15 Former Cyclones Set to Suit up in 2026 World Baseball Classic
SAL Brooklyn Cyclones

15 Former Cyclones Set to Suit up in 2026 World Baseball Classic

Published on February 9, 2026 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Brooklyn Cyclones News Release


CONEY ISLAND, BROOKLYN, N.Y. - On Thursday, February 5, Major League Baseball announced the official rosters for all 20 nations competing in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, to be held from March 5 to 17. Among the roughly 600 players set to participate, 15 former Brooklyn Cyclones are slated to suit up in the international competition.

RHP Nolan McLean (2024) will represent Team USA in the upcoming event following his dazzling Major League debut with the New York Mets this past summer. The former two-way player with the Cyclones collected a 5-1 record with a 2.06 ERA (11 ER in 48.0 IP) and 57 strikeouts in just eight starts. MLB Pipeline's No. 6 prospect in baseball started the 2024 campaign on Coney Island, registering a 2-2 record and a 2.57 ERA (8 ER in 28.0 IP) over seven starts. McLean also added five home runs and composed an .850 OPS in 74 plate appearances.

Team Israel and Team Puerto Rico will have the most former Cyclones on their roster with four apiece. RHPs Josh Blum, Matt Bowman, Jordan Geber, and Ben Simon will serve on Israel's pitching staff. Blum and Simon were both valuable members of Brooklyn's bullpen during the 2025 South Atlantic League championship season, with Blum recording the final out of Game 1 of the SAL North Division Series. Geber made 11 appearances (six starts) with the Cyclones over two seasons, while Bowman tallied a 2.45 ERA (8 ER in 29.1 IP) and 3 saves in 12 outings with Brooklyn in 2012.

Puerto Rico also features four former 'Clones, including former Mets and current Los Angeles Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz, who worked a pair of scoreless outings as part of a Major League rehab assignment in 2024. Joining Díaz is RHP Yacksel Ríos, who tossed a scoreless inning for Brooklyn as part of a minor league rehab assignment during Game 1 of the SAL Championship Series last September. Kansas City Royals RHP Seth Lugo, who compiled a 4.19 ERA (16 ER in 34.1 IP) in seven starts for the Cyclones in 2013, will also serve on Puerto Rico's pitching staff. OF Carlos Cortes, now a member of the Athletics, will also participate in the WBC. The 28-year-old hit .264 (47-178) with a .720 OPS in 47 games for Brooklyn in 2018.

Three former Cyclones - LHP Adrian Almeida (2016), RHP Nabil Crismatt (2016), and LHP José Quitana (2023) - will pitch for Team Colombia in the Classic. Almeida appeared in three games out of Brooklyn's bullpen in 2016, while Crismatt, who pitched in eight MLB games last season for the Arizona Diamondbacks, was also a member of the 2016 squad, accruing a 3.19 ERA (11 ER in 31.0 IP) and one save in eight appearances (three starts). Quintana, a member of last year's Milwaukee Brewers squad, made a rehab start with the Cyclones back in 2023.

The Dominican Republic, Italy, Nicaragua, and Venezuela will each have one Cyclones alumnus on their roster. INF Amed Rosario will take the field for the D.R.

Colombia (3)

LHP Adrian Almeida (2016)

RHP Nabil Crismatt (2016)

LHP José Quintana (2023)

Dominican Republic (1)

INF Amed Rosario (2014)

Israel (4)

RHP Josh Blum (2025)

RHP Matt Bowman (2012)

RHP Jordan Geber (2023-24)

RHP Ben Simon (2024-25)

Italy (1)

OF Nick Morabito (2024)

Nicaragua (1)

LHP Alberto Baldonado (2014)

Puerto Rico (4)

RHP Edwin Díaz (2024)

RHP Seth Lugo (2013)

RHP Yacksel Ríos (2025)

OF Carlos Cortes (2018)

United States (1)

RHP Nolan McLean (2024)

Venezuela (1)

RHP José Butto (2018; 2021)

Check out the Brooklyn Cyclones Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from February 9, 2026


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