Josh Naylor on 2023 WBC: "It’s super cool — the environment, the crowd, how intense it gets. It’s almost like every game has a Game 7 type of feel"
Josh Naylor and team Canada will have plenty of support at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. The Canadians will play their first-round game in Arizona as they go in search of their first-ever WBC championship.
Josh Naylor, along with his brother Bo, will be vital pieces for a Canadian team that is out to prove themselves on the world stage.
Naylor has quitely developed into one of baseball's elite hitters. The Ontario-born slugger had a breakout season with the Cleveland Guardians in 2022. After proving himself in the majors, he is excited about the chance to represent his country at the WBC:
"It’s super cool — the environment, the crowd, how intense it gets. It’s almost like every game has a Game 7 type of feel"
Naylor was speaking at Baseball Canada's annual banquet awards per a recent article by the Toronto Star.
The fifth edition of the tournament will be jointly hosted between the United States, Japan and Taiwan. Games will be played between March 8 - March 21. This will be the first year that the WBC has expanded to a 20-team format.
Need the Naylor Bros. on the WBC roster. Gotta have it.
"Need the Naylor Bros. on the WBC roster. Gotta have it." - Blake Murphy
The Canadians will compete in Pool C alongside Great Britain, Mexico, Colombia and the United States.
Naylor's MLB career started poorly as he struggled to find form with the San Diego Padres in 2019 and 2020. A move to Cleveland offered Naylor a new start and accelerated his development.
In 2022, Josh Naylor finished with .256/.319/.452 slash line and a .771 OPS. He recorded 20 home runs and 79 RBIs over 122 games.
First baseman Josh Naylor will be one of Canada's star players at the 2023 WBC
Team Canada will be led by an extremely qualified manager. Manager Ernie Whitt will become the only manager to have coached in all five WBC's. He played 15 seasons in the majors with the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles.
You never know who will show up to support their country at the World Baseball Classic.
@SteveNash was there to cheer on Canada during an upset win in 2006. 🇨🇦 https://t.co/VKkTbz25mJ
"You never know who will show up to support their country at the World Baseball Classic. @SteveNash was there to cheer on Canada during an upset win in 2006." - World Baseball Classic
Josh Naylor will have to perform at a high level if team Canada has any chance of progressing. The Canadians are yet to reach the last four of the tournament and will hope to make a bigger impact at this year's tournament.