Tatis: Japan is 'nasty' but Dominicans 'going to beat them' in WBC

San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. believes the Dominican Republic are the best team in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

"They're nasty, but we're going to beat them," Tatis said Tuesday when asked about Team Japan, the defending WBC champion, according to 97.3 The Fan.

Japan will be led by four-time MLB MVP Shohei Ohtani and 2025 World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto in its quest to repeat after defeating the United States in the 2023 final.

"There's a lot of great competition ... especially Team Japan," Tatis added. "Looking forward to facing that competition and coming out on top."

The 27-year-old All-Star will suit up for the Dominican Republic in the WBC for the first time in his career. The roster features other notable stars such as Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Julio Rodríguez, and Manny Machado.

Tatis' father, Fernando Tatis Sr., will be the team's hitting coach.

"I've always wanted to do it," the younger Tatis said when asked about representing the country alongside his dad. "I just feel it came at the right time. Really happy it's going to happen. I just know it's going to be a beautiful experience."

The tournament takes place March 5-17 in Miami, Houston, Puerto Rican capital San Juan, and Tokyo.