Four Former Futures Leaguers Set for World Baseball Classic

ROCKLAND, Mass. 一 As the start of the professional baseball season nears, four former Futures League players will be suiting up in the World Baseball Classic this month. The sixth edition of the tournament began Wednesday morning and will run through March 17.

Reigning American League All-Star shortstop Jeremy Peña (Torrington '15) is representing his native Dominican Republic in the Classic for the second time and will go head-to-head with pitcher Jake Fishman (Brockton '14), infielder Jake Gelof (Brockton '20) and Team Israel in Pool D in Miami. Infielder BJ Murray Jr. (Brockton '19) has joined Great Britain for Pool B in Houston, which also features the United States squad. 

Peña is coming off the best of his four MLB seasons with the Houston Astros, as he hit a career-high .304 with an .840 OPS, 17 home runs, 30 doubles and 62 RBI last season. The former University of Maine star is no stranger to playing on the big stage, having been named the American League Championship Series and World Series MVP as a Gold Glove-winning rookie in 2022.

Another Classic veteran, Fishman pitched in one game for Israel in the 2023 tournament after making his MLB debut for the Miami Marlins the previous summer. He was the 10th of now 31 former Futures Leaguers to play in a MLB game and the first from a Division 2 or 3 program. The Sharon, Mass., native spent last season in the Mexican League.

Gelof, a University of Virginia product who was a second-round draft choice of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023, follows in his brother Jake's footsteps in playing for Team Israel. He played for the High-A Great Lakes Loons for most of 2025, posting 16 homers and 63 RBI in 88 games.

Murray is looking to carry the momentum of the best year of his pro career into the Classic. The Florida Atlantic University grad earned an invite to Chicago Cubs spring training after posting a career-high 20 homers and 89 RBI for the Double-A Knoxville Smokies in 2025. He earned Southern League All-Star honors as a result.

For the latest news and information on the Futures League all year long, visit thefuturesleague.com and follow the league's Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram pages.