwan (6 a.m, tubi)

Panama vs. Italy (11 p.m, FS1)

March 11

 Netherlands vs. Taiwan (6 a.m, FS2)

Taiwan vs. Cuba (11 p.m, FS2)

March 12

 Netherlands vs. Italy (7 a.m, FS2)

Now, let’s take a look at how I rank the rosters for this group, my favorite matchup of the tournament, and who will ultimately advance to the quarterfinals.

5. Panamá

Manager: Luis Ortiz

Panama is in the World Baseball Classic for the first time since 2009. Even though they have never won a game in the WBC, the nation qualified for this year’s tournament back in October when they shut out both Argentina and Brazil at their home stadium Estadio Nacional de Panamá.

There are some recognizable names on the Panama side, especially for Mets fans since Rubén Tejada is going to be the likely starting shortstop. In Tejada’s seven-year career with the Mets, he had a slash line of .254/.328/.322 with 10 home runs, 148 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases.

He will be in a middle infield duo with current Met Jonathan Araúz. Araúz appeared in four spring training games for the Mets before traveling To Taiwan (2-for-9).

Behind the plate, Panamá has their best hitter in catcher Christian Bethancourt. The 30-year-old appeared in 100 games for the A’s and Rays last year and had a slash line of .252/.283/.409 with 11 home runs and 34 RBIs.

If Panamá is going to steal a game or two in this pool, it’s going to be because their pitching keeps in the game. Jaime Barría from the Los Angeles Angels is the team’s top pitcher and he’s coming off a 2022 in which he had a 2.61 ERA and had 54 strikeouts to 19 walks in 79 1/3 innings of work (35 games, 1 start). Barría will get the start against Panama’s second game against the Netherlands.

According to reports, Humberto Mejía is going to start the opener on Wednesday morning against Taiwan

In the bullpen, Javy Guerra (110 ERA+ in 17 games with the Rays last year) is likely going to be the one to close should the team get in a save situation.

 4. Taiwan

Manager: Yueh-Ping Lin

Taiwan has been in every installment of the tournament so far. Their best finish came in 2013 when they won Pool B and they ended up losing in the second round to Japan, 4-3, in 10 innings and they took a 14-0 loss to Cuba in Round 2.

There are not many Major Leaguers on this year’s team. The most recognizable name might be Tsung-Che Chang. The shortstop is a left-handed hitter in the Pirates organization and has made it up to Low-A Bradenton (.270/.376/.418 with 6 home runs, 52 RBIs, 33 stolen bases in 104 games). They also have former Red Sox infielder Tzu-Wei Lin and infielder Yu Chang, who played for four different teams in 2022 (Guardians, Pirates, Rays, and Red Sox).

Some other names to watch on offense include Li Lin and Kungkuan Giljegiljaw. Lin can play second base, third base, and center field, and he had a slash line of .335/.391/.517 with 14 home runs, 83 RBIs, and 22 stolen bases last year in the Chinese Professional Baseball League. As for Giljegiljaw, he also had 14 home runs, which tied Lin for the league lead.

On the mound, Wei-Chung Wang would be a name to monitor. The 30-year-old left-hander last appeared in the big leagues in 2019 with the A’s and Pirates (3-0, 3.77 ERA, 18 K’s, 14 walks in 25 appearances). He has pitched for the Wei Chuan Dragons in the CPBL each of the last two years (3.20 ERA in 19 games last year).

3. Kingdom of The Netherlands

Manager: Hensley Meulens

 The Netherlands have made it to the semifinals in each of the last two WBC’s and they have won at least two games in three straight tournaments. As a team, the Netherlands hit 10 home runs six years ago and they have a good amount of talent that can duplicate that success again.

If you are talking about this Dutch side, the strength of their team has to be in the infield. They have a who’s who of players in Xander Bogaerts (Padres), Andrelton Simmons, Jonathan Schoop (Tigers), and Didi Gregorius, who has even played some first base in tuneup games:

Out in the outfield, Jurickson Profar will look to have his own audition as he has yet to be signed by any Major League team. Profar had a great WBC in 2017 when he went 13-for-28 at the plate with five doubles, a home run, and four RBIs. He will be joined in the outfield by Roger Bernadina, who did play in the Mets organization at Triple-A Las Vegas in 2016.

The big power bat to watch has to be Wladimir Balentien. Balentien led the WBC in home runs in 2017 (4) and he has 17 combined RBIs in the last two tournaments he has played in.

