GOODYEAR, AZ. − As the World Baseball Classic nears the quarterfinal round, the Cincinnati Reds will maintain a presence in the competition’s knockout stage while several of the organization’s minor leaguers were eliminated.
Eugenio Suárez (Venezuela) and prospect Edwin Arroyo (Puerto Rico) will both advance from pool play to the quarterfinals with their respective nations. Meanwhile, newly acquired Cincinnati relief pitcher Kyle Nicolas’ Italy team faces Mexico (2-1) on March 11 with the winner advancing to the quarterfinals.
Suárez enjoyed one of the tournament’s more photogenic and raucous moments so far when he homered to left at Miami’s LoanDepot Park to open up a 4-0 lead against Israel on March 7. Overall, Suárez is hitting .250 in two starts for Venezuela (3-1), which will emerge from Pool “D.” Venezuela’s March 11 game against the Dominican Republic (3-0) will decide the group winner and where the two teams slot into the knockout round bracket.
Reds Head Athletic Trainer Tomas Vera, who also occasionally acts as a Spanish interpreter for the team, is also aiding the Venezuelan team at the WBC.
Puerto Rico (3-1), who hosted Pool “A” play at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rice, finished second out of five teams to reach the quarterfinals. Reds manager Terry Francona said he liked the idea of Arroyo joining Puerto Rico for the experience it might provide him. Cincinnati’s No. 9-rated prospect finally got his opportunity in the March 10 pool-play loss to Canada. Arroyo played at second base but went hitless in two plate appearances in the contest.
Nicolas’ Italy team (3-0) pulled off the upset of the WBC on March 10 in their 8-6 win over America at Houston’s Daikin Park, although Nicolas didn’t pitch in the game. Nicolas had one appearance entering Italy’s final game in pool play, and allowed two runs on two hits and a walk in a win against Great Britain.
The March 11 Italy-Mexico game had direct implications for whether the star-studded Americans advance from Pool “B,” although there are multiple scenarios for the U.S. to reach the quarterfinals.
The quarterfinals are scheduled to begin Friday, March 13.
On March 11, 24-year-old infielder and Reds minor leaguer Alexander Vargas (Cuba) started his first game of the WBC in a must-win game against Canada. He went 0-for-3 as Canada won to finish atop the pool, knock Puerto Rico down to second place, and eliminate Cuba.
Other Reds’ minor leaguers participating in the WBC, including 20-year-old lefty starter Ryjeteri Merite (Netherlands), 22-year-old pitcher David Lorduy (Colombia) and 27-year-old utility player Ivan Johnson (Great Britain), all were featured in WBC pool play for their respective countries. Merite started a pool-play game against Israel, and Johnson started all four games for the British (1-3).
The Dutch, Colombians and British were all eliminated from the WBC in pool play.
Righty pitcher Irvin Machuca didn’t have any recorded statistics posted for Mexico ahead of their pool-play finale against Italy.
Also, the Cincinnati organization didn’t have a player participating in Tokyo-based Pool “C.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: See which Reds players are advancing in the World Baseball Classic
Reporting by Pat Brennan, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
