Dutch infield, Cuban bats highlight World Baseball Classic Pool A
The 2023 World Baseball Classic will kick off on March 7 with Pool A motion between Cuba and the Netherlands at 11 p.m. ET.
Pool A’s round-robin play will happen in Taichung, Taiwan and have the aforementioned Cuban and Dutch squads, who will probably be competing with Italy, Chinese Taipei and Panama to earn a spot within the quarter-finals.
Some notable MLB stars are taking their skills to play within the WBC and Pool A has loads of massive leaguers representing their nations.
Led by Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert, Cuba is the favorite to win the pool, whereas San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts and the Netherlands have the second-best odds to come back out on high.
The high two groups from pool play will transfer on to the quarterfinals in Tokyo.
With all that stated, let’s dive into every of the nations competing in Pool A to see who baseball followers ought to control when first pitch flies:
Cuba
Manager: Armando Johnson
WBC historical past: Cuba has competed in all 4 World Baseball Classics, ending second in 2006, sixth in 2009, fifth in 2013 and seventh in 2017. It has an all-time document of 15-11 on the WBC.
Notable place gamers: The 2023 World Baseball Classic would be the first time that gamers who left Cuba are in a position to swimsuit up for his or her nation, opening the door for quite a lot of MLB gamers to compete within the match.
Robert headlines the group of place gamers and will probably be joined by former all-star Yoenis Cespedes, Chicago White Sox third baseman Yoán Moncada and Detroit Tigers infielder Andy Ibáñez.
Veteran outfielder Alfredo Despaigne is one other identify to look at, having logged an illustrious pro-career that has included 4 Cuban National Series MVPs and three NPB all-star nods.
Notable pitchers: While there isn’t as a lot MLB expertise becoming a member of Cuba’s pitching employees, baseball followers should be acquainted with the likes of Chicago Cubs lefty Roenis Elías and Kansas City Royals righty Ronald Bolaños.
Baseball America additionally listed southpaw Livan Moinelo and righties Raidel Martinez and Yariel Rodriguez of their high 10 prospects that will probably be competing on the WBC.
Need to know: Cuba has all the time been one of many top-performing nations on the World Baseball Classic. Now, together with its main leaguers, Cuba has an opportunity to enhance upon its finishes on the final three WBCs — if its pitching might help it get there.
While it’s the favorite to advance out of the pool, Cuba will seemingly solely go so far as its pitching employees takes it. The offence has somewhat extra certainty with its established big-league expertise, so if Cuba needs to not solely transfer out of Pool A however to the semi-finals in Florida, its arms should show themselves on the worldwide stage.
Netherlands
Manager: Hensley Meulens
WBC historical past: The Netherlands has competed in all 4 World Baseball Classics and got here on robust via the final two editions of the match. After inserting eleventh in 2006 and seventh in 2009, the Dutch positioned fourth in 2013 and 2017 and maintain an 11-13 all-time document in WBC play.
Notable place gamers: The Netherlands options one of many high infields within the WBC. Joining Bogaerts on the filth will probably be four-time gold glove winner Andrelton Simmons, Detroit Tigers second baseman Jonathan Schoop and veteran Didi Gregorius.
While the infield will, deservedly, get all of the headlines, former Toronto Blue Jay Josh Palacios, present free agent Jurickson Profar and former Washington National Roger Bernadina will make up the outfield group.
Notable pitchers: Much like Cuba’s, the pitching employees lacks top-level MLB expertise. However, Shairon Martis, who threw the first-and-only no-hitter in WBC historical past, is again within the rotation and will probably be supported by former all-star Jair Jurrjens and veteran reliever Pedro Strop.
Toronto Blue Jays 21-year-old right-handed prospect Jiorgeny Casimiri will even be making the journey to symbolize the Netherlands after spending 2022 within the advanced league and single-A.
Need to know: After an exciting semifinal loss in further innings towards Puerto Rico in 2017, the Netherlands will look to interrupt via to the championship sport in 2023. While the Dutch have by no means completed atop their pool in round-robin play, advancing to the semifinals could also be a tall activity for whichever workforce finishes second in Pool A.
The high workforce in Pool B will probably be awaiting the second-place finisher and with Japan anticipated to win that pool, the highest spot in Pool A can be necessary for a workforce just like the Netherlands which hopes to construct upon its two fourth-place finishes.
Italy
Manager: Mike Piazza
WBC historical past: Italy has additionally competed in all 4 World Baseball Classics, ending tenth in 2006 and 2009, seventh in 2013 and twelfth in 2017. It has an all-time WBC document of 5-10.
Notable place gamers: Team Italy’s lineup will probably be led by Los Angeles Angels infielder David Fletcher and Kansas City Royals infielders Vinnie Pasquantino and Nicky Lopez.
