Xander Bogaerts’ first time in the WBC was as a 20-year old young gun looking to start his career, little did he know that the upcoming year he would have would change his life forever. He went on to start as the Red Sox’s shortstop during their 2013 World Series championship run.
He handled the pressure well and earned a starting spot the next year. He kept growing, getting better every day, and later becoming an All Star as one of the premier shortstops in the game.
Right before he left to join the Netherlands team, he talked to reporters about a motive for participating in it.