The recent update of the WBSC/KONAMI World Baseball Ranking revealed significant changes, including Cuba's decline and the remarkable progress of Venezuela and Puerto Rico. Additionally, Nicaragua, China, and Chinese Taipei have experienced notable improvements. These developments occurred after the conclusion of the U-23 Baseball World Cup, where Japan emerged victorious over Puerto Rico with a 5-0 win in the final match.
The Japanese continue to dominate the world titles in all WBSC categories, except for the U-12 title held by the United States. They also maintain their top position in the sport with 5,756 points, a rank they have held for six years in a row.
In the U-23 World Cup, Puerto Rico achieved its first silver medal, elevating its historical ranking to 8th place with a total score of 3,122 points. This advancement caused Cuba, absent from the tournament, to fall to ninth place with 2,814 points.
Venezuela and Nicaragua were among the other teams that experienced significant increases in ranking. Venezuela surpassed the United States to claim fourth place, while Nicaragua moved up one spot to 16th place after securing a bronze medal in the U-23 World Cup for the first time.
China, which ranked fourth in the 2024 World Cup and served as the host country, has climbed four spots and is now included in the top 20 teams globally.
For the first time, it is intriguing to see two teams sharing the second spot in the World Ranking. This comes after Chinese Taipei climbed one spot, reaching 4,118 points and tying with Mexico for the position.
The upcoming Premier12 event in November will provide points for the World Ranking. Cuba will be among the twelve top nations participating in the tournament.
