Farelli, WBC dual status Canucks: Cienfuegos, Guerrero, Hardy, Lopez, Palmegiani , Webb

Dodgers 1B Freddie Freeman is one of seven Canadians with dual citizenship status in the WBC. He’ll play for the second time with Canada.

February 19, 2023

Dual Status Canadians On 2023 WBC Rosters

By George Farelli

Canadian Baseball Network

The fifth World Baseball Classic will begin play in four different pools on March 7 and of course, the National teams from the 20 participating countries, have all submitted their strongest 30-man rosters of eligible players -- with the parent club’s permission -- for this International competition.

In some cases, this includes players who may not have been born in the country they will represent, but these supplementary individuals all merit “dual citizenship status” based on internationally accepted criteria, such as parents or grand-parents born in the country they will play for, or their family had previously immigrated to that country and/or they married a legally established citizen of the country.

Confirming the players on Team Canada is relatively simple, as we now know for sure that the 30-man roster is comprised of 27 native born Canadians and three “dual status Canadians.” The three additions are Freddie Freeman (both parents were born in Ontario), Otto Lopez (parents born in the Dominican Republic who immigrated to Canada when he was a youth and settled Montreal, Que.), plus Damiano Palmegiani (parents born in Caracas, Venz. who immigrated to Canada when he was very young and settled in Surrey, BC).

Freeman represented Canada once before, as he was a member of Team Canada at the previous WBC held in 2017. Lopez has played internationally once with the Dominican Republic in the WBC. He was also active with Team Canada in 2019, at Pan American Games qualifier in Brazil. For Palmegiani, the 2023 WBC will be his first international experience with Team Canada.

A far less known fact, is that there are FOUR other participants in this year’s WBC who are currently listed on the 30 man rosters, and all have a very strong connection which can be directly traced back to Canada.

RHP Miguel Cienfuegos (Laval, Que.) will pitch for Panama.

Although actually born in Laval, Que., RHP Miguel Cienfuegos possesses a “dual citizenship status,” which makes him eligible to play for Team Panama in the 2023 WBC. Both of his parents were born in Panama, and immigrated to Quebec, Canada before Cienfuegos was born. This will be the first time he plays for Panama in an International competition.

Similar to Cienfuegos, Vladimir Guerrero is also a Canadian, born in Montreal at a time when his father Vladimir was active with the Montreal Expos. Since both parents are born in the Domincan Republic, his “dual status” means he is eligible to play with the Dominicans in the 2023 WBC, and he has opted to do so. It will be first time he represents that country as a professional on the International stage.

Former big leaguer and longtime Baseball Canada coach Ossie Chavarria with his grandson, Matt Hardy. Photo: Trina Hardy

The most interesting background for any of these four other participants would have to be for Matt Hardy, who was born in Plantation, Fla. His mother, Trina, was born in Panama but is a naturalized Canadian citizen. Trina’s mother, Donna, was born in Canada and her father is former big leaguer, longtime Baseball Canada coach and highly respected umpire Ossie Chavarria. Chavarria immigrated to Canada in the early 1970s and became a Canadian citizen. But the fact that he was born in Panama allows for his grandson Matt’s “dual Panamanian status,” which makes him eligible to play with Team Panama in the 2023 WBC.

Hardy has previously been active with Panama’s National Team at the 2022 WBC Qualifier held in Panama City, Panama. The 2023 WBC will be the second time he wears that county’s jersey in an international competition.

Long story short ... It’s fair to say Matt Hardy possesses legal status in three different countries: the USA, Canada or Panama and if asked, was eligible to play for any one of the three.

The fourth member of our other “ dual status “ participants in the 2023 WBC is Alex Webb, who will be active with Great Britain in this year’s tournament. Alex was born in Watford, England and his family immigrated to Canada when he was very young, and settled in Surrey, BC. The fact that he was born in England of course, makes him eligible to play with Great Britain’s National team. In the past he has been active with them in the 2014, 2019 and 2021 European championships, as well as the 2022 WBC Qualifier which was held last fall in Regensburg, Germany. The 2023 WBC will mark the fifth time he has suited up with Great Britain in International baseball competitions.