Introducing the opposing team in Australia, which is packed with players with extensive overseas experience and has a lineup that can aim for an upset | Top | Team Report

The WBC in March 2023 was a historic tournament for the Australian baseball world. 1st Round In the first round of Pool B, they won 8-7 against South Korea in a fierce battle, gaining momentum and making it through to the 1st round for the first time. This match against South Korea was talked about as an upset in Pool B.
The Australian national team will be participating in the Asian Professional Baseball Championship for the first time, and will be competing against strong teams from Asia. Like the WBC, there are athletes who are expected to shake up the tournament.

Alex Hall hits a home run at WBC in March

This year’s Australian national team includes many players who play not only in the domestic league but also in other countries such as the United States, and the players come from a wide variety of backgrounds. In addition to players who have made a mark in the American minor leagues, we have players who have developed their skills to represent their generation in a variety of environments, including players who have improved their skills at universities across the United States.
The experience of being away from your home country and being challenged and growing at a higher level should be a strength for young players under the age of 24. Players with overseas experience are led by coach David Nilsson, who has a track record in MLB and also played for Chunichi.

The core of the batting lineup is Alex Hall and Rickson Wingrove.
Hall continued to play a stable role under the Brewers, and showed his presence by hitting a home run against Hiroto Takahashi (Chunichi) in the WBC. He is expected to be used as the regular catcher in this tournament.
Wingrove is a large slugger who scored 63 RBIs in 101 games for the Phillies’ A+ affiliate, and hit a home run against Cuba in the WBC. He will likely be used at first base or designated hitter in this tournament.
Liam Spence, who has experience in the WBC, can be used between the two. Aaron Whitefield, who has experience in MLB and has shown great performance in running, attacking, and defending in international tournaments, will join the team in the overage slot and is likely to turn the outfield, which was a weakness, into a strength.

Cohen Wynn will be the main pitcher. After graduating from America’s prestigious Grand Canyon University, he made his debut in the domestic league last year and was established in the starting rotation. He was additionally called up to the WBC and pitched in important situations.
Overage players Daniel McGrath and Samuel Holland, who have a lot of experience, can both be starters or relievers, and given the lack of pitchers with starting experience, it’s possible that either of them could be used as a starter. The team has a variety of relief pitchers, from Kainoa Wynyard, who has a fastball of about 150 km, to Will Sherif, who has a unique technique.

Cohen Wynn will be the centerpiece of the pitching staff.

Traditionally, the Australian national team has had a rich lineup of relief pitchers, and has often used pitchers of different types to pitch in small increments to defend the team even if they don’t score as many points. However, this year’s squad includes key WBC players like Hall and Wingrove as fielders, and there are also players who have experience on the national team, which has no age limit. This is a lineup that can be expected to score a lot of points if something happens.

The Australian national team’s involvement in international competitions is not limited to those with no age limit. In the 2019 U-18 World Cup against Japan, they scored four points early on and held on to the lead, winning 4-1.
In addition, although they lost 3-4 at the 2017 U-18 World Cup, they had a close battle that lasted 11 extra innings against the Japanese national team, which included Kaito Kozono (Hiroshima) and Yasuhiro Fujiwara (Chiba Lotte).
The Australian team for this tournament includes many players who have participated in these tournaments. This will be their first appearance at the Asian Professional Baseball Championship, but players with extensive overseas experience will be aiming for an upset.