World Baseball Classic figures who are underestimated in the MLB
The MLB season is about to start and some players from the World Baseball Classic are back with their clubs, while others languish in the minor leagues.
Thursday, March 30th begins a new season of MLB baseball. Some of the players who participated in the World Baseball Classic have already rejoined their teams, with some fanfare and expectation. Others, however, despite having a good outing in the tournament, have gone back to their clubs to find themselves relegated to the minor leagues.
The most striking case is that of José de León. The Puerto Rican pitcher threw a perfect 5.2 innings in a combined perfect game against Israel. Despite that performance, he heads back to Minnesota to find that he has been assigned to their Triple-A St. Paul team.
De León was Puerto Rico’s best-performing starter in the World Baseball Classic, going 1-0 without allowing a hit, while notching up 10 strikeouts in 5.2 innings.
Another Puerto Rican team mate who did not find himself with a spot on the Opening Day roster was Emmanuel Rivera, who the Arizona Diamondbacks sent to the minor leagues. Cuban Andrés Ibañez didn’t make the Detroit Tigers’ roster, while Great Britain sensation Harry Ford found that his performance in the tournament was not enough to help his case with the Seattle Mariners.
Mexicans in action
The vast majority of Mexicans who participated in the WBC managed to make the cut with their teams, top of whom stands the newest national hero Randy Arozarena, a key figure for the Tampa Bay Rays. His El Tri and Rays teammate Isaac Paredes, also shone in the tournament and will appear on Tampa’s Opening Day roster.
Luis Urías and Rowdy Téllez both made the Milwaukee Brewers roster, Joey Meneses with the Washington Nationals, Austin Barnes with the Dodgers, Alek Thomas with the Diamondbacks, Alan Trejo with the Rockies, as well as pitchers Taijuan Walker (Phillies), Patrick Sandoval (Angels), Julio Urías (Dodgers), Javier Assad (Cubs), among others.