From The Lens Of Manager Mark DeRosa

A Preview Of The 2023 World Baseball Classic

In anticipation of the 2023 World Baseball Classic, representatives from the 20 teams that have qualified for the event gathered for a media day in conjunction with Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings in San Diego, California.

Team USA manager Mark DeRosa was at the forefront of the media day for the stars and stripes, as he will make his professional coaching debut next spring in pursuit of leading the U.S. to a WBC title defense. A 16-year MLB veteran and member of the 2009 WBC team, DeRosa looks forward to wearing the U-S-A letters again in a new role. 

“I’m trying to temper my excitement,” said DeRosa when asked about being the Team USA manager. “All I keep thinking about is what I’m going to say at the first meeting when the doors shut. We have the greatest players in the world playing in this thing, competing at the highest level. it’s such an opportunity for them to go out and represent the country, have fun with it, and understand the passion behind it. Put on a show for the fans.”

THE STAFF

At the top of the staff is general manager Tony Reagins. Reagins is set to make WBC debut next year as general manager for the stars and stripes. Although this will be his first appearance on a WBC staff, he is no stranger to the role as he was the general manager for the Los Angeles Angels from 2007-2011 and served as the general manager for the U.S. Olympic Team that won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Along with DeRosa, the coaching staff is comprised of bench coach Jerry Manuel, pitching coach Andy Pettitte, hitting coach Ken Griffey Jr., first base coach Lou Collier, third base coach Dino Ebel, and bullpen coach Dave Righetti. Those five not only have the experience of playing on a World Baseball Classic team, but also have 139 combined years of Major League playing and coaching experience and 10 World Series titles to their resumés.

“The credentials and the back of the baseball cards for a lot of these guys speaks for themselves, but the fact that they’re willing to put USA on and the fact that they realize after their experience how important it was, I think was the overriding factor,” said DeRosa when discussing the coaching staff that Reagins put together.

TEAM USA IN THE WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC

The red, white, and blue captured its first-ever title in 2017, going 6-2 in the tournament and capping off its world championship with a dominant 8-0 victory over Puerto Rico at Dodger Stadium.

Team USA owns a 16-12 all-time record in the World Baseball Classic dating back to 2006. It has advanced to the quarterfinals in every event since the Classic began in 2006 and to the semifinals twice in 2009 and 2017.

THE ROSTER

The 2023 WBC roster is comprised of some of the best players in Major League Baseball. Not only are they talented, but they are ready to represent the United States on the international stage and do whatever it takes to defend the country’s title.

“There are so many superstars on this roster, it’s hard to determine who we’re going to run out on day one who is going to be a backup. I think there is this beautiful theme that these guys have created of ‘whatever you need me to do,’ and for the most part everybody that I have talked to has been that way.” 

The 2023 World Baseball Classic roster is as follows (as of December 6, 2022):

• C: J.T. Realmuto, Will Smith
• 1B: Pete Alonso, Paul Goldschmidt
• 2B: Trevor Story
• SS: Tim Anderson, Trea Turner
• 3B: Nolan Arenado, Bobby Witt Jr.
• OF: Mookie Betts, Cedric Mullins, Mike Trout, Kyle Schwarber, Kyle Tucker
• SP: Nestor Cortes, Kyle Freeland, Merrill Kelly, Brady Singer, Adam Wainwright, Logan Webb
• RP: David Bednar, Ryan Pressly, Dillon Tate, Devin Williams

THE PATH TO GOLD

Team USA’s path to defending its title will begin with a pair of exhibition games on March 8-9 against the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Angels, respectively, in Arizona, before heading into pool play.

Pool play for the stars and stripes is slated for March 11-15 at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, and is matched up with Canada, Colombia, Great Britain, and Mexico in ‘Pool C’. The quarterfinals (March 17-18), semifinals (March 19-20), and championship (March 21) will all be held at loanDepot Park in Miami, Florida.

Team USA owns a 5-3 all-time World Baseball Classic record against teams currently in Pool C, having faced both Canada and Colombia in the opening round of the tournament in 2017 and earning 8-0 and 3-2 (10 inn.) victories, respectively.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Follow @USABaseball on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, for the latest Team USA World Baseball Classic news.

2021 Stars & Stripes Box Set Autograph Checklist

We are joined on this episode of Offseason Chatter by two-time USA Baseball alum Mikey Torres. The southpaw chats with us about his experience competing at the 15U National Team Trials for one of 20 spots on the final roster and what it meant to him to hear his name called as a member of Team USA. Torres also talks about his first experience donning the red, white, and blue as a member of the 2018 12U National Team, what it was like to win a gold medal for his country, and the differences between his two experiences playing for Team USA, as well as what his offseason training and holidays are like, and much more. Torres hit .545 (6-for-11) with a double and a triple for the Stripes at the 2021 15U National Team Trials. He also tallied five RBIs, five runs scored, and two stolen bases to help the Stripes clinch the trials series, 4-1.

Six-time Women’s National Team alum Kelsie Whitmore joins us on this episode of Offseason Chatter. She talks about her journey in baseball and her experiences with Team USA from making her first team in 2014 at just 16 years old, to winning a gold medal at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games, to what it’s like now being a veteran member of the Women’s National Team program and mentoring the upcoming talent. Whitmore also touches on her time playing professional baseball with the Sonoma Stompers and the Portland Pickles, her experience coaching at the inaugural USA Baseball Girls Camp in 2021 and at MLB/USA Baseball joint development events like the Girls Baseball Breakthrough Series, and how she stays strong and ready to play throughout the offseason.

We are joined on this episode of Offseason Chatter by George Wolkow, who was named to the 2021 15U National Team in September. The South Carolina commit talks about setting goals for himself each year, how those goals motivate him, and what it meant to him to accomplish his biggest goal so far by making Team USA. Wolkow also touches on bonding with his USA Baseball teammates, the emotions of his walkoff double for the Stars during the 2021 15U National Team Trials, how he maximizes his time and stays active in the offseason, and more. Wolkow started in all five trials games for the Stars in 2021, collecting two hits, two runs scored, and three RBIs while drawing three walks and swiping two bags.