MLB’s Bubble Players Leave Camp for the World Baseball Classic

In the last week, over 300 MLB-affiliated players have started to leave camp to join their countries’ teams for the first World Baseball Classic in six years and the fifth in the tournament’s history. For some veterans and well-established big leaguers, a hiatus from Grapefruit or Cactus League action isn’t something to be concerned about. Playing in the Classic won’t cost them a chance to hit quality live pitching, or pitch to quality live hitters, and while any game action comes with some risk of injury, these types can afford a two-week sabbatical without jeopardizing their job security. Other players, though, are in the midst of big league roster battles, trying to distinguish themselves during camp and earn a spot come Opening Day. As much as we discount the stats generated in spring exhibitions, for some players, this time represents much more than a chance to get into game shape – it’s also an opportunity to change the course of their career.

For these players, the WBC is perhaps not ideally timed. If you’re trying to secure the final bench or bullpen spot, departing camp for a while isn’t exactly a surrender, but these are valuable weeks to make your abilities known. Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network has reported that a number of Chicago Cubs on the roster bubble are forgoing participation in the WBC in order to continue their efforts to make the club, and they likely aren’t alone. Here I’ll also note that the absence of some big league regulars opens the door for prospects and other fringe roster types to make a strong impression on their club with more trips to the plate and batters faced. Still, the WBC is a well-appreciated opportunity to represent one’s country, and that so many players jockeying for a roster spot choose to take the time to do so is a testament to what that opportunity means.

Milwaukee Brewers camp is among those where a few roster questions still loom large, particularly on the position player side. The outfield picture is still relatively unclear beyond Christian Yelich and Garrett Mitchell, and center fielder Sal Frelick, who has handled every level of the minors capably, is across the world in Taiwan with Team Italy. He has said he expects to start 2023 in the minors with Mitchell already up in the big leagues, but with Tyrone Taylor injured and no more levels of minor league pitching for him to tear through, Frelick has a chance to factor into the outfield picture in the near future.

In the infield, Luis Urías has done enough to be in the regular lineup, but with Kolten Wong off to Seattle, how Urías’ time will be split between second, third, and occasionally backing up Willy Adames at shortstop depends on who else steps up to fill out the infield. Abraham Toro, who came over to Milwaukee in the Wong deal, is in the mix at second and third, but he has lots of competition in prospect Brice Turang, Mike Brosseau, and fellow newcomers Brian Anderson and Owen Miller. Urías will represent Team Mexico, leaving plenty of Cactus League at-bats up for grabs. But the Quebecois Toro was invited to suit up for Team Canada, so he’ll be trying to earn his playing time 15 minutes down the road from Maryvale.

Toro isn’t the only Canadian conceding time in big league camp for the chance to represent the Great White North. Blue Jays utility prospect Otto Lopez left behind MLB’s only Canadian team to join the actual Team Canada after making a quick impression on manager John Schnieder, who was able to get him 17 early spring plate appearances. MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson suggests he might have done enough to land the Jays’ last bench spot already, but players like Addison Barger and Nathan Lukes will stick around camp trying to convince the Jays otherwise. In Jupiter, British Columbian Tyler O’Neill should be safe on the Cardinals roster, but top prospect Jordan Walker is trying to wedge his way into a crowded outfield featuring O’Neill, Lars Nootbaar, and Dylan Carlson. To this point, that effort has gone pretty well for Walker, who is a prime example of a prospect who stands to benefit from WBC departures given not only O’Neill’s absence but also Nootbaar’s time with Team Japan:

Then there’s Ontario-born catcher Bo Naylor, trying to secure his spot behind Mike Zunino as the Guardians’ primary big league backup. This roster battle has two backstops headed for Pool C, where Meibrys Viloria will join Team Colombia. Meanwhile, Cam Gallagher, Zack Collins, and Bryan Lavastida will eat up most of the non-Zunino Cactus League innings behind the plate.

Viloria will be joined on Team Colombia by Jorge Alfaro, who has his own roster spot to secure in Fort Myers with the Red Sox. A hamstring injury to Connor Wong last week seemed to nudge the door open a little more for Alfaro to land with the Sox, and the catching depth is thin beyond him. Due to a unique clause in his contract, Boston may have to make a move to add him to the 40-man before March 25 if any other team shows interest – if Colombia were to make a run to the finals, it could be a matter of three or four days between Alfaro’s return to camp and then.

The list goes on. Venezuelan pitchers Carlos Hernández and Max Castillo of the Royals and Darwinzon Hernandez of the Orioles are trying to lock in bullpen roles with their respective clubs, as are a pair of Team Israel pitchers: Colorado’s Jake Bird and the Angels’ Zack Weiss. Team Mexico is set to feature Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran, Rays infielder Jonathan Aranda, and Rockies infielder Alan Trejo before sending them all back to fight for positions and playing time. All told, over half of the teams across the majors have at least one player on the bubble, so to speak, who is swapping their spring training uniform for a national one this month.

This is great news for lowercase-b baseball. It’s often noted that the World Baseball Classic has developed a strong enough presence to draw interest from some of the league’s biggest stars; it’s also worth appreciating that it’s drawing participation from some of the players with the most to lose by missing time in spring training. Of course, leaving camp for a week or two doesn’t exactly close the door on any player’s campaign for a roster spot, but the fact that these players are willing to take this risk, and that teams are willing to let them, is a testament to the profile of the tournament. And what’s good for lowercase-b baseball is good for Major League Baseball. Rob Manfred has long identified the further globalization of the sport as one of his priorities, even going so far as to name an international expansion team as an explicit goal. The World Baseball Classic continues to be a great boon to the sport worldwide, and as fans, we have the players – from the superstars to the fringe roster fillers – to thank.