The Puerto Rican infielder Carlos Correa became the first player to be officially announced as a member of the Puerto Rico team that will participate in the World Baseball Classic (WBC), whose fifth edition will be held in March 2023.
“Playing for Puerto Rico is an honor. Representing my roots always fills me with the greatest pride. For Puerto Rico I will always say present,” Correa said in statements published on the social networks of the Puerto Rico Baseball Federation (FBPR).
From Santa Isabel to #WorldBaseballClassic
✅ The Puerto Rico Baseball Federation is honored to confirm @TeamCJCorrea
“Playing for Puerto Rico is an honor. Representing my roots always fills me with the greatest pride. For Puerto Rico I will always say present.”#Ours🇵🇷 pic.twitter.com/JCBayIxrcR
— FBPR | National Team 🇵🇷 (@BeisbolPR) August 31, 2022
Other Puerto Rican figures in the Major Leagues have already publicly expressed that they will play for the Island in the tournament, but Correa is the first to be confirmed by the entity.
Other players who were part of ‘Team Rubio’, such as Francis Lindor, Javier Baez, Joseph Berries, Edwin Diaz, Eddie Rosario, Henry Hernandez, Seth LugoJoe Jiménez and Emilio Pagán have already said “yes” to Puerto Rico.
The receptor Christian Vazquez and the rookies José Miranda, MJ Meléndez, Alexis Díaz and Jovani Morán, among others, could debut in this edition.
Various American players as the pitcher marcus stromanwho pitched for the United States in 2017, the outfielder Riley Greene and the infielder Vaughn Grissom they are eligible to play with the Puerto Rican ninth, since they have a Puerto Rican family.
In fact, Stroman has already publicly announced his intention to wear the Puerto Rican flannel.
Puerto Rico has not yet announced who will be its manager. Squad manager Eduardo Pérez and the FBPR will announce the chosen one on September 15, although it has emerged that Houston Astros bench coach Josué ‘Joe’ Espada is one of the favorites for the job.
The ninth Puerto Rican will be part of Group D of the WBC, which is completed by the team from Israel and another to qualify. This phase will be played from March 11 to 15 at LoanDeport Park in Miami.
They will have among their opponents in the first round of the tournament their Caribbean arch-rivals the Dominican Republic and Venezuela.
Puerto Rico has been WBC runner-up in the last two editions, in 2013 when they fell in the final match against the Dominican Republic, and in 2017, when the United States won the champion trophy.
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WBC: Carlos Correa commits to Puerto Rico