Team Dominican Republic has perhaps the most stacked lineup in World Baseball Classic history. I mean, they had Geraldo Perdomo, a player who probably should've been a NL MVP finalist last season, batting ninth in their tournament opener. What really sticks out in their lineup was the player who hit in front of Perdomo, New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells.
Yes, Austin Wells, a catcher who was born and went to college in Arizona, is a starter for the Dominican Republic in the WBC. Here's how that makes sense.
Why Austin Wells plays for the DR in the World Baseball Classic
On the surface, Wells, an American, playing for the Dominican Republic in the WBC, shouldn't happen. However, while Wells certainly could have played for Team USA if manager Mark DeRosa had given him a call, some players are eligible to play for more than one country. Wells fits into that bucket.
This is more common than you think. For example, Nolan Arenado has played in more than one iteration of the WBC for Team USA, yet he's a part of Team Puerto Rico this time around. Adam Ottavino is playing for Team Italy after previously playing for the USA. Heck, even Marcus Stroman, a player who won the WBC MVP for Team USA in 2017, played for Puerto Rico the next time around.
While some players can play for more than one country, being allowed to do so is far from a guarantee. You must prove yourself eligible. Aroldis Chapman failed to do that with Great Britain. With that, here's what's required for Wells to be part of the Dominican Republic team.
World Baseball Classic Eligibility Rules Explained
The easiest way for a player to be eligible to play for a country in the WBC is if he's a citizen of said country with a valid passport. You can even be eligible to play for the country you were born in, even if you didn't grow up there. Eligibility goes beyond yourself, though.
For example, if at least one parent is or was a citizen of a country, you are eligible to represent that country in the WBC even if you have never lived there and don't have a passport for that country. Even if the parent was born in that country and never lived there full-time, the player is eligible.
Arenado was eligible to play for Puerto Rico because his mother is Puerto Rican. That same parental connection is how Wells is eligible to play for the Dominican Republic in the WBC.
Austin Wells' connection to the Dominican Republic
Wells' mother, Michelle, is Dominican, as both of her parents were born in the Dominican Republic. This, thanks to the WBC's eligibility rules, allows Wells to play for the Dominican team, even though he is not a citizen and has never lived there. Even if Wells had never set foot in the Dominican Republic prior to this tournament, he'd be eligible to play for the team thanks to his mother.
"My mom's parents are Dominican, so that's how I'm connected there. Obviously very excited about this opportunity. Have a lot of family still down here in the Dominican, so it's been a really cool couple of months leading up to this," Wells said when discussing his Dominican Republic WBC eligibility.
He might not look Dominican or speak the best Spanish in the world, but Wells playing for the DR is no accident. Playing in this tournament for the Dominican team is a great way for him to honor his mother's heritage. Don't be surprised to see him come through with a big hit or two in the bottom of the order for a Dominican team vying for a WBC tournament win.
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