The official roster for the 6th World Baseball Classic has been announced, with U.S. media ranking Japan only third in terms of strength.

The official team rosters for the 6th World Baseball Classic (WBC) were released today. The American outlet FOX Sports immediately published a "power ranking" of the 20 participating teams, placing the defending champions, Samurai Japan, in third place. The top two spots were occupied by teams composed entirely of Major League Baseball players: the United States and the Dominican Republic.

In its report, FOX Sports commented: "Ranking Japan third might seem unfair. Although Japan has fewer MLB superstars than the top two teams, the fact remains that they are the 'international tournament champions.' Before the title changes hands, Japan deserves a higher rating."

The report further analyzed offensive and defensive statistics, noting that Japan outscored opponents by 30 runs in the last Classic. This year, Seiya Suzuki, who missed the previous tournament, returns to the national team alongside Shohei Ohtani, giving Japan a roster of nine MLB players, making them a formidable force.

The article emphasized that Japan's squad is made up of players who know each other well, with manager Hirokazu Ibata selecting several top Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) stars. Coupled with ample preparation time before the tournament, the team is ready to pursue back-to-back championships.

Below is the power ranking released by FOX Sports:

1. United States

2. Dominican Republic

3. Japan

4. Venezuela

5. Mexico

6. Puerto Rico

7. Canada

8. Italy

9. South Korea

10. Cuba

11. Netherlands

12. Israel

13. Panama

14. Colombia

15. Australia

16. United Kingdom

17. Chinese Taipei

18. Nicaragua

19. Czech Republic

20. Brazil