News

Team Australia will return to the famous Tokyo Dome in November to take on some of the world’s best, as the country has agreed to take part in November’s Asia Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) 2023 presented by Carnext.

The championship pits the best Under-24 players from the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB, Japan), Korean Baseball Organization (KBO, South Korea), Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL, Taiwan) and Australian Baseball League (ABL) against each other.

The tournament will be played from November 16-19.

Australian manager David Nilsson says this tournament is an important event to be part of when it comes to the national team program.

“I think it’s important that any time there is an event on the world stage, we are there. We want to be included in that,” he says. “Team Australia is a tournament team. Our objective is to be the best tournament team in the world. The more tournaments we play, the better we will get and improve as a country. This is an incredible event on a great stage.”

The competition will be fierce. All of Australia’s opponents are ranked in the Top 5 in the World.

The much-anticipated event is expected to attract a huge global audience. All of Australia’s matches will be available to watch on Baseball OnDemand.

Australia is coming off an impressive showing at the World Baseball Classic, where they powered through to the quarter-finals before going down in a thriller vs Cuba.

While the success should be celebrated, Nilsson says it’s important to not get complacent and to keep building at this event.

“We keep repeating our focus – and that is to become the best tournament team in the world. We don’t want to feel content, we don’t want to feel entitled, after the last event. We need to find ways to keep preparing being consistent at what do,” he says.

The tournament gets underway for Team Australia with clash against Korea on November 16 – a thrilling rematch of the game won by Australia in the WBC Group Stages.

Australia will follow with a game vs Chinese Taipei the next day. The pool stage culminates with a colossal match against reigning champions and world number one ranked Japan, on November 18.

Importantly, teams will be playing for crucial World Ranking Points, with the Australians targeting a coveted place within the Top 12 of the WBSC World Rankings by December 31, 2023. This achievement would secure a berth in the prestigious Premier-12 World Championship in 2024.

While the roster remains under wraps, the buzz surrounding the youthful Australian talent cannot be ignored.

“There’s going to be a large group of the young players from the World Baseball Classic team who could be on this team,” says Nilsson. “There will also be a group below who will be available.”

Nilsson says there is a list of over 130 Australian players that is constantly evolving and being evaluated. But when it comes to roster construction, there is one thing in mind.

“This program is not about participation – it’s about winning,” Nilsson says. “Every event we go to we have that in mind and young players will learn that by being part of events like this.”

For the latest updates, comprehensive coverage, and an insider’s perspective on Team Australia’s journey to the Championships, stay tuned to the official Baseball Australia website.