Pasquantino is among the extra thrilling gamers to look at on the World Baseball Classic because the 25-year-old shot up prospect boards earlier than debuting with the Royals in 2022, the place he posted a .295/.383/.450 slash line in 72 video games.
Sal Frelick, one of many Milwaukee Brewers high prospects, will even be a reputation to look at in Italy’s lineup after a standout 2022.
Notable pitchers: Former all-star Matt Harvey will cleared the path on Italy’s pitching employees. Joining ‘The Dark Knight’ on the pitching employees will probably be former Blue Jay Joe Biagini and present Seattle Mariners reliever Matt Festa.
The Italians have quite a lot of minor-league arms that can attempt to make a reputation for themselves with a powerful match.
Need to know: Italy might not be one of many favourites to advance out of Pool A, however with a bunch filled with up-and-coming expertise, it may lay the inspiration for future WBC success with a powerful exhibiting in 2023.
With Piazza main the way in which and a bunch virtually completely made up of affiliated gamers, Italy might be able to shock among the high canine within the pool. The WBC has continuously been a proving floor for future main league stars to earn their stripes earlier than breaking via on the MLB stage and Italy could also be giving a number of prospects that likelihood in Taichung.
Panama
Manager: Luis Ortiz
WBC historical past: Panama will return to the 2023 World Baseball Classic after lacking the 2013 and 2017 tournaments. In its two earlier journeys, it completed 14th and fifteenth and didn’t win a sport.
Notable place gamers: Tampa Bay Rays catcher Christian Bethancourt and former New York Mets shortstop Rubén Tejada are essentially the most notable names on the place participant facet of issues for Team Panama. That duo will look to guide a bunch of minor leaguers and Panamanian and Mexican professionals to offensive success.
Another identify to look at in Panama’s lineup is that of 22-year-old Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect Jose Ramos, who will probably be enjoying centre subject in Taichung. He hit 25 dwelling runs throughout two ranges final season and appeared within the 2022 Arizona Fall League.
Notable pitchers: Jaime Barría of the Los Angeles Angels will lead Panama’s pitching employees. After a stable 2022, through which he completed with a 2.61 ERA in 79.1 innings out of the bullpen, he’s trying to earn a spot within the Angels’ rotation in 2023 and can get a shot to indicate he’s obtained the chops to be a starter with Team Panama.
Colorado Rockies and Milwaukee Brewers relievers Justin Lawrence and Javy Guerra are two main leaguers to control within the later innings of Panama’s video games.
Need to know: Panama has fallen sufferer to a few of its high gamers dropping out of the WBC as a consequence of commitments with their MLB groups. It has misplaced gamers equivalent to St. Louis Cardinals catcher Iván Herrera, San Diego Padres and Canadian-born pitcher Miguel Cienfuegos and Washington Nationals pitcher Paolo Espino.
However, the workforce nonetheless options 13 affiliated gamers that, like Team Italy’s prospects, will look to assist their workforce to victory whereas establishing themselves as family names.
Chinese Taipei
Manager: Yueh-Ping Lin
WBC historical past: In 4 World Baseball Classic journeys, Chinese Taipei has positioned twelfth, fifteenth, eighth and 14th, racking up a 3-10 document throughout its 4 appearances.
Notable place gamers: Chinese Taipei’s roster primarily consists of gamers from the Chinese Professional Baseball League however may have a few names MLB followers may acknowledge.
Yu Chang is a center infielder who has spent components of the final 4 main league seasons enjoying with 4 groups. He is at the moment a member of the Boston Red Sox group.
Tzu-Wei Lin got here up with the Red Sox and final appeared in MLB as a member of the Minnesota Twins in 2021.
The last notable place participant is Tsung-Che Cheng, who’s a prospect within the Pittsburgh Pirates system and was a dynamic menace at single-A final season, posting a .270/.376/.418 slash line and stealing 33 bases.
Notable pitchers: While there is just one at the moment affiliated participant on Team Chinese Taipei, Chih-Wei Hu, C.C. Lee and Wei-Chung Wang all pitched out of main league bullpens of their careers and determine to be an enormous a part of the 2023 pitching employees.
Kai-Wei Teng is a 24-year-old righty that logged 136.1 innings with an 11.16 Ok/9 at double-A within the San Franciso Giants system final season.
Need to know: The Chinese Taipei persistently ranks among the many world’s finest baseball nations within the WBSC World Rankings — at the moment sitting at No. 2 — however has been unable to parlay that into success on the WBC.
This 12 months’s match would be the second time that the Chinese Taipei will get to play in entrance of its dwelling crowd in pool play. The Intercontinental Baseball Stadium performed host to Pool B in 2013, which was additionally the one time Chinese Taipei has superior out of its pool.
With a powerful group of groups descending upon Taichung, the Chinese Taipei will as soon as once more look to leverage home-field benefit into a visit to Tokyo.
