Hernaiz accepts dream invite to Puerto Rico roster for Classic

A's infielder Darell Hernaiz will represent his native Puerto Rico in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Darell Hernaiz, a 24-year-old infielder for the Oakland Athletics, has accepted an invitation to play for Puerto Rico in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Hernaiz, who was born in San Juan and grew up in El Paso, Texas, has long dreamed of representing his home country on the international stage. Despite the opportunity coming at a crucial time in his MLB career as he competes for the starting third base job with the A's, Hernaiz decided he couldn't pass up the chance to play in the WBC, especially with the tournament's pool-play round taking place in his hometown of San Juan.

Why it matters

Hernaiz's selection to the Puerto Rico roster is a significant milestone in his young career. The WBC is a prestigious international tournament that showcases the best baseball talent from around the world, and playing for his home country will be a source of immense pride for Hernaiz. Additionally, with several Puerto Rican stars like Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa and Javier Báez absent from this year's tournament, Hernaiz could have an opportunity to play a prominent role for Puerto Rico, potentially boosting his profile ahead of the 2026 MLB season.

The details

After being traded to the Athletics in 2023, Hernaiz visualized himself one day playing for Puerto Rico in the WBC. That dream is now becoming a reality, as Puerto Rico manager Yadier Molina reached out to Hernaiz this offseason about joining the team. Hernaiz discussed the opportunity with A's manager Mark Kotsay and GM David Forst, who encouraged him to take advantage of the chance. While it was a difficult decision given his competition for the A's starting third base job, Hernaiz ultimately decided he couldn't pass up the opportunity to represent Puerto Rico, especially with the tournament being held in his hometown of San Juan.

  • Hernaiz was traded to the Athletics in 2023.
  • Hernaiz watched Puerto Rico play in the 2023 WBC and envisioned himself playing for them in the future.
  • Puerto Rico manager Yadier Molina contacted Hernaiz this offseason about joining the team for the 2026 WBC.
  • Hernaiz will remain in Arizona practicing with the A's until reporting to Puerto Rico's camp in Florida on March 1, 2026.
  • The 2026 World Baseball Classic pool-play round will take place at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The players

Darell Hernaiz

A 24-year-old infielder for the Oakland Athletics who was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and grew up in El Paso, Texas. He has earned a spot on Puerto Rico's roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Yadier Molina

The manager of the Puerto Rico national baseball team, who reached out to Hernaiz this offseason about joining the team for the 2026 WBC.

Mark Kotsay

The manager of the Oakland Athletics, who encouraged Hernaiz to take advantage of the opportunity to play for Puerto Rico in the WBC.

David Forst

The general manager of the Oakland Athletics, who also encouraged Hernaiz to accept the invitation to play for Puerto Rico in the 2026 WBC.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“In my head, I was like, 'I want to be part of the next one.' I told myself, 'Hopefully, I'm in the big leagues and can be part of the next one.'”

— Darell Hernaiz (mlb.com)

“It means a lot. Most of my family still lives there. I take a lot of pride in it. … That was probably my No. 1 dream when I was little. I didn't even know what the big leagues were. But I knew what the WBC was and what it meant to represent Puerto Rico just living there.”

— Darell Hernaiz (mlb.com)

“It wasn't a super easy decision. I'm obviously competing for a spot. But I thought it was an opportunity that I couldn't pass up. You're playing against the best in the world. So, I'll go take it one day at a time.”

— Darell Hernaiz (mlb.com)

What’s next

Hernaiz will remain in Arizona practicing with the A's until reporting to Puerto Rico's camp in Florida on March 1, 2026. Once he returns to the A's camp in March, he'll look to continue pushing for an Opening Day roster spot with the team.

The takeaway

Darell Hernaiz's selection to Puerto Rico's roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic represents a significant milestone in his young career. Despite the timing coming at a crucial juncture as he competes for a starting job with the A's, Hernaiz couldn't pass up the opportunity to represent his home country on the international stage, especially with the tournament being held in his hometown of San Juan. Hernaiz's pride in playing for Puerto Rico and the potential boost to his profile could pay dividends as he aims to solidify his role with the A's in 2026 and beyond.