For as closely as he is linked to the St. Louis Cardinals, Yadier Molina’s ties to Puerto Rico are even stronger. Molina suited up for Puerto Rico in the 2006, 2009, 2013 and 2017 World Baseball Classics, initially backing up Ivan Rodriguez before taking over as the nation’s primary catcher. Shortly after he retired from playing in 2022, Molina was named Puerto Rico’s manager for the 2023 World Baseball Classic, ultimately guiding them to the quarterfinals. With the 2026 World Baseball Classic less than a year away, Puerto Rico has announced that Molina has been retained as the national team’s manager. Yadier Molina has been named Team Puerto Rico’s manager for the 2026 World Baseball Classic!