The World Baseball Classic is getting closer, and teams are starting to think about rosters. As players make themselves available for their countries, teams will begin making roster decisions. Mexico could be looking for an upgrade at catcher from the last World Baseball Classic.
In 2023, Mexico carried catchers Austin Barnes and Alexis Wilson. However, the team could have to consider 29-year-old Hermosillo, Mexico native Cesar Salazar. Salazar was a seventh-round draft pick by the Houston Astros in 2018.
Salazar made his MLB debut last year, playing in 13 games, hitting just .111. However, this year he has appeared in 12 games and has a .320 average with a .787 OPS. He has collected eight RBIs.
Salazar plays for the Naranjeros de Hermosillo in the Mexican Winter League. In Triple-A, he has a .698 OPS and could be an upgrade from Barnes and Wilson. Barnes was recently designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Dodgers and Wilson had just three at-bats in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Mexico has high hopes heading into the tournament. In 2023, they won their pool with a 3-1 record, despite their pool including the United States, which went on to finish second. Mexico lost 6-5 to Samurai Japan in the semifinals. They will try and put together a squad that can win it all in 2026.
Another option for the team could be Alejandro Kirk, who has proven more at the big league level. Kirk recently signed a five-year, $58 million extension. However, Salazar could still play a role for his home country on baseball’s biggest stage.
