Nolan McLean to Start for Team USA in World Baseball Classic Final

Miami—With one victory standing between the United States and a World Baseball Classic title, manager Mark DeRosa has turned to 24-year-old New York Mets right-hander Nolan McLean to take the ball in Tuesday night’s championship game against the winner of Venezuela and Italy.

The assignment arrives less than a week after McLean’s lone WBC outing, a rocky three-inning start against Italy in pool play in which he allowed three earned runs—all on home runs—and absorbed the loss. His tournament ERA sits at 9.00, but the small sample has not diminished DeRosa’s confidence in a pitcher whose six-pitch mix includes a heavy sinker and a swing-and-miss curveball.

McLean’s résumé beyond the Classic is glowing. After a rapid ascent through the minors, he debuted in the majors last August, spinning seven shutout frames against Seattle while striking out eight. He finished the 2025 season 5-1 with a 2.06 ERA and 57 punch-outs in 48 innings, positioning himself as a leading candidate for National League Rookie of the Year. MLB Pipeline ranked him the sixth-best prospect in baseball entering 2026, the highest placement for any pitcher on the list.

Team USA reached the final by edging the Dominican Republic 2-1 in a taut semifinal that featured stellar pitching, airtight defense, and a handful of controversial umpire decisions. Paul Skenes set the tone on the mound Sunday, limiting the explosive Dominican lineup to one run and handing the bullpen a lead it would not relinquish.

Now the Americans hope McLean can duplicate that effort on the sport’s biggest international stage. Venezuela and Italy each present unique challenges: the Italians already toppled the U.S. 8-5 in pool play, while Venezuela eliminated defending champion Japan to advance.

First pitch is scheduled for prime time, with a global audience expected and a legacy-seizing victory on the line. For McLean, the moment offers an immediate shot at redemption—and a chance to etch his name alongside the aces who have preceded him in red, white, and blue.