Pitchers and catchers for the Milwaukee Brewers have less than five weeks of preparation before reporting to Spring Training. Milwaukee will kick off exhibition play in late February, facing the Cincinnati Reds in a split-squad tilt. However, one MLB hopeful will get his cleats dirty in meaningful games come March, with a former second-round pick slated to suit up for Team Nicaragua in the World Baseball Classic Qualifiers.
On Tuesday, reports surfaced of Milwaukee Brewers minor leaguer Freddy Zamora planning to compete in the WBC under the Nicaraguan flag. The primary shortstop for AAA-Nashville last season, Zamora will try his hand at positioning his home country as a qualifier for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Milwaukee Brewers Infielder Makes WBC Roster
Biloxi Shuckers, Credit: Mike Krebs)
According to World Baseball Classic writer Shawn Spradling:
Brewers prospect Freddy Zamora will represent Nicaragua in the World Baseball Classic Qualifiers. The Nicaraguan SS was a 2nd round pick (no. 53) in the 2020 MLB Draft and has some nasty defensive highlights.
Zamora, the second-round pick in the 2020 MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers, will play for Nicaragua in March during the World Baseball Classic Qualifiers. Nicaragua will play Spain, Chinese Taipei, and South Africa, with the first and second-place finishers advancing to the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Zamora has spent four seasons with the Brewers, mainly playing shortstop for AA-Biloxi. Across 318 games, Zamora has smacked 18 home runs while swiping 40 bases and hitting .248. He has little power in his bat and was known for his ability to play defense, run the bases, and hit for contact as a two-year starter with the Miami Hurricanes from 2018 to 2019. Zamora is not on the Brewers’ 40-man roster and is eligible for next year’s Rule 5 Draft.
WBC Looks For Epic Encore
In 2026, the World Baseball Classic will look to match the intensity and fervor displayed in 2023, where Japan beat the United States in an epic 3-2 finale. In the win, MLB superstar and three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani struck out than teammate Mike Trout, also an MVP, for the final out of the game.
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