Rosters for host Samurai Japan and Team Europe at the second edition of the Carnext Samurai Japan Series Global Baseball Games have been announced. Led by manager Marco Mazzieri and pitching coach Alessandro Maestri, Team Europe features six players who have played for Team Italy in international competition. Alex Liddi, Tiago Da Silva, Luis Lugo, Ricardo Paolini, Matteo Bocchi and Alberto Mineo proudly represent the Azzurri.
Reigning Euro champions Spain has eight players on Team Europe, including European Baseball Championship MVP Wander Encarnacion and former MLB players Rhiner Cruz and Engel Beltre. Kingdom of the Netherlands have the second most players on the Europe roster (7), while Czech Republic contributes four and Germany adds three to complete the 28-player squad.
Samurai Japan, led by new manager Hirokazu Ibata, presents a different team than the one that won the 2023 World Baseball Classic. The star of the team will be Munetaka Murakami, hero of the World Baseball Classic semifinal against Mexico and one of the best players in the professional league. The roster also includes five other players who won the gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
The Team Europe roster:
PITCHERS: Daniel Alvarez, Fernando Baez, Rhiner Cruz (Spain); Matteo Bocchi, Tiago Da Silva, Luis Lugo (Italy); Tom De Blok, Lars Huijer, Kevin Kelly, Franklyn Van Gurp (Netherlands); Martin Schneider (Czech Republic); Sven Schueller, Marcus Solbach, Dalton Von Schamann (Germany).
CATCHERS: Martin Cervenka (Czech Republic), Gabriel Lino (Spain), Alberto Mineo (Italy).
INFIELDERS: Wander Encarnacion, Edison Valerio (Spain); Alex Liddi, Ricardo Paolini (Italy); Martin Muzik (Czech Republic); Juremi Profar, Sharlon Schoop (Netherlands).
OUTFIELDERS: Engel Beltre, Daniel Jimenez (Spain); Mareck Chlup (Czech Republic).
UTILITY: Delano Selassa (Netherlands).
The Samurai Japan roster:
PITCHERS: Shunpeita Yamashita, Hiroya Miyagi (ORIX
Buffaloes); Shinya Matsuyama (Chunichi Dragons); Atsuki Taneichi (Chiba Lotte
Marines); Masato Morishita (Hiroshima Toyo Carp); Yumeto Kanemaru (Kansai
University); Riyoji Kuribayashi (Hiroshima Toyo Carp); Chihiro Sumida (Seibu
Lions); Shota Watanabe (Rakuten Golden Eagles); Yuto Nakamura (Aichi Institute
of Technology); Haruka Nemoto (Nippon Ham Fighters): Kaima Taira (Seibu Lions).
CATCHERS: Yuto Koga (Seibu Lions); Shogo Sakakura (Hiroshima Toyo Carp); Yuudai Yamamoto (Yokohama DeNA Baystars).
INFIELDERS: Sousuke Genda (Seibu Lions); Takumu Nakano (Hanshin Tigers); Rui Muneyama (Meiji University); Koutarou Kurebayashi (Orix Buffaloes); Takaya Ishikawa (Chunichi Dragons); Kaito Kozono (Hiroshima Toyo Carp); Munetaka Murakami (Tokyo Yakult Swallows).
OUTFIELDERS: Misho Nishikawa (Aoyama Gakuin University); Kensuke Kondoh (Fukuoka Softbank Hawks); Yasutaka Shiomi (Tokyo Yakult Swallows); Shunsuke Tamura (Hiroshima Toyo Carp); Chubei Mannami (Nippon Ham Fighters).
Forza #Europa!
by Roberto Angotti
(Photo of Ricardo Paolini during the 2023 European Baseball Championship by Duck Foto Press)
