Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani, San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish and Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki were among the first 12 men named to Japan's World Baseball Classic roster Friday by manager Hideki Kuriyama.
From Nippon Professional Baseball, 22-year-old Triple Crown-winning slugger Munetaka Murakami, 21-year-old perfect game pitcher Roki Sasaki and two-time Sawamura Award winner Yoshinobu Yamamoto have been selected for March's tournament.
Ohtani will make his WBC debut after missing the fourth and most-recent edition in 2017 with a right ankle injury.
The complete roster is expected to be announced in late January before a training camp in Miyazaki between Feb. 17 and 27.
Japan will start its Pool B campaign at Tokyo Dome on March 9 against China.
*
Pitchers: Yu Darvish (San Diego Padres), Shosei Togo (Yomiuri Giants), Roki Sasaki (Lotte Marines), Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Angels), Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Orix Buffaloes) and Shota Imanaga (DeNA BayStars)
Catcher: Takuya Kai (SoftBank Hawks)
Infielders: Sosuke Genda (Seibu Lions), Shugo Maki (DeNA BayStars), Munetaka Murakami (Yakult Swallows)
Outfielders: Kensuke Kondo (SoftBank Hawks), Seiya Suzuki (Chicago Cubs)
*
