World No. 7 Canada vs World No. 12 Mexico
Canada has won the last six games against Mexico in all levels at major tournaments, following a 9-1 defeat at the World Baseball Classic in 2006.
In 2013, Canada defeated Mexico, 11-4, at the U-18 Baseball World Cup and 10-3 at the World Baseball Classic.
Mexico advanced to the semifinals of the 2011 Pan American Games, where they lost 5-3 to Canada — the 2011 and 2015 Pan Am Games champions.
World No. 2 USA vs World No. 5 Netherlands
At the world level, Netherlands has won only one of their 11 encounters with United States this century, a 7-5 win at the 2011 Baseball World Cup, where the Netherlands was crowned world champions.
USA’s only other defeat against Netherlands came at the 1998 World Cup (3-1).
At the 2012 U-18 Baseball World Cup, the U.S. defeated the Netherlands, 17-0.
USA defeated the Netherlands, 8-2, at the 2009 Baseball World Cup, which was claimed by USA.
World No. 3 Cuba vs World No. 8 South Korea
Cuba and South Korea’s 2015 Premier12 National Teams split a pair of games in Seoul days before the start of Premier12.
The U-18 National Teams of South Korea and Cuba recently met at the 2015 U-18 Baseball World Cup last August, where South Korea beat Cuba, 4-3, in the group phase.
South Korea had not won a match against Cuba with its men’s National Team at a major championships until the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games — in the group stage and 3-2 in the gold medal match.
Cuba defeated South Korea in the group stage of the 2011 Baseball World Cup.
World No. 1 Japan vs World No. 9 Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico has won the last two clashes with Japan, 3-1 in the semifinal at the 2013 World Baseball Classic and 6-0 at the 2011 Baseball World Cup.
Japan last defeated Puerto Rico at the 2005 Baseball World Cup.
