The New York Yankees are scheduled to have pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 16 for spring training. However, the arrival of a few team members will be put on further delay.
With the World Baseball Classic making its return for the first time since 2017, players across the league will partake in the 20-team international tournament that spans throughout the month of March and ahead of the 2023 Major League Baseball season. Just five years ago, the Yankees had 10 total participants in the WBC and fast forward to 2023, that number is slashed in half.
With that being said, here are the five Yankees representatives who are set to participate in the 2023 WBC, according to MLB Trade Rumors:
Nestor Cortes, LHP, United States
Cortes, 28, made his first career All-Star Game last season with the pinstripes. The veteran southpaw tossed a career-high 158 1/3 innings through 28 starts to a 2.44 ERA with 163 strikeouts. Cortes, who was initially selected by the Baltimore Orioles from New York’s farm system in the 2017 Rule 5 draft, has flourished since rejoining the Yankees for a second go around.
Kyle Higashioka, C, United States
Higashioka, 32, will join Cortes in representing Team USA. In 2022, Higashioka made his sixth straight campaign with the Yankees and saw the most (83 games) time in New York’s lineup throughout his career. He finished hitting .227 with 10 home runs but also provided some stability behind the plate, notching a .993 fielding percentage in a career-most 695 defensive chances.
Indigo Diaz, RHP, Canada
Diaz, 24, will serve as the only Yankees minor-leaguer to play. Last season, with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, New York’s triple-A affiliate, Diaz made 49 appearances out of the bullpen. He went 3-4 with a 3.08 ERA in 49 2/3 innings on the mound and struck out 63 hitters.
Gleyber Torres, INF, Venezuela
Torres, 26, had a bounce-back year following a relatively dissapointing 2021 run in New York. The two-time All-Star spent much of the season at second base and belted 24 homers, his most in three seasons while also batting .257/.310/.451 in 140 games played for the Yankees.
Jonathan Loaisiga, RHP, Nicaragua
Loaisiga, 28, had a rough setback to follow on his career-best 2021 season (2.17 ERA) with the Yankees. The five-year big leaguer made 50 appearances out of New York’s bullpen and pitched to a 4.13 ERA, his highest since 2019 (4.55). Loaisiga also walked a career-high 19 batters, striking out 37 with two saves through 48 innings pitched.
All players listed will make their WBC debut when the tournament begins on March. 3.
