Pasquantino and Lopez to play for Team Italy in WBC

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - The Kansas City Royals will be well-represented during the upcoming World Baseball Classic. The team announced Tuesday that first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino and infielder Nicky Lopez will play for Team Italy during the event in March.

The two left-handed bats for Kansas City join rookie sensation Bobby Witt Jr. -- who will play for Team USA -- as members of the organization who will play during the fifth installment of the tournament.

🇮🇹 Excited for this great opportunity! #WBC https://t.co/yfMtHyiG4Y
— Nicky Lopez (@nick3lopez) November 8, 2022

The 2023 World Baseball Classic will be the first time the event has been played since 2017, when the United States won the championship game over Puerto Rico. The 2017 championship team for the Americans featured two Royals at the time: with pitcher Danny Duffy and first baseman Eric Hosmer representing Kansas City in the event. Four other Royals participated in that tournament, with Salvador Perez and Alcides Escobar playing for Venezuela, Joakim Soria playing for Mexico and Drew Butera playing for Italy.

Pasquantino and Lopez will head to Taiwan, with Team Italy set to play in Pool A of the event from March 8-13. Witt Jr. and the American team will play their pool play games at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, in Pool C from March 11-15.