Recently traded to the Milwaukee Brewers, Quebecer Abraham Toro has confirmed that he will represent Canada at the World Baseball Classic, which will take place next March.
Having Venezuelan roots, Toro could have opted for the South American country to perform at the next world event, but he chose Canada instead.
The latest international ranking shows that Canada comes in 14th place. Our representatives will have a lot to do, because the other teams that make up Group C, with the exception of Great Britain, are all in a better position than Ernie Whitt’s men.
Remember that Toro and his teammates will compete against the United States, Mexico, Colombia and Great Britain. Group C teams will play their matches, March 11-15, 2023, in Phoenix, Arizona.
By confirming his choice, Abraham Toro will join another Quebecer in Canada’s roster.
Indeed, Charles Leblanc, who was unfortunately designated for assignment by the Marlins and that no team claimed on waivers, had also meant last month that he would take part in this international tournament.
Also, we learned yesterday that Russell Martin, who has worn the colors of the Dodgers, Yankees, Pirates and Blue Jays, would be a member of the team’s coaching staff. Martin, an enthusiast, will know how to put his touch in order to obtain good results.
Abraham Toro stepped into major league baseball in 2019, playing for the Houston Astros. The native of Longueuil then had good times in Seattle before being traded this winter to the Milwaukee Brewers, with whom he hopes to start the next season.
Canada’s lifetime record at the World Baseball Classic is 3-8. At the last event held in 2017, the team suffered defeat in all three of its preliminary round games, scoring just three points.
This year, the team will be full of young talents who are currently playing in the Majors or who are in the process of doing so.
Toro and Leblanc will compete alongside the Naylor brothers, Cal Quantrill and Tyler O’Neill, to name a few.
The last classic was canceled due to the pandemic.
