Indy league grads crowd WBC rosters
By Devon Teeple
GMs Perspective
The World Baseball Classic has never really received a lot of love over the years, but you’ve got to give credit when credit’s due.
The 2017 version exceeded all expectations and gave us a shimmy from Marcus Stroman of Team USA, a no-look tag from Javier Baez of Puerto Rico and highway robbery performed by Adam Jones of Team USA.
USA captured its first WBC title in dominant fashion defeating Puerto Rico 8-0, but what people may not know is that over 50 current and former Independent League players suited up for the WBC:
Atlantic League (22)
Player Position Country
Chinese Taipei
Chin-Lung Hu INF Southern Maryland
Fu-Te Ni LHP Lancaster, Camden
Chien-Ming Wang RHP Southern Maryland
Israel
Jeremy Bleich LHP Somerset
Danny Burawa RHP Long Island
Nate Freiman INF Long Island
Blake Gailen OF Lancaster
Tyler Herron RHP Somerset
Josh Zeid RHP New Britain
Australia
Allan De San Miguel C Southern Maryland
Luke Hughes INF Lancaster
Chris Oxspring RHP Somerset
Canada
Andrew Albers LHP Lancaster
Michael Crouse OF Lancaster, New Britain
Rene Tosoni OF Sugar Land
Italy
Frank DeJiulio Jr. RHP Long Island, Bridgeport
Mike DeMark RHP York
Puerto Rico
Andrew Barbosa LHP Long Island
Jose De La Torre RHP Somerset
Miguel Mejia RHP Bridgeport
Rene Rivera C Camden
J.C. Romero LHP Long Island
American Association (18)
Australia
RHP Justin Erasmus, Fargo-Moorhead 2014
RHP Ryan Searle, Grand Prairie 2014
LHP Josh Tols, Kansas City 2015
Canada
RHP Scott Richmond Wichita 2015
OF Rene Tosoni Sioux City 2014-15
Chinese Taipei
RHP Kuo Hua Lo Lincoln 2016
Colombia
RHP Karl Triana Gary SouthShore 2016
Israel
OF Blake Gailen Wichita 2008, Lincoln 2011
RHP Tyler Herron, Fargo-Moorhead 2012, 2015-16)
Italy
RHP Alex Maestri Lincoln 2011
Mexico
OF Chris Roberson, Winnipeg 2012
Netherlands
INF Yurendell de Caster, Fargo-Moorhead 2009, Winnipeg 2012-13
OF Chris Garia Lincoln 2017
RHP Shairon Martis Lincoln 2015
OF Randolph Oduber Lincoln 2017
C Dashenko Ricardo Lincoln 2017
1B Curt Smith Lincoln 2011, 2013, 2015
Venezuela
RHP Omar Bencomo (Laredo 2015, Wichita 2015)
Can-Am League (11)
Canada
LHP Andrew Albers, Quebec 2010
RHP Eric Gagné, Quebec 2009, Trois-Rivieres 2015, Ottawa 2016
INF Jonathan Malo, Quebec 2012-2016
Colombia
RHP Karl Triana, Quebec 2017
Cuba
SS Yordan Manduley, Quebec 2015
3B Yurisbel Gracial Quebec 2016
OF Roel Santos Quebec 2016
Israel
LHP Craig Breslow, New Jersey 2004
Italy
1B/OF Chris Colabello Worcester 2005-11, Nashua 2007)
Netherlands
OF Kalian Sams Quebec 2015-16)
Puerto Rico
RHP Andres Santiago, Sussex County 2016, New Jersey 2016
And, 12 who spent time in the Frontier League.
Before the season began, we were privy to playoff calibre ball in March. This is how the tournament was meant to be played. It got the recognition it deserved and the players who may not get many headlines were apart of a phenomenon that put them at the forefront.
Devon is the Founder and Executive Director of The GM’s Perspective. He is a former professional baseball player with the River City Rascals & Gateway Grizzlies. Currently, Devon is a Manager at a financial institution in Northern Ontario Canada, and can be reached at devon@thegmsperspective.com.