Categories: Phillies Nuggets with Tim Kelly

The collection of former Phillies playing in the World Baseball Classic is incredible

Didi Gregorius spent parts of three seasons with the Phillies. (John Adams/Icon Sportswire)

Thursday, we learned that eight players currently on the Philadelphia Phillies 40-man roster will compete in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

However, if you followed the hour-long roster reveal show on MLB Network, you may have gotten more of a kick out of tracking the former Phillies that will play in the tournament.

Here’s a list of former Phillies set to compete in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, which will run from March 8-21:

Canada: Phillippe Aumont, Nick Pivetta and Scott Mathieson

Acquired from the Seattle Mariners in the December 2010 Cliff Lee trade, Aumont posted a 6.80 ERA in 46 games for the Phillies between 2012-2015.
One of the more frustrating Phillies pitchers in recent memory, Pivetta will anchor the starting staff for Team Canada. Set to turn 30 next week, Pivetta posted a 4.56 ERA and 4.42 FIP across 179 2/3 innings pitched for the Boston Red Sox in 2022.
Mathieson, 38, last pitched for the Phillies in 2011. While his Major League career never panned out, Matheison had success in eight seasons for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan. His most recent professional pitching experience came in 2019.

Colombia: Jorge Alfaro

Alfaro was part of two of the biggest trades in Phillies history. The toolsy catcher was acquired from the Texas Rangers in the July 2015 Cole Hamels trade. In February of 2019, he was dealt to the Miami Marlins in the J.T. Realmuto trade. After playing for the San Diego Padres in 2022, Alfaro has signed a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox, which includes a non-roster invite to Spring Training.

Dominican Republic: Jean Segura, Luis García and Héctor Neris

Segura spent the last four seasons with the Phillies, becoming a playoff hero in 2022. He’ll likely serve in a reserve role for a loaded DR team, which also features Rafael Devers, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.,Wander Franco, Ketel Marte, Manny Machado, Willy Adames and Jeremy Peña among the other infield talent.
García appeared in 251 games for the Phillies between 2013 and 2018. Over the last two seasons, his excellent repertoire has finally translated into results, as he’s been a key cog for the St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Padres.
Neris is one of the better relievers in Phillies history, even if his eight seasons with the team featured some trials and tribulations. Of course, he was part of the Houston Astros team that defeated the Phillies in the 2022 World Series.

Great Britain: Vance Worley, Darnell Sweeney

Between 2010 and 2012, Worley went 18-13 with a 3.50 ERA and 3.57 FIP over 277 2/3 innings pitched. Worley last pitched in the big leagues in 2017 for the Marlins.
Sweeney was acquired by the Phillies in August of 2015 from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Chase Utley trade. He appeared in 37 games for the Phillies down the stretch of that season.

Israel: Ty Kelly

Kelly hit .193 in 69 games for the Phillies in 2017. He will join current Phillies backup catcher Garrett Stubbs on Team Israel.

Garrett Stubbs bat-spiked and DJ’d his way to fan favorite status in 2022. He’s ready for ‘new memories’ in 2023

Mexico: JoJo Romero

A fourth-round pick by the Phillies in 2016, Romero was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for Edmundo Sosa last July.

Netherlands: Didi Gregorius, Roger Bernadina

The Phillies released a struggling Gregorius last August, and he’s yet to catch on with a team this offseason. Set to turn 33 later this month, Gregorius hit just .170 in 16 games in the Puerto Rican Winter League, so he needs to have an impressive showing in the WBC to continue his playing career.
Bernadina, 38, appeared in 27 games for the 2013 Phillies.

Puerto Rico: Yacksel Ríos

Ríos, 29, was a 12th-round pick by the Phillies in the 2011 MLB Draft. He posted a 6.38 ERA in 53 games for the Phillies between 2017 and 2019. He’s currently in the Atlanta Braves organization.