Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic fields arguably the most talent-dense roster in the World Baseball Classic, drawing from an island that produces more MLB players per capita than anywhere else on earth. The team plays with unmistakable flair and swagger, backed by a baseball-mad population for whom the sport is a way of life. Dominican rosters routinely feature a who's-who of active MLB stars, giving the squad championship-caliber depth at nearly every position. Its identity is one of joyful, high-energy baseball played by players fully aware of what representing their island means.

Organized amateur baseball in the Dominican Republic dates to the early 1940s, with the national team debuting internationally at the 1941 Amateur World Series in Havana; the country's professional winter league, LIDOM, followed in 1951. The Dominican Republic capped a perfect, undefeated run through the 2013 World Baseball Classic by beating Puerto Rico in the final, the program's only title to date. That championship team, loaded with active MLB stars, is remembered as one of the most dominant squads in the tournament's history. The country's baseball academies and youth development system continue to fuel both the national team and MLB rosters league-wide.