IV WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup: Puerto Rico opens training camp

Puerto Rico's U-23 Baseball National Team opened a training camp at the Pedro Montañez Stadium in Cayey in preparation for the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup .

Manager Juan Igor Gonzalez is working three times a week with 30 players and will select the final 24-man roster before travelling to Taiwan on 11 October.

"It's my privilege to work with such a talented group of players," commented the former MLB All-Star.

The group features players from the Puerto Rican Double-A League, including top pitchers Yadiel Rolón, Bryan Marrero and Sebastián Rodríguez, Minor League Baseball (MiLB) and the US independent leagues. The pros include Dilan Rosario, Víctor Torres, Oscar Santos, Kenen Irizarr, Jonathan Rodríguez, Ezequiel Pagán, Glen Santiago, Abimelec Ortiz and Gabriel Cotto.

The final roster will include 12 pitchers and 12 position players.

"It's not important where they play," said Gonzalez. "We need players who have the skills and like working hard."

World No. 16 Puerto Rico participated in one edition of the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup, finishing eighth in Barranquilla, Colombia, in 2018.

The IV WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup is scheduled from 13 to 23 October in Taiwan.

Puerto Rico will compete in Group B and face World No. 3 Korea, No. 4 Mexico, No. 8 Netherlands, No. 9 Cuba and No. 10 Australia.

They will debut against Cuba on 14 October at Tianmu Stadium in Taipei City.

Group A includes the hosts and World No. 2 Chinese Taipei, No. 1 Japan, No. 6 Venezuela, No. 11 Colombia, No. 18 Germany and No. 26 South Africa.

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