Three Pitchers Added to World Baseball Classic Designated Pitcher Pool

Luis Castillo, Jose Berrios, and Jesus Luzardo join their national teams' rosters for the upcoming tournament.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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The 2026 World Baseball Classic is approaching, and several nations have made key roster additions to their pitching staffs. Luis Castillo (Dominican Republic), Jose Berrios (Puerto Rico), and Jesus Luzardo (Venezuela) have all been added to the Designated Pitcher Pool, allowing their teams to make replacements from this pool during the first round and quarterfinals of the tournament.

Why it matters

The World Baseball Classic is a prestigious international baseball competition that showcases the top talent from around the globe. The addition of these three star pitchers to their respective national team rosters will bolster the competitiveness of the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela in the upcoming tournament.

The details

Castillo is coming off an 11-8 season with the Seattle Mariners, posting a 3.54 ERA and 162 strikeouts. Berrios finished the 2025 season 9-5 with a 4.17 ERA for the American League champion Toronto Blue Jays, while Luzardo went 15-7 with a 3.92 ERA for the Philadelphia Phillies. All three pitchers bring impressive resumes to the World Baseball Classic, with Castillo being a three-time All-Star with 1,493 career strikeouts.

  • The 2026 World Baseball Classic is set to begin on March 5 and run until March 17.
  • Teams are allowed to make replacements from their Designated Pitcher Pool during the first round and quarterfinals of the tournament.

The players

Luis Castillo

A three-time MLB All-Star pitcher who plays for the Seattle Mariners.

Jose Berrios

A pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays who finished the 2025 season with a 9-5 record and 4.17 ERA.

Jesus Luzardo

A pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies who went 15-7 with a 3.92 ERA in the 2025 season.

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What they’re saying

“Luis Castillo, José Berríos, and Jesús Luzardo are among the players added to the Designated Pitcher Pool (DPP) for the #WorldBaseballClassic.”

— World Baseball Classic (Twitter)

What’s next

Teams are allowed to make replacements from their Designated Pitcher Pool during the first round and quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic.

The takeaway

The addition of these three star pitchers to their national team rosters will significantly boost the competitiveness of the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela in the upcoming World Baseball Classic tournament.