When Team Israel opens play in the 2026 World Baseball Classic this weekend in Miami, several familiar names with St. Louis baseball connections will be part of the roster and coaching staff.
From former St. Louis Cardinals players to a coach who grew up attending games at Busch Stadium, the city’s baseball footprint stretches unexpectedly into the international tournament.
Outfielder Harrison Bader, one of the most recognizable players on Israel’s roster, spent several seasons with the Cardinals before continuing his major league career elsewhere. Pitcher Matt Bowman also pitched out of the Cardinals bullpen from 2016 to 2018, appearing in more than 100 games for the club.
Another pitcher on the roster, Rob Kaminsky, was selected by the Cardinals in the first round of the 2013 MLB Draft and began his professional career in the organization’s minor league system.
Cardinals connections in the dugout
The St. Louis ties extend into the dugout as well.
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Former Cardinals starter Jason Marquis, a member of the team’s 2006 World Series championship club, is serving as Israel’s bullpen coach during the tournament.
Joining him on the coaching staff is Mark Loretta, the longtime major league infielder who briefly played for the Cardinals late in his career and now serves as Israel’s third base coach.
Another member of the staff has deep local roots. Jason Bell, who grew up in Chesterfield, is serving as Team Israel’s first base coach.
Bell pitched collegiately at Saint Louis University before building a career in player development and coaching, eventually joining the Houston Astros organization in 2017 and rising to the major league coaching staff.
Team Israel opens play Saturday
The 2026 World Baseball Classic features 20 national teams competing across several international sites before the championship round in Miami from March 15–17.
Team Israel begins pool play Saturday, March 7, at 7 p.m. ET against Venezuela at loanDepot park in Miami. Israel will play four games in Pool D from March 7–10, facing Venezuela, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic and the Netherlands. The top two teams in the pool advance to the knockout stage.
For St. Louis baseball fans, the tournament offers a reminder that the city’s deep baseball culture often surfaces far beyond Busch Stadium.
In this case, it shows up on an international stage — with Cardinals alumni and a coach from Chesterfield helping carry those local ties into the World Baseball Classic.
