Ten Royals selected to play in World Baseball Classic, including two for Team USA

For Royals fans, the last World Baseball Classic brought mixed emotions.

On the plus side, the Royals’ Danny Duffy and Eric Hosmer helped the United States win the competition in 2017.

A pair of Royals players also turned in the worst moment of the tournament, when catcher Drew Butera accidentally injured Salvador Perez during a game.

The event will return next month as players from around Major League Baseball take leave from their team camps to join their respective national teams. That includes 10 Royals players.

Two of them — pitcher Brady Singer and shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. — will help Team USA try to defend its title.

The World Baseball Classic was supposed to be held in 2021 but was pushed back because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Three Royals players will join Venezuela. Perez will make his third appearance in the World Baseball Classic (2013, 2017). Right-handers Carlos Hernández and Max Castillo also will play for Venezuela.

First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino will try to live up to his “Italian Nightmare” nickname as he joins infielder Nicky Lopez on Team Italy.

Puerto Rico has called on catcher/outfielder MJ Melendez to join their team, while right-hander Ronald Bolaños will join the Cuban national team.

Infielder Robbie Glendinning, who was at Double-A Northwest Arkansas a year ago, will join Team Australia.

One Royals staff member will be a skipper. Luis Ortiz, the Royals’ international scouting sSupervisor, will manage Team Panama.

The World Baseball Classic begins March 7 when Cuba faces the Netherlands. Team USA opens play against Great Britain on March 11. The U.S. plays Mexico on March 12, then faces Canada on March 13. Team USA closes pool play with a game against Colombia on March 15.

All four of those games will be played at Chase Field in Phoenix.