WBC Qualifier Shows Tucson Ready for Pro Baseball Return

Last week, Tucson was one of two cities to host a World Baseball Classic qualifier for next year’s tournament. 

The city hosted Brazil, Colombia, China and Germany over three days at Kino Sports Complex, with the Brazilians earning a berth for 2026. It was a great week for Tucson on its own. 

It was also a great barometer for how Tucson could support professional baseball moving forward. 

At one time, Tucson was a hub of the Cactus League. The Tucson Sidewinders once resided in the city. The Tucson Mexican All-Stars played in the Arizona Rookie League back in the day. 

This past week has proven that professional baseball – in one of its many forms – should call Tucson home. 

The Arizona Daily Star’s and ESPN Tucson radio host Justin Spears dives deeper on the topic.