Manager Ernie Whitt will lead Team Canada at the 2023 Pan American Games Qualifiers in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Baseball Canada announced on Tuesday their 24-man official roster for the 2023 Pan American Games Qualifiers in Buenos Aires, Argentina at Estadio Nacional de Beisbol from June 16-21.
Canada is currently ranked 13th in the World Baseball Rankings and placed 11th in the World Baseball Classic with a 2-2 record, failing to advance out of Pool C in Phoenix, Arizona.
The other four nations participating in the event are World No. 14 Panama, the host nation, No. 29 Argentina, No. 40 Peru, and No. 43 Honduras.
Canada will play their first game of the Pan American Qualifiers against Panama at 10 a.m. EDT on June 16.
Canada will carry professionals that are not on the 40-man rosters of Major League Baseball organizations. Players that are current professional free agents, playing in independent professional leagues in the United States and Canada, and at the collegiate level are also on the roster for the 2023 Pan American Qualifiers.
The roster for Canada will have five players with Major League Baseball playing experience who will add a veteran presence, as well as players that recently played in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, including left handed pitcher Andrew Albers, right handed pitcher Phillippe Aumont, right handed pitcher Scott Mathieson, outfielder Jacob Robson, and right handed pitcher RJ Freure. Right handed pitcher Jesse Therrien from Montreal, Quebec played one season with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2017 will suit up for Canada in the Pan American Qualifiers.
Ernie Whitt, who has managed in all five World Baseball Classics for Canada, will be the manager for the 2023 Pan American Qualifiers. Whitt’s managerial record in international competitions all time is 74-42, and he has led Canada to gold medals at the 2011 and 2015 Pan American Games. The 2015 Pan Am Games was the last time that Canada placed first at an international senior event.