Todd Kirkland/Getty Images
Bobby Witt Jr., Shortstop, Team USA
It’ll be exciting to see how the 22-year-old Kansas City Royals shortstop plays in the upcoming tournament. He may not play all that much, but it will be interesting to watch such a young talent compete in such a big moment. His combination of power and speed is very fun to watch, and Witt should have a tremendous impact for Team USA when he is on the field.
Freddie Freeman, First Base, Team Canada
Freeman should be fun to watch in this tournament. He was on team Canada in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, but it will be fun to see if he can carry the team in 2023. They don’t have many big name players, so he will more than likely have to carry the load. I’m sure Freeman takes tremendous pride playing for Team Canada, since both of his parents were born there.
Yoenis Cespedes, Outfielder, Team Cuba
Cespedes hasn’t played in the Majors since 2020, but he’s getting a chance to show he’s still got it for Team Cuba in 2023. Cespedes is a two time home run derby champ and was an MVP candidate in three different seasons. At 37 years old, it will be interesting to see if he can still play at a high level. I’m sure we would all love to see if Cespedes still has a cannon for an arm too.
Robinson Cano, Second Base, Team Dominican Republic
Cano is one of the greatest second baseman Major League Baseball has ever seen. He’s an eight time all-star, a home run derby champion, and World Series Champion. Cano is now 40 years old, and it will be interesting to see if he can have a positive impact for Team Dominican Republic. Regardless of how he plays, he should provide great leadership and experience for the young players on the roster this year.
Joc Pederson, Outfielder, Team Israel
Pederson is an extremely fun player to watch whenever he’s on the field. He’s a two time all-star and a two time World Series Champion. He’s mostly known for his time in Los Angeles with the Dodgers, but he had his best season last year with the San Francisco Giants. He can hit home runs with the best of them, and it will be exciting to see if he can blast some majestic home runs for Team Israel.
