March means spring training, roster battles, and this year, a reminder that baseball is very much a global sport. The World Baseball Classic is back, with players representing their native land (or, in some cases, the lands of their ancestors). So many Royals players won’t be in camp early on, they’ll be playing in games that can take on a postseason atmosphere.
Which members of the organization are trading games in Surprise for the WBC spotlight?
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Team USA
Team USA brings a stacked squad to celebrate the nation’s semiquincentennial this year. Leading the team will be Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., on the team for a second time. Last time around in 2023, he was still green and sat the bench while the more established stars took the field. This time, he’ll be one of those stars, part of a dangerous lineup of sluggers that includes Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Alex Bregman, Cal Raeligh, and Pete Crow-Armstrong.
Joining Bobby on Team USA is Royals pitcher Michael Wacha. Also on the pitching staff are former Royals Gabe Speier and Brad Keller. They’ll be joined by Joe Ryan, Mason Miller, and Tarik Skubal, with a rookie in Nolan McLean, and a retired future Hall of Famer in Clayton Kershaw.
Team Venezuela
El Capitán, Salvador Perez, will be leading the Venezuelan squad with fellow Royals All-Star Maikel Garcia. They’ll be joined by Garcia’s cousin, Braves star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. Slugger Eugenio Suárez, Jackson Chourio, Gleyber Torres, and brothers William and Willson Contreras will all be featured in the lineup. The pitching staff will feature Pablo López, Ranger Suárez, and Germán Márquez, as well as former Royals pitcher Angel Zerpa and Andrés Machado.
Team Dominican Republic
The Dominican team could also be a contender for the championship with a team of stars that includes Ketel Marte, Manny Machado, Julio Rodríguez, Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis, Jr., and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Manager Albert Pujols will have a tough time deciding which stars should be in the lineup. The team also has some veterans, like former Royals first baseman Carlos Santana.
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The pitching staff is pretty loaded as well, with Sandy Alcantara, Cristopher Sánchez, and Luis Severino. Closing things out will be the MLB saves leader from last year, Royals reliever Carlos Estévez.
Team Puerto Rico
The Puerto Rican team has been beset by issues with getting players insured, which has caused some players to pull out. Still, they will field a formidable roster that includes Royals pitcher Seth Lugo. Other top arms include Edwin Diaz, Fernando Cruz, and Jorge Lopez. The lineup boasts Nolan Arenado, Heliot Ramos, and Willi Castro. Former Royals MJ Melendez, Emmanuel Rivera, and Martín Maldonado will also be on the lineup.
Team Italy
A pair of paisanos from Kansas City will slug for Team Italy – Vinnie Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone. Vinnie hit for the Italians in the last World Baseball Classic. They’ll be joined by former Royals pitcher Micahel Lorenzen, Phillies pitcher Aaron Nolan, and White Sox catcher Kyle Teel.
Other Royals on rosters include infielder Abraham Toro and pitcher Eric Cerantola on Team Canada, catcher Jorge Alfaro on Team Colombia, catcher Omar Hernandez on Team Cuba, pitcher Eli Morgan on Team Italy, and pitcher Oscar Rayo on Team Nicaragua. Other former Royals include Cheslor Cuthbert (Nicaragua) and Nate Eaton (Great Britain). You can find complete rosters here, and players divided by MLB team here.
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Altogether, there are 190 big leaguers on 20 team rosters, including 78 All-Stars. The tournament kicks off on March 5 (March 4 at 9 p.m. CT) in Tokyo.
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