CHASING THE ROYALS JOIN ROSTERS FOR 2023 WBC

By Ian Kraft, Assistant Director-Media Relations, Kansas City Royals

The 2023 season will be a pivotal campaign for the Kansas City Royals. But while this is typically the time of year that they flock to Surprise, Ariz., for Spring Training, a select group of Royals players and staff members are spread all across the world, meeting up with national teams they will represent in this year’s World Baseball Classic.

An event that historically takes place every four years, this WBC will be the first since the 2017 Classic, as the 2021 event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The last time baseball was played in this event, Team USA earned its first title on the backs of former Royals Eric Hosmer and Danny Duffy.

“I’m super excited,” said Nicky Lopez, who will be representing Team Italy alongside Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino. “I’m proud of representing Team Italy.

“I’m actually very excited because (Team Italy) gets to Taiwan and we’re facing Cuba, the Netherlands and Chinese Taipei,” Lopez said. “It’s actual games and you have to be ready to compete. I think being in those competitions and those games, early, I think it might be beneficial.”

For Pasquantino, who has been referred to belovingly as “The Italian Nightmare,” the chance to wear “Italia” across his chest is a moment he’s sure he will never forget.

“Any time a country asks you to represent them, that’s really special,” said Pasquantino at Royals Rally in February. “For them to have asked me, and also Nicky, to play on that team is something that we take a lot of pride in.”

This year’s WBC is the first to feature 20 countries, and many provisional rosters feature Royals players. Along with the infield duo representing Italy, Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (who played for the USA Baseball team that won gold at the COPABE U-18 Pan-American Championships) was named to Team USA’s provisional roster alongside club ace Brady Singer. 2015 World Series MVP Salvador Perez will lead Team Venezuela for the third time (also 2013, ’17), and was joined on the roster by pitchers Max Castillo, Carlos Hernández and Angel Zerpa, as well as outfielder Edward Olivares. MJ Melendez, the Royals 24-year-old catcher/outfielder phenom, was named to the Puerto Rican provisional roster. Royals are also featured on the provisional rosters for Team Australia (Robbie Glendinning), Team Canada (Eric Cerantola), Team Cuba (Ronald Bolaños), Team Netherlands (Shervyen Newton), Team Nicaragua (Oscar Rayo) and