Lucas Ramirez to Wear Father Manny Ramirez’s No. 24 as Brazil Opens WBC vs. USA
lucas ramirez will represent Brazil in the World Baseball Classic and is set to open the tournament against Team USA on Friday night, wearing the No. 24 his father Manny Ramirez made famous. The move ties a high-profile family name to Brazil’s first WBC appearance since 2013 and puts the Los Angeles Angels prospect in a clear national spotlight.
Lucas Ramirez embraces the No. 24 legacy
The Los Angeles Angels outfielder will don No. 24 for Team Brazil, the same number Manny Ramirez wore during his career. Ramirez, whose mother Juliana was born and raised in São Paulo, said, "It means a lot, " adding that playing for Brazil gives him a chance to "showcase my abilities" and "represent her. " The 17th-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft has moved from amateur ranks into the Angels farm system and now carries the family number into international play.
Brazil opens Pool B against the United States
Brazil will meet the United States in its Pool B opener on Friday night, a game that immediately tests the South American team against one of the tournament favorites. The Brazilian squad, making its first WBC appearance since 2013, will face five-country Pool B competition that includes the U. S. Ramirez warned skeptics that Brazil should not be taken lightly: "We’re underrated, " he said. "We’ve got some power. We’ve got strength. We’re going to fight. "
Family teaching and early career moments
Ramirez credits his father with much of his hitting development. "He just made me a lefty when I was little and I just stuck to it, " Ramirez said, describing Manny Ramirez as his hitting coach throughout his youth. The younger Ramirez has provided flashes of big-game hitting: he homered off ace Jacob deGrom in an exhibition game against the Texas Rangers, a moment highlighted as he prepared for international play.
On the personal side, Ramirez is identified as the youngest of Manny Ramirez’s three sons and is noted to be turning 20 on Jan. 16, 2026. In 2025, he said, "I don’t feel pressure. I got here on my own, " pushing back on expectations that come with a Hall of Fame surname.
Brazil’s presence in this year’s Classic is framed as an underdog entry in Pool B, but Ramirez’s selection and willingness to wear No. 24 place a familiar face and a clear narrative on the roster heading into a high-profile opening game. The immediate assignment for Ramirez and Brazil is the matchup against the United States on Friday night; how he performs there will shape headlines and expectations for Brazil’s run in the tournament.
Brazil’s game against Team USA is the next confirmed event on Ramirez’s schedule for the Classic, and the team will move forward from that opener with hopes of advancing from Pool B.