There aren’t many recognizable names as of right now in terms of pitchers. While Kenley Jansen and Pedro Strop are on the roster, they will not be in Taiwan, but could be used later in the tournament if the Netherlands advances to the semifinals. Shairon Martis would be the pitcher to follow. Martis had a 1.17 ERA in five appearances back in 2017. He turns 36 on March 30, but he did make WBC history back in 2006 when he threw a no-hitter against Panama:

As far as non major-leaguers go, keep an eye on right-handed pitcher Lars Huijer. The 29-year-old right-hander was dominant in the Dutch Major League last year as he went 7-1 with a 0.86 ERA in 14 games (12 starts) and had 99 strikeouts to 17 walks in 94 innings of work.

2. Italy

Manager: Mike Piazza

 Italy has won at least one game in each of the four WBC’s, but they have not finished higher than seventh in any year. Back in 2013, Italy finished second in Pool D to the United States and ended up losing in Round 2 to the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

This year, former Met and Hall-Of-Fame catcher Mike Piazza is the manager. Like the Netherlands, the Italians have a decent infield of their own with a couple of major leaguers. Vinnie Pasquantino will be at first base and he is coming off a good rookie season with the Royals (.295/.383/.450, 10 home runs, .832 OPS). Plus, he has a cool Vlog that he is doing throughout the tournament.

As for the rest of the infield, David Fletcher (Angels) can play second base, shortstop, or third base. He only appeared in 62 games last year, but he has a career slash line of .278/.324/.360 in five seasons in LA. Nicky Lopez (Royals) has 35 combined stolen bases in the last two years.

In the outfield, Brewers’ top prospect Sal Frelick should get some time in left field. The Brewers’ first round pick back in 2021 (15th overall) made it up to Triple-A last year and had an excellent slash line of .365/.435/.508 with a .943 OPS in just 46 games.

On the mound, Mets fans will get another chance to watch Matt Harvey. Harvey appeared in the team’s last exhibition game earlier this week and pitched well in a limited amount of innings as he tries to find the form he once had with the Mets (3.66 ERA, 612 K’s over 639 1/3 innings in 6 years with New York).

Harvey, who last appeared in the big leagues for the Orioles in 2022, was suspended by MLB last year for 60 games for the distribution of a prohibited drug of abuse.

Joining Harvey in the Italy rotation is Andre Pallante. The Cardinals right-hander made 10 starts in 2022 and went 3-3 with a 3.98 ERA and had 40 strikeouts to 16 walks in 54 1/3 innings of work.

Even though Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano is not going to be with Team Italy, they do have a decent bullpen that has some current major leaguers in Joe Biagini (Blue Jays) and Matt Festa (Mariners).

Yoenis Cespedes. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

1. Cuba

Manager: Armando Johnson

After a runner-up finish in 2006, Cuba has failed to make it to the semifinals in the last three WBC’s. Back in 2017, they had their worst performance as a nation as they went 2-4 (0-3 in Round 2). It is a different Cuban squad this time around for Armando Johnson as there are some big leaguers on the roster to provide a good amount of offense.

Yoán Moncada gives Cuba help in the infield at third base (12+ home runs in each of the last two years), but Cuba’s outfield is probably the strength of this team. Luis Robert will be in center field and he had an OPS+ of at least 100 in each of the last three years. Robert, the 2020 Gold Glove award winner will be joined by former Met Yoenis Céspedes.

Céspedes hasn’t appeared in the majors since 2020. This winter, he hit four home runs and 11 RBIs in 18 games in the winter league in preparation for this tournament. The now 37-year-old had a slash line of .279/.344/.539 with 76 home runs, 205 RBIs, and a .883 OPS in five years with New York.

Alfredo Despaigne was the player that had the best performance offensively in 2017 when he had three home runs and six RBIs while hitting .474 in 19 at-bats. Despaigne had three of the club’s four home runs in that tournament, so Robert, Moncada, and Céspedes will definitely provide some help.

Cuba’s weakness is on the mound and while it might not hurt them in pool play, it could prevent them from getting to the semifinals. The starter for tonight’s game against the Netherlands is right-hander Yariel Rodriguez, who had a 1.15 ERA in 56 games last year for the Chunichi Dragons in the Japan Central League:

The only major leaguer in the Cuban rotation is Roenis Elías. Elías appeared in seven games for the Mariners last year and was pitching for the Chicago Cubs this spring.

Most Intriguing Game

 This was a tough choice, but I am going to go with the best for last and say the Netherlands-Italy game on Sunday will be a fun one because it could decide who makes it to the quarterfinals. If Cuba holds to form as the prohibitive favorite, then these two teams will be fighting for the second spot and maybe a date with Japan in the quarters. There is a good amount of offense on both sides, which could make for an entertaining slugfest.

Prediction

Even though Cuba’s pitching is not their strongest, their offense should give them enough to get through this group without much of a scare. As for who else comes out, Italy will be the runner-up because their pitching is just a touch better than the Netherlands.