Quebecer Charles Leblanc will represent Canada at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. This was revealed on Saturday when the Miami Marlins player was in Laval for an autograph session.
“I have already confirmed that I will play for the Canadian team,” said Leblanc, with a view to the major international competition coming up in March. Aside from perhaps the Olympics, it’s the biggest baseball event in the world. There will be several great ball players at this tournament. I’m very excited to see what it will bring. »
In Group C, Canada meets the United States, Colombia, Mexico and Great Britain in a round-robin tournament scheduled for Arizona. Several other countries will compete in parallel in Miami, Tokyo and the island of Taiwan.
Ahead of that big gathering, Leblanc continues his preparation for the next training camp with the Marlins, with whom he played his first 48 major league baseball games in 2022.
“Small Wounds”
The 26-year-old athlete, originally from Laval, was also in the Dominican Republic earlier this fall to keep in shape. However, he broke off his stay with the Tigres del Licey for preventive reasons.
“I had minor wounds that came back from last season,” explained Leblanc, who has a .263 batting average in Major League Baseball. Nothing serious, but I didn’t want to take any chances. I’m still undergoing treatments to fix those minor injuries and be ready for the next camp. »
Photo Martin Alari
Young Rafael Jacques was able to meet one of his models.
As a testament that he’s in good health, Leblanc will spend the next week in California working with Doug Latta, a renowned batting consultant. He will return to Quebec for the holiday season before leaving in January.
From shadow to light
Otherwise, Saturday showed how Leblanc is now the pride of baseball fans in Quebec. Dozens of them lined up outside the Ultime Sports Collection store in Laval to get an autograph.
The Quebecer’s life took a turn less than a year ago, on December 8, 2021, when he switched from the Texas Rangers organization to the Marlins under a special player-only draft.
“There are so many stories of players dying in organizations because they didn’t get their chance,” Leblanc argued afterwards. It was a bit like that for me at Rangers, who gave preference to young hopes. The Marlins saw something in me and that gave me an opportunity to make my major league debut. It definitely changed my life. »
In the notebook…
- In addition to Charles Leblanc, several other Quebecers could get their place on the Canadian team at the next World Baseball Classic. Abraham Toro, Otto Lopez and Edouard Julien are in contention for a possible participation in the Round Robin from March 11th to 15th in Arizona. The former pitcher was also allowed to experience that Philip Aumont returned to training hoping to represent Canada.
- President of baseball operations for the Atlanta Braves, the Quebecers Alex Anthopoulos is Baseball America’s Executive of the Year.
- Andrew Dawson will be among the guests at the next Expos Fest Gala on April 22, 2023 in Laval. Vladimir Guerrero and Moises Alou will also be present.
- Number change in sight for Charles LeBlanc ? When signing objects on Saturday, the Marlins player preferred not To his number 83. In the minor leagues he notably carried 12, 14 and 18.
- The Quebecer Miguel Cienfuegos, who had an exceptional season with the Capitales de Quebec, was named independent baseball’s Canadian Pitcher of the Year by the Canadian Baseball Network. He was previously voted Ligue Frontière’s pitcher of the year and received the Claude Pelletier trophy.
- Among the fans present in Laval on Saturday morning were the boys Raphael Jacques, 13, had a great testimonial to demonstrate Charles Leblanc’s impact: “He’s a good player and a good role model. It shows that a dream can come true for a Quebec baseball player. It’s an inspiration to me, like Abraham Toro. »