Japan Announces Roster for WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2026

Japan has finalized its roster for the VI WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup, selecting a squad packed with talent from the nation’s industrial league, or shakaijin baseball. The team, currently ranked number one in the world and the reigning two-time world champions, will compete in the tournament, which will take place in Nicaragua from November 6 to November 15, 2026.

Masanori Sugiura Leads Industrial League Talent to Nicaragua

Manager Masanori Sugiura, often referred to as “Mr. Amateur Baseball,” has curated a roster that leans heavily on the experience of corporate-backed players. The selection process highlights the depth of Japan’s industrial leagues. Sugiura will be supported by a coaching staff that includes Noriyuki Kato and Taketomo Tamano, both of whom were part of the 2024 championship-winning staff, alongside coach Takemitsu Kikuchi.

The pitching rotation will be anchored by two right-handed pitchers: Kodai Mori, who represented Japan during the 2023 U-18 Baseball World Cup, and Shiki Kawahara of Honda Suzuka. They headline a nine-man pitching staff that includes Yuma Aji (Miki House), Manato Iida (Hitachi), Hiroto Ito (Fushiki Kairiku Unso), Koki Hasegawa (Mitsubishi Motors), Manato Fuji (Nippon Steel), Rui Yamaguchi (JR East), and Kenshi Iwamoto (JFE West Japan).

Japan Faces Group B Opponents at Three Venues

The 2026 U-23 World Cup will be hosted across three venues: the Estadio Nacional Soberanía in Managua, the Estadio Roberto Clemente in Masaya, and the Estadio Rigoberto López Pérez in León. Japan is positioned in Group B and is scheduled to open its campaign against Great Britain, ranked 20th in the world, on Friday, November 6.

Japan’s competition in Group B includes Korea (ranked 4th), Venezuela (ranked 5th), Cuba (ranked 12th), and South Africa (ranked 24th). Group A features Chinese Taipei, Puerto Rico, Panama, Australia, Nicaragua, and the Czech Republic.

Mitsui and Hatsutani Lead the Infield Prospects

Yushin Mitsui, a 20-year-old left-handed infielder playing for Honda, is considered one of the team’s primary prospects. He is joined in the infield by Kenshin Hatsutani of JR East, a left-handed batter expected to play first base and serve as the team’s leadoff hitter. Other infielders include Hanon Kudo (JR East Tohoku), Masato Ikemoto (NTT East), Natsuki Fujiwara (Nippon Life), Taisei Wada (Agekke), and Joji Kawase (Miki House).

The outfield unit consists of Yuta Maruki (NTT East), Asahi Watanabe (Vital-NET), Koki Matsushima (Nippon Life), Kikyu Yamashita (Honda), and Tomohiro Matsunaga (Honda Kumamoto). Behind the plate, the catching duties will be shared by Monaku Koide (Honda Suzuka), Shota Tanigawa (Mitsubishi Motors), and Shunta Sakura (Agekke).