![]() Puerto Rico World Baseball Classic history Jose Rosado is the bullpen coach, and Alex Cintron - hitting coach for the Astros, will serve as bench coach. ![]() Phenomenal name Ricky Bones is the pitching coach, and José Molina and Luis Rivera will be the first and third-base coaches, respectively. Victor Rodríguez will be the hitting coach while Juan Gonzalez will be an assistant hitting coach. Molina will look to lead Puerto Rico to its first win after finishing as runner-up in the past two classics. Molina played for Puerto Rico in the first four iterations of the World Baseball Classic, so he's hyper-familiar with the format. It's a natural transition for Molina, who was always praised for his mind as much as much as his athleticism. Yadier Molina, who just retired after catching 19 seasons for the Cardinals, will be in the Puerto Rico dugout for the World Baseball Classic. MLB fans will know the man behind Team Puerto Rico well. MORE: World Baseball Classic 2023: MLB team-by-team roster breakdown Who is coaching Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic? Francisco Lindor is one of MLB's brightest stars, and he'll shine in the Puerto Rico infield. If you're a Twins fan, this is going to be the team for you, with new acquisition Christian Vásquez also behind the plate. Other players on MLB rosters include Enrique "Kiké" Hernández, Emilio Pagán, and José Miranda, not to mention All-Star Jorge López. Puerto Rico has a lot of players in the MiLB pipeline, including third baseman Edwin Díaz for the Red Sox, Vimael Machin for the Phillies, and Dereck Rodríguez for the Twins. Edwin Díaz was the breakout star of 2022, Báez has been an MLB fixture, and Lindor is one of the biggest names in the sport already.īeyond the MLB talent, however, the exciting thing about Puerto Rico isn't just its stars of today. There are plenty of obvious players to look for on Team Puerto Rico. (Getty Images) Puerto Rico players to watch Also representing the Red Sox, Kiké Hernández will be in centerfield. Báez is moving over to second to accommodate Lindor at short, while Red Sox prospect Edwin Díaz (not that Edwin Díaz) will be at third. Puerto Rico doesn't have as many utility players as other teams with MLB representation, but its middle infield will be among the best in the WBC. There will be three catchers, leaving just 11 spots for outfielders and infielders. Of Puerto Rico's 30-man roster, 16 of them are pitchers. MORE: 2023 World Baseball Classic: 10 pitcher-hitter matchups we can't wait to see Puerto Rico World Baseball Classic 2023 roster However, it's as talented as nearly any other team in this tournament, and a number of MLB teams are represented on its roster. Puerto Rico is playing in a crowded Pool D alongside the likes of the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, so its competition is going to be fierce early and often. Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and Tigers shortstop Javier Báez are also on the roster, not to mention the likes of new Twins catcher Christian Vásquez and Blue Jays pitcher José Berríos. Edwin became one of baseball's eminent closers last year, and his walk-out song Narco made his entrances must-see TV. ![]() The headliner for Puerto Rico is Edwin Díaz, who is pitching with his brother, the Cincinnati Reds' Alexis Díaz. A fun thing about this squad is its "team of the future" vibe, with 12 of its players currently playing in MiLB pipelines. With Yadier Molina managing after retiring from the Cardinals last season, there is a lot of knowledge on the Puerto Rico bench. Puerto Rico may not be in the Tier A group of favorites in this year's World Baseball Classic, but there is a lot of optimism for the two-time runner ups. ![]()
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