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World Baseball Classic Features Flock Of C's Alums

Lopez, Young among top performers in tournament's opening round
By Tyler Zickel
March 16, 2023

VANCOUVER, BC – The World Baseball Classic has been captivating baseball fans across the globe this month. With Pool Play complete and the Quarterfinals already underway, we took a look at the C’s alumni who were selected to represent their actual or ancestral home in the sport’s premiere international event.

VANCOUVER, BC – The World Baseball Classic has been captivating baseball fans across the globe this month. With Pool Play complete and the Quarterfinals already underway, we took a look at the C’s alumni who were selected to represent their actual or ancestral home in the sport’s premiere international event.

CANADA

Otto Lopez - 2018

After tearing up Blue Jays Spring Training, Otto Lopez continued his hot hitting in Team Canada’s opening game against Great Britain on March 12. His two singles, two runs scored and two RBI were a part of the 18-run, 17-hit mercy rule win that got Canada’s tournament off on the right foot and proved even more crucial after they were mercy ruled by the United States the following day when Lopez went hitless in three at bats.

In Canada’s third game against Colombia, Lopez helped the cause with a triple and a run scored in the eighth to make it 2-0 before sealing the deal with a three-run homer in the top of the ninth to put the finishing touches on a 5-0 shutout win. By doing so he became just the second player from Team Canada to triple and homer in the same game and the first since Adam Stern did so since the inaugural Classic in 2006.

He singled in his first at-bat the next day, bringing home a run to cut Mexico’s lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the first, but the Canadians were eliminated from WBC contention thanks to a 10-3 loss.

Lopez finished the tournament slashing .294/.333/.588/.921 with two extra base hits, four runs scored, six RBI and a walk.

Dasan Brown - 2022

A late addition to the Canadian roster, Dasan Brown’s only action came as a pinch runner in the third game of the tournament - he was on base when Lopez went deep - and he struck out in a pinch hit at-bat in the final game.

Damiano Palmegiani - 2022

Surrey’s Damiano Palmegiani did not see any playing time but did hit a home run in Canada’s tune-up against the Chicago Cubs before the tournament began.

NETHERLANDS

Josh Palacios - 2016

Brooklyn, NY native Josh Palacios – whose Curaçaoan heritage made him eligible for Team Netherlands – was the first former Canadian to see action in pool play (and the first to be eliminated). Favorites to win Pool A, the Dutch got off to a great start in the tournament opener on March 7 against Cuba; a go-ahead RBI single from Palacios in the sixth put them in front for good as part of a 4-2 win.

He went hitless the next day in a 3-1 win over Panama, and from there Palacios’ fortunes mirrored his team’s. He was 0-3 in Netherlands’ 9-5 upset loss to Chinese Taipei then made an appearance as a pinch runner in their 7-1 drubbing at the hands of Team Italy to get bounced from the Classic via tiebreaker – all five teams in Pool A finished with a 2-2 record.

GREAT BRITAIN

Chavez Young - 2017

Had Great Britain made it out of Pool C – which included the U.S., Mexico and Canada – Chavez Young would have played in as many World Baseball Classic games as he has in a Canadians uniform (he only appeared five times with the C’s). The Bahamian outfielder did everything he could to make that a reality; he had a hit in all four games for the King’s Men, including a two-RBI single on March 13 against Colombia that tied the game and led to Great Britain’s shocking 7-5 upset that shook up the pool and earned them their first-ever Classic win. Young also scored four times, worked a trio of walks and stole a tournament-best five bases.

The Brits had a chance to cause serious chaos if they could eke out a win against Mexico in their final game of pool play, but despite a double, a steal and an outfield assist from Young they fell 2-1 and were eliminated from the tournament.

His final slash line in four games: .308/.471/.386/.856

PUERTO RICO

Marcus Stroman - 2012

After winning gold with the United States in the last Classic six years ago, Marcus Stroman chose to honor his mother’s heritage by suiting up for Team Puerto Rico in 2023. He got the opening game start on March 11 against Nicaragua and was vintage Stro Show; the only run he allowed came on a solo homer as part of a two-hit, two-K day that spanned four and two-thirds innings of work.

Jose Espada - 2017 & Luis Quinones - 2021-22

Both Jose Espada and Luis Quinones did not take the mound for Puerto Rico in pool play but are available for the remainder of the tournament after Team PR punched their ticket to the next round by eliminating the Dominican Republic on March 15.

ISRAEL

Spencer Horwitz - 2021

Two years removed from establishing a new Northwest League record for consecutive games with a hit, Spencer Horwitz is not only in the mix to make his MLB debut this year but was also tagging clutch hits for Team Israel in Pool D. The Timonium, MD native hit a game-tying single in the bottom of the eighth against Nicaragua on March 12 to inspire a 3-1 comeback win, though he nor any of his teammates could muster any miracles the next day; Puerto Rico was perfect for 8 innings to hand Israel a 10-0 mercy rule loss.

The struggles continued for Israel the next day in a 10-0 walk-off loss in the bottom of the seventh opposite the Dominican Republic, though Horwitz was responsible for the lone Israeli hit of the game. He went hitless in their 5-1 loss to Venezuela to close out the tournament.

Jake Fishman - 2016

Lefty reliever Jake Fishman didn’t see action in the WBC until Team Israel’s final game against Venezuela, when he got two quick outs in relief, surrendered a solo homer to Eduardo Escobar and a double to David Peralta before escaping the inning without further damage when he induced a groundout off the bat of Jose Altuve.

The Vancouver Canadians begin their quest for a fifth Northwest League title on April 7 with Opening Night at Nat Bailey Stadium. Tickets for all 66 home games are available now by visiting the box office, calling 604-872-5232 or clicking here.