PHOENIX -- The D-backs will be represented by seven players in next month's World Baseball Classic, including All-Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, who will play for Team USA.
In five full Major League seasons, Goldschmidt has played in four All-Star Games, starting two of them, and has won a pair of Silver Slugger Awards and Gold Gloves, while finishing runner-up for National League Most Valuable Player twice.
The World Baseball Classic runs from March 6-22. In the U.S., games will air live exclusively in English on MLB Network and on an authenticated basis via MLBNetwork.com/watch, while ESPN Deportes and WatchESPN will provide the exclusive Spanish-language coverage. MLB.TV Premium subscribers in the U.S. will have access to watch every tournament game live on any of the streaming service's 400-plus supported devices. Internationally, the tournament will be distributed across all forms of television, internet, mobile and radio in territories excluding the U.S., Puerto Rico and Japan. Get tickets for games at Marlins Park, Tokyo Dome, Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, Estadio Charros de Jalisco in Mexico, Petco Park, as well as the Championship Round at Dodger Stadium, while complete coverage -- including schedules, video, stats and gear -- is available at WorldBaseballClassic.com.
Joining Goldschmidt on the World Baseball Classic rosters will be left-hander Miguel Aguilar (Mexico), infielder Daniel Descalso (Italy), outfielder Zach Borenstein (Israel), right-handers Silvino Bracho (Venezuela) and Fernando Rodney (Dominican Republic) and outfielder Reymond Fuentes (Puerto Rico).
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Aguilar, 25, was signed to a Minor League contract by the D-backs after playing five seasons in the Mexican League. Aguilar is part of Mexico's designated pitcher pool.
:: 2017 World Baseball Classic ::
Each team has the option of using the designated pitcher pool (DPP), which works like this: A team can use up to 10 designated pitchers but can't have more than two on its active roster at a time. Those "active" DPs can be replaced at the beginning of each of the next two rounds, but only by another DP. Once a DP has been replaced, he cannot return to the active roster for a subsequent round. Using Team USA as an example, Danny Duffy and Tanner Roark are the active DPs for the first round of pool play, so they can be replaced on the roster before the second round or the championship round, but only by one of the team's other DPs. And if a DP joins for the second round, he can be replaced for the championship round, but only by another DP.
Borenstein, 26, spent the 2016 season at Triple-A Reno where he hit .272/.337/.440.
Bracho, 24, has seen time with the D-backs in each of the past two seasons. He was lights out for Arizona in 2015 when he had a 1.46 ERA in 13 games. After making the Opening Day roster last year, Bracho struggled, compiling a 7.30 ERA while shuttling between Reno and Phoenix.
Fuentes, 26, was signed to a Minor League contract by the D-backs in December and was given an invitation to Spring Training. Last year in 13 games for the Royals he hit .317 while collecting a .254 mark with Triple-A Omaha.
Rodney, 40, was signed to a one-year deal by the D-backs during the Winter Meetings last December. This will be his third appearance in the World Baseball Classic having been a part of the Dominican Republic's 2006 and 2013 teams. In 2013 he saved eight games as the Dominican Republic won the championship.
Descalso, 30, was signed by the D-backs this week and is expected to be one of their backup infielders in 2017. He spent the last two seasons in Colorado and hit .264 with a career-best eight home runs and 38 RBIs in 99 games in 2016.