After hit a paltry .083 in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Ariel Martínez had a breakout 2026 tournament hitting a robust .462 a figure that led the Cuban team in this edition of the WBC during the first round in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Not having the burden of catching also freed up Martínez at the plate and he also showcased his power going yard once and leading his squad with four runs batted in. He also sported a .563 slugging percentage and a 1.255 OPS.
“Of course, being free of the responsibilities of a catching was a relief, because you know that by playing exclusively at first base, you can focus much more intently on your offense. Yet, it remains a tremendous responsibility, as you know you are expected to deliver at the plate. I don’t think any of that influenced things 100%. It *does* have an influence, though—because when you’re a catcher, you want to be right there behind the plate, guiding the pitching staff, and you know that Cuba’s games are almost always tight contests. Cuba relies heavily on its pitching, and in that role, you are acutely aware of the responsibility you bear to manage the pitchers correctly—telling them not to issue walks, since walks are often what cost you the game. That was my primary job back then, and I didn’t worry about my offense; if I hit well, great; if not, that was fine too. But this time was different. Now I knew I didn’t have those defensive responsibilities, and consequently—among other reasons—I needed to step up and play a leading role on offense,” said Martínez on not having the burden of catching this WBC.
The two-time All-Star with the Nippon-Ham Fighters began to prepare for this World Baseball Classic early, even playing with the Cocodrilos de Matanzas and the incorporating his self with Cuba in the International Series with the Cuban National Team. In those four games against the Nicaraguan National Team he also leading Cuba with a .375 batting average, while also driving in four runs and posting a 1.162 OPS.
Martínez started his preparation early for this World Baseball Classic, “I prepared extensively, starting with the National Series and continuing through the exhibition series in Nicaragua, so I arrived in top form. Also, when you maintain a positive mindset, good things tend to follow you: the hits start falling, and the ball seems to find the gaps where the defenders aren’t. I simply focused on looking for good pitches to hit, and that allowed me to get on base and make a significant contribution. I am satisfied with that outcome, but even so, I wouldn’t trade our performance this time around for the one we had in the past. I would have preferred not to hit at all—to simply be the catcher—and for us to have reached the semifinals again, because the 2023 World Baseball Classic remains a cherished memory.”
Top 10 Batters of the 2026 World Baseball Classic:
Miles Mastrobuoni .667
Yuhei Nakamura .667
Kyle Teel .667
Oneil Cruz .600
Sosuke Genda .500
Joey Meneses .500
Ukyo Shuto .500
Ezequiel Tovar .471
Ariel Martínez .462
Shohei Ohtani .462
Among them, only Genda (16), Tovar (18), Martínez (16), and Ohtani (18) exceeded 10 plate appearances (PA).