After a successful World Baseball Classic appearance for the United States in 2017, many were already looking forward to the next iteration in 2021. But between 2017 and 2021, a couple of things changed, causing the tournament to be pushed back until 2023.
Six long years of waiting is finally over. This March, the WBC will make it’s triumphant return. Twenty teams will compete to be the final country standing. Along the way, we will see many new faces. But some will be more familiar than others. While age will definitely come into play, they can still be influential, especially in a tournament like the World Baseball Classic.
Yoenis Cespedes – Cuba
With his last major league appearance in 2020 with the Mets, many assumed it would be the last time they would see Yoenis Cespedes in a televised baseball game. But the unexpected seems to have become more common in recent years, and the appearance of Cespedes on Cuba’s roster certainly qualifies as such. But just his presence on the roster alone is noticeable.
This is the first time that Team Cuba is allowing current/former Major League players on it’s roster. While their absence has not hurt the team in the past (Alfredo Despaigne ring any bells?), it will certainly provide a boost. Yoan Moncada and Luis Robert will also be joining Cespedes on Team Cuba.
Although Cespedes hasn’t seen the majors since 2020, he has seen competitive pitching recently. The 36 year old played 18 games for the Aguilas Cibaenas in the Dominican Winter League this past winter. While a .188 batting average doesn’t inspire much confidence, La Potencia will still draw eyes. And hopefully have a few opportunities to show off his cannon one last time.
Nelson Cruz – Dominican Republic
It only makes sense. Ten years after leading the Dominican Republic to an undefeated WBC championship in 2013, Nelson Cruz will return to the world stage looking to retrace his steps. Since his 2013 WBC championship, Cruz has hit 302 home runs with five different teams, good for a 142 OPS+ over that span.
And while his 2022 season may have been underwhelming (90 OPS+), he will still have an impact, both on and off the field. Cruz will also serve as the team’s general manager, providing his veteran leadership in the clubhouse and the front office. But that’s not all that will be asked of Cruz.
He could be relied on to provide timely hitting off the bench, or make a few starts in the field. Given the depth of Team Dominican Republic (Juan Soto, Julio Rodriguez, Manny Machado and Vladimir Guerrero Jr to name a few teammates), Cruz may not be a fixture in the lineup for manager Rodney Linares. Still, Cruz could play a vital role for Team Dominican Republic in search for it’s second WBC championship.
Matt Harvey – Italy
It has been ten years since the Dark Knight first appeared in Queens. After a start to his career that saw him finish fourth in the 2013 Cy Young voting, Matt Harvey has been looking for glimpses of the bat signal ever since. In his seven seasons since 2013 (he missed 2014 due to injury) he has pitched to a 5.09 ERA across 782.2 innings.
Even so, there are some signs that Harvey could be an impact arm for Team Italy. Harvey posted a 3.71 ERA in 2022, albeit across three minor-league levels for the Baltimore Orioles. He also struck out 8.1 batters per nine innings. His recent success could fuel a strong WBC showing.
Few pitchers on manager Mike Piazza’s staff boast as strong a resume as Harvey’s. His level of Major League experience will be vital to his and Team Italy’s success. And in one of the more difficult pool’s in the tournament, Team Italy will need all the help they can get. Maybe Mike Piazza has a light bulb stashed somewhere.
Bo Naylor – Canada
The former first-round backstop is making his first appearance in the WBC. Bo Naylor will make his way north to join Freddie Freeman in representing Team Canada in the tournament. After getting a sniff of the majors last season (five games, 0-8), Naylor will look to show his stuff against the best the world has to offer.
But don’t assume the 22 year old will be overwhelmed. He has been handling expectations well his entire career. Naylor finds himself back on Baseball America’s top 100 list after posting a strong 2022 season. He hit 21 home runs and swiped 20 bags across the two highest levels of the minors. That type of power is rare for a catcher. Combined with his 20 stolen bases, Naylor could be a breakout player this year.
And that breakout could start this March in the World Baseball Classic. Naylor has already proven himself at the highest level the minors has to offer, setting himself up for a potentially monster 2023 season. Showing he belongs on the world stage may what puts him over the top and onto the Guardian’s major league roster this season. And I don’t think Team Canada wouldn’t mind that one bit.
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