Salvador Perez Named Venezuela's Captain for 2026 World Baseball Classic

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez has been named captain for Venezuela's 2026 World Baseball Classic team. This marks his fourth Classic appearance, having played since 2013. In the 2023 WBC, Perez slashed .429/.467/.929 with 1 HR, 4 doubles, and 6 RBIs, earning an All-WBC team selection. He holds a career WBC slash line of .346/.393/.808 with 2 HR and 8 RBIs over eight games. Manager Omar Lopez highlighted Perez and José Altuve as key leaders. Venezuela starts its 2026 WBC campaign in Miami on March 6 against the Netherlands.