2023 World Baseball Classic: Czech Republic team roster | Schneider, Cervenka, Novak, Minarik

After a Cinderella run through the qualifying stage, Team Czech Republic will head to their first ever World Baseball Classic. Led by long time MLB infielder Eric Sogard and Cleveland minor league catcher Martin Cervenka, this team may be short on big-time experience, but they more than make up for it with workmanlike hustle.

Team Czech Republic 2023 World Baseball Classic roster

Coaching staff

• Head coach: Pavel Chadim
• Catching coach: David Neveril
• Pitching coach: John Hussey
• Hitting coach: Alex Derhak
• Quality Control coach: Joe Truesdale
• First base coach: Michael Griffin
• Third base coach: David Winkler
• Bullpen coach: Dusan Randak

Infielders

• Willie Escala
• Jakub Hajtmar
• Jakub Kubica
• Milan Prokop
• Filip Smola
• Petr Zyma
• Marek Krejcirik
• Eric Sogard
• Vojtech Mensik

Outfielders

• Marek Chlup
• Arnost Dubovy
• Jakub Grepl
• Matej Mensik

Catchers

• Martin Cervenka
• Daniel Vavrusa
• Martin Muzik

Pitchers

• Jeff Barto
• Tomas Duffek
• Lukas Ercoli
• Jan Novak (Orioles)
• Filip Capka
• Lukas Hlouch
• Michal Kovala
• David Mergans
• Daniel Padysak
• Ondrej Satoria
• Jan Tomek
• Martin Schneider
• Marek Minarik
• Boris Vecerka (Diamondbacks)

Team Czech Republic is largely comprised of working men who play in the top Czech baseball league in their spare time. And yet, they managed to pull off the seeming-impossible when they topped the heavily favored Spain in the qualifying round.

Baseball these days is about numbers and probabilities, with a team of outsiders, amateurs, underdogs not highly rated to get out of Pool B. The numbers heavily favor Japan, South Korea, or even Australia.

But in a game loaded with Goliaths, whose heart doesn’t leap in their chest when they see David weigh into the fray?

If you have a few minutes, check out this documentary about how they qualified. It will get your juices going!