Spring Training is underway across Major League Baseball, but there's a fun wrench thrown into this year's March slate.
The World Baseball Classic returns on March 8, the fifth iteration of the international baseball tournament. Due to COVID-related delays, this will be the first time the WBC has been held since 2017, back when the United States won it for the first time in the country's history.
The Phillies will be well-represented in these games with both major-league and minor-league talent. These are the members of the organization who will play in the 2023 World Baseball Classic:
United States
• Kyle Schwarber, OF
• Trea Turner, SS
• J.T. Realmuto, C
Thoughts: Three of the Phillies' four best positional players will suit up for Team USA. The squad has the second-best odds of winning the entire World Baseball Classic at +270 on FanDuel Sportsbook, trailing only the Dominican Republic at +200. Millville native and pseudo-Philly athlete Mike Trout is also on the roster.
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Mexico
• Taijuan Walker, RHP
• Jesús Cruz, RHP
Thoughts: The Phillies nabbed Walker in free agency this offseason on a contract worth $72 million. Cruz, who turns 28 next month, signed a minor-league contract with the Phillies in January.
Israel
• Garrett Stubbs, C
Thoughts: Stubbs is in line to be the Phils' backup catcher again in 2023.
Venezuela
• José Alvarado, LHP
• Ranger Suárez, LHP
Thoughts: Both Alvarado and Suárez had the best years of their Phillies careers in 2022 on the way to the World Series.
Italy
• Brian Marconi, LHP
• Vito Friscia, C/OF
Thoughts: Marconi, who turns 26 in May, was born in Philadelphia and is a graduate of Cherokee High School in Marlton. He had a 4.40 ERA in 53 games split between AAA Lehigh Valley and AA Reading last season. Friscia, 26, hit .235 with 10 homers in 76 games while playing for both Lehigh Valley and Reading in 2022.
Netherlands
• Jaydenn Estanista, RHP
Thoughts: Estanista, entering his age-21 season, had a 2.01 ERA in 31.1 innings of work in rookie ball last year.
Australia
• Rixon Wingrove, 1B
Thoughts: Wingrove, who turns 23 in May, hit .263 with 12 homers in 75 games across A Clearwater and A+ Jersey Shore in 2022.
Canada
• Noah Skirrow, RHP
Thoughts: Skirrow will enter his age-24 season in 2023. In 25 starts between Lehigh Valley and Reading in 2022, he had a 4.36 ERA while striking out 10.0 batters per nine innings.
The first game of the 2023 World Baseball Classic starts at 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 8 in a matchup between Chinese Taipei and Panama, airing on Fox Sports 2 (Xfinity channel 740 in the Philadelphia area). The first USA game will be on Saturday, March 11 against Great Britain. That game will air on the main Fox broadcast channel at 9:00 p.m.
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