Seattle Mariners Infielder Reportedly Being Recruited By Surprise WBC Nation

According to recent reports, Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford is being courted by Team Mexico for the upcoming 2026 World Baseball Classic.

World Baseball Classic expert Shawn Spradling revealed that information on the most recent edition of the Refuse to Lose podcast:

It was ​kind ​of ​a ​shock ​when ​we ​found ​out ​that ​he's ​eligible, but ​J.P. ​Crawford ​has ​actually ​been ​recruited ​to ​play ​for ​Mexico. ​He ​doesn't ​have ​any ​Mexican ​blood ​himself, ​but ​his wife ​is ​Mexican, ​and ​so ​technically, ​that ​sort ​of ​makes ​him ​eligible ​for ​citizenship ​in ​Mexico. ​And, ​Benji ​Gil ​the ​Mexican ​manager, ​he's ​actually ​already ​been ​in ​contact ​with ​J.P. Crawford.

The World Baseball Classic has different, and lax, sets of eligibility requirements, so it will be interesting to see if Crawford suits up for the Mexican team.

Should he do that, he'll likely have some Mariners ties on the roster: Randy Arozarena played for the group in 2023 and has said he wants to play again. Closer Andres Munoz is expected to represent Mexico, his home nation, and former Mariners players Luis Urias and Rowdy Tellez could be on the squad again as well.

Spradling listed Crawford as Mexico's shortstop in his "Dream Team" roster series, which was put out in mid-July.