China enters World Baseball Classic Qualifiers for the first time ever. They’ll be heavy underdogs with a team almost entirely playing in the Chinese Professional Baseball League.
Players to watch –
P Jeremy Wu-Yelland
The Chinese-American will be one of the top options on the mound. On a team lacking velocity, he will be a noticeable change with him throwing mid to upper 90’s from the left side. He had a 5.67 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 33 1/3 IP. He’s one of the few pitchers with significant swing and miss stuff on the staff. He should play a significant role on this team.
P Alan Zhang Carter
The right-hander appeared for China at the 2023 WBC and is coming off his finest season as a pro. He had a 0.72 ERA with 61 strikeouts in 37.2 innings for Lake Country in the American Association. He is the hardest thrower for China and could see time in a number of roles. If China pulls off an upset win, Carter will be in the thick of it.
P Wei Zhao
LHP Wei Zhao was China’s best pitcher at the U23 World Cup in 2024. He posted a 0.82 ERA in 17 IP with 11 strikeouts. His complete game shutout over Nicaragua was one of the best performances of the tournament. He is a soft tosser but against someone like Colombia who isn’t used to seeing that, he could surprise them.
OF Samuel Benjamin
He will be China’s lone source of power in the lineup. In the MLB Draft League in 2024, he had a 1.214 OPS with 6 HR in 26 games before playing in the AA with his Chinese teammate Alan Zhang Carter. China will need Benjamin to shine in a big way.
CF Xudong Zhu
The center fielder, who posted a .793 OPS with 5 stolen bases, should be China’s lead off man and provide the spark at the top of the order with his speed on a team that will rely on small ball and swiping bags to score runs. He hit .563 for China in the California Winter League that recently completed.
Fans can watch the World Baseball Classic Qualifiers on the World Baseball Classic Youtube, Facebook, and MLB.TV.
