Baseball on the rise in Canada after historic World Baseball Classic showing

The GIST: The 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) came to a close as Venezuela beat Team USA 3–2 in last night’s championship game. The final out is in the books, but this year’s exhilarating and record-setting tourney is only the beginning as the sport surges in Canada.

🇨🇦 Team Canada posts best WBC showing: Canada reached the WBC knockouts for the first time ever this year and played Team USA tough in a valiant quarter-final performance. That inspiring run is a testament to the deepening talent pool in the country and the growth of the game at the grassroots level.

• From established MLBers in captain Josh Naylor and pitcher Michael Soroka to young prospects like breakout star Owen Caissie and Denzel Clarke, this roster showed off an exceptional blend of veteran and young talent, a combo sure to inspire the next generation of Canadian ball players.

📈 Baseball viewership, participation on the rise in Canada: Just like a towering Vladimir Guerrero Jr. home run, Canadian MLB viewership was through the roof last season due in large part to the Toronto Blue Jays’ World Series run. The impact has also extended to the youth level, where Baseball Canada is preparing for an increase in registrations.

• Now it’s nearly time to return to the pro diamond, with MLB Opening Day next Wednesday and the Jays starting their revenge tour next Friday. Baseball with a side of maple syrup? Yes, please.