Canada’s quest to win the 2023 World Baseball Classic began on Sunday. On the 30-man roster are nine Canadians. They are Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Cal Quantrill of Port Hope, Ontario, Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Matt Brash of Kingston, Ontario, Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Rob Zastryzny of Edmonton, Alberta, Guardians catcher Bo Naylor of Mississauga, Ontario, Toronto Blue Jays infielder Otto Lopez, Milwaukee Brewers infielder Abraham Toro of Longueuil, Quebec, Chicago Cubs outfielder Jared Young of Prince George, British Columbia, and St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Tyler O’Neill of Burnaby, British Columbia.
Quantrill pitched 32 games in 2022. He had a record of 15 wins and five losses with an earned run average of 3.38. Brash pitched 39 games in 2022, and had a record of four wins and four losses, with an earned run average of 4.44.
Freeman batted .325 this past season, and had 21 home runs and 100 runs batted in. He led the National League in runs (117), and on base percentage (.407), and Major League Baseball in doubles (47), and hits (199). Lopez batted .667 with six hits and three runs batted in last season. Young batted .263 with five hits in 19 at bats. O’Neill batted .228 with 14 home runs and 58 runs batted in.
There are 21 other Canadians on the roster. They are pitchers Andrew Albers of North Battleford, Saskatchewan, John Axford of Simcoe, Ontario, Phillippe Aumont of Gatineau, Quebec, Mitch Bratt of Newmarket, Ontario, Trevor Brigden of North York, Ontario, Indigo Diaz of North Vancouver, British Columbia, R.J. Freure of Burlington, Ontario, Adam Loewen of Surrey, British Columbia, Scott Mathieson and Cade Smith of Vancouver, British Columbia, Ben Onyshko of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Evan Rutckyj of Windsor, Ontario, Noah Skirrow of Cambridge, Ontario, and Curtis Taylor of Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. Others include catcher Kellin Deglan of Langley, British Columbia, infielder Edouard Julien of Quebec City, Quebec, infielder Damiano Palmegiani of Surrey, British Columbia, and outfielders Dasan Brown of Oakville, Ontario, Owen Caissie of Burlington, Ontario, Denzel Clarke of Toronto, Ontario, and Jacob Robson of London, Ontario.
