There is a clear division between some of the contender teams in the World Baseball Classic and others that could spring a surprise in the tournament. Here’s taking a look at two important changes to Team Puerto Rico and Team Italy, part of the chasing pack looking to make an impact.
Nolan Arenado Set For Two New Clubhouses With Puerto Rico Representation
Nolan Arenado’s time with the St. Louis Cardinals came to an end this offseason with a trade to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Jan. 13. The veteran was linked to a move since last year and needed to have a change in his scenery. Arenado will have that. But before he plays for the D-backs, he will suit up for a new team in the World Baseball Classic, Puerto Rico.
Arenado declared to play for Puerto Rico last month via his mother’s Puerto Rican and Cuban ancestry. In the last two editions, Arenado had played for Team USA. In 2023, he went 10-for-26 (.385 average) with four extra-base hits and five RBIs. He was a standout player for the Americans as they made it through to the championship game.
Talkin’ Baseball’s Trevor Plouffe and Joez McFly in their preview for the upcoming international tournament, dissected Arenado’s importance in the Puerto Rican roster that is missing some big names.
“I’m in on Arenado. I think that there is something to, especially in this format where everything is happening in such a condensed time. We talked about Puerto Rico missing that leadership,” McFly said.
“They’re gonna need to lean on people like Arenado, who’s been there, who’s done that. His 2025 season—his numbers are down quite a bit, but like I said, people play with a sense of pride when they start playing for a country, and in the short tournament, you could get hot quick.”
Arenado’s experience makes him one of the locker room leaders after Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa and Jose Berrios were denied insurance to play at the World Baseball Classic. The Puerto Ricans are also hosts for Pool A, which also includes teams from Cuba, Panama, Colombia and Canada.
Team Italy Forced to Swap Out Starter Alessandro Ercolani
Alessandro Ercolani was one of the prospects on the Team Italy roster for the World Baseball Classic, looking to make an impact. The Pittsburgh Pirates minor-leaguer was expected to be in the back end of the rotation led by Aaon Nola. They have starters Michael Lorenzen and Samuel Aldegheri to back him up.
Ercolani, the first player from San Marino to sign an MLB contract, has most recently played Double-A baseball last season. He pitched to a 1-8 record with a 4.04 ERA, 4.92 FIP, and 1.23 WHIP over 100.1 innings. But surprised with a high ranking on Baseball America’s new NStuff+ metric that rates pitchers for their physical factors that influence their deliveries.
Ercolani was replaced in the roster with reliever Claudio Scotti. He played for Parma in the Italian Serie A baseball league in 2025, pitching to a 2.82 ERA in 22.1 innings from the bullpen. He was part of the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets’ minor league system in two separate spells.
Italy has a tough assignment in Pool B as the team os set to play the United States, Great Britain, Brazil and Mexico. It made it to the quarterfinals in 2023, with a 2-2 record. Scotti was part of that particular roster while Ercolani was on the provisional list.
