Stacked Dominican lineup highlights World Baseball Classic Pool D

Baseball

Published 12.03.2023

Pool D on the World Baseball Classic options the very best squads Latin America has to supply, together with the event favorite.

Even although the Dominican Republic will likely be lacking certainly one of its largest bats within the type of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., there’s little doubt the nation has put collectively an impressive roster.

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While Puerto Rico and Venezuela don’t venture to be fairly as potent, they’re every stocked with confirmed MLB expertise across the diamond. Israel and Nicaragua spherical out a gaggle that’s most likely the very best on the WBC.

Here’s a rundown on what to anticipate from Pool D:

Dominican Republic

Manager: Rodney Linares

WBC historical past: The Dominican Republic gained this event in 2013 and managed a fourth-place end in 2006. It failed to achieve the semifinals in 2009 (ninth) and 2017 (fifth).

Projected lineup:

CF Julio Rodriguez

2B Jose Ramirez

RF Juan Soto

1B Nelson Cruz

DH Rafael Devers

3B Manny Machado

LF Starling Marte

SS Jeremy Pena

C Francisco Mejia

Notable pitchers:

RHP Sandy Alcántara

RHP Luis Castillo

RHP Cristian Javier

RHP Roansy Contreras

RHP Johnny Cueto

RHP Diego Castillo

LHP Génesis Cabrera

LHP Gregory Soto

RHP Héctor Neris

RHP Rafael Montero

RHP Camilo Dorval

RHP Yimi Garcia

Need to know: The assortment of stars the Dominican Republic has put collectively is nothing in need of excellent. It’s straightforward to hyperbolize about this assortment of expertise, however it’s not unfair to explain this group as probably the greatest baseball groups ever assembled.

Anything in need of a title will likely be an enormous disappointment for a crew that options so many perennial MVP candidates. That doesn’t imply this can be a group with out flaws.

The catcher place is skinny and Cruz is a placeholder at first base with Guerrero Jr. dropping out of the event. The Dominican Republic is prone to give you one other answer — Robinson Cano is a doable possibility — however the nation didn’t convey many gamers with expertise at first.

The pitching workers contains loads of excellent bullpen choices, however the rotation behind Alcántara is extra good than nice.

While these issues are official, they’re additionally nitpicking. A crew this gifted is a worthy WBC favorite.

Puerto Rico

Manager: Yadier Molina

WBC historical past: Puerto Rico earned second-place finishes in 2013 and 2017. It got here in fifth place in 2006 and 2009.

Projected lineup:

C Christian Vazquez

1B Jose Miranda

2B Javier Baez

3B Carlos Correa

SS Francisco Lindor

LF Eddie Rosario

CF Kike Hernandez

RF MJ Melendez

DH Emmanuel Rivera

Notable pitchers:

RHP José Berríos

RHP Marcus Stroman

RHP Edwin Díaz

RHP Alexis Díaz

RHP Jorge López

RHP José De León

RHP: Hector Santiago

LHP Emilio Pagán

LHP Jovani Moran

Need to know: For a territory with a inhabitants below 3.5 million, Puerto Rico has punched effectively above its weight at this event just lately with back-to-back second-place finishes.

It could be a shock if it was capable of replicate that success this time round, although. The trio of Correa, Lindor and Baez will give this group elite infield defence and offensive punch, however this crew is low on MLB star energy outdoors of them.

Berríos is a wild card able to anchoring this rotation or placing it in a tricky spot relying on whether or not he’s extra just like the pitcher he was final season or for almost all of his profession. Stroman is a robust addition to this crew and a bullpen led by Edwin Díaz ought to be strong.

This group has nice gamers in a number of spots, however the depth of top-level expertise is missing in comparison with a few of its rivals.

It will likely be attention-grabbing to see if Yadier Molina can elevate this squad as a supervisor after he was a particularly well-regarded baseball thoughts throughout his 19-year MLB profession.

Venezuela

Manager: Omar López

WBC historical past: Venezuela got here in third in 2009, however has no different finishes above seventh place on its resume.

Projected lineup:

C Salvador Perez

1B Luis Arraez

2B Jose Altuve

3B Eugenio Suarez

SS Andres Gimenez

LF David Peralta

CF Ronald Acuna Jr.

RF Anthony Santander

DH Miguel Cabrera

Notable pitchers:

RHP Pablo López

LHP Jesús Luzardo

LHP Martín Pérez

LHP Ranger Suárez

LHP José Alvarado

RHP Elieser Hernandez

RHP Maximo Castillo

Need to know: Venezuela can’t match Puerto Rico’s pedigree at this event; its expertise degree is perhaps extra spectacular.

The lineup contains stars like Altuve, Arraez, Perez, Gimenez and Acuna Jr. with the nation’s most completed hitter — Cabrera — hoping to make an influence in his final professional season.

Those names are spectacular, however what stands out about this crew is that it has most of its finest pitching. While many nations are doing with out lots of their high MLB arms, the identical isn’t true for Venezuela — even after Germán Márquez — dropping out late with a hamstring damage.

A rotation with López, Luzardo and Pérez seems to be strong with Suárez capable of contribute in a number of roles. Alvarado is the crew’s most confirmed reliever, however it should hope to get loads of innings out of its rotation.

Israel

Manager: Ian Kinsler

WBC historical past: Sixth in 2017. Did not qualify in 2013 and didn’t enter in 2009 or 2006.

Notable place gamers: OF Joc Pederson, OF Alex Dickerson, C Garrett Stubbs, 3B Danny Valencia, 1B Spencer Horwitz

Notable pitchers: LHP Richard Bleier, RHP Robert Stock, RHP Jake Bird, RHP Bubby Rossman

Need to know: There is a few MLB expertise on this crew — headlined by Pederson — however this group isn’t anticipated to compete for a WBC title.

There is perhaps extra recognizable names on the teaching workers than within the lineup as Ian Kinsler, Kevin Youkilis and Brad Ausmus are all concerned with this crew.

Israel is perhaps of explicit curiosity to Blue Jays followers because the crew will characteristic Horwitz, as a rising prospect within the membership’s system.

The first baseman/outfielder hit .275/.391/.452 in 482 plate appearances throughout Double-A and Triple-A final 12 months, incomes a spot on Toronto’s 40-man roster heading into the 2023 marketing campaign.

Nicaragua

Manager: Sandor Guido

WBC historical past (briefly): This is Nicaragua’s first look on the WBC. The crew didn’t enter in 2006 and 2009 and didn’t qualify in 2013 and 2017.

Notable place gamers: 1B/3B Cheslor Cuthbert, 2B/3B Alex Blandino, SS Steven Layton

Notable pitchers: RHP Jonathan Loáisiga, RHP Erasmo Ramírez, RHP JC Ramirez

Need to know: This is a tricky group, and Nicaragua is prone to discover itself in Pool D’s cellar.

Loáisiga is the closest factor the crew has to an MLB star, however it’s unlikely they are going to be in shut video games sufficient for the high-leverage reliever to be a distinction maker at this event.

Cuthbert and Blandino have performed bench roles on the big-league degree whereas Layton is coming off a robust season within the minors that noticed him climb from High-A to Triple-A within the Cincinnati Reds’ system.

This squad is primarily composed of minor-league veterans and unheralded prospects trying to showcase their skills on the worldwide stage.