Baseball United reveals rosters for Dubai All-Star Showcase

Dubai-based Baseball United announced the official rosters for the league’s inaugural event – next month’s All-Star Showcase in Dubai.

Forty-four players – 22 on each team – will participate in the two-game series between Baseball United East All-Stars and Baseball United West All-Stars.

The Showcase will be held on November 24-25 at Dubai International Stadium.

Tickets are now on sale at baseballunited.com/tickets.

“We are honoured to bring many of our best players to Dubai for our first-ever professional games,” said Kash Shaikh, Chairman, CEO, and Majority Owner, Baseball United.

“Our All-Stars come from 16 different countries and have played at the highest levels of professional baseball. This is truly something the region has never seen. Our fans will get to witness history. It’s the perfect way to launch our league.”

Seventy-five per cent of Baseball United’s All-Stars have played at the Major League Baseball (MLB) level, with others competing in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball Organization and other international leagues and tournaments.

The Baseball United East All-Stars are led by MLB legend, Bartolo Colon, a four-time MLB All-Star and the winningest Latin American-born pitcher in MLB history.

Colon, who was selected 16th overall by the Karachi Monarchs in Baseball United’s inaugural Draft, will be the East team’s starting pitcher on November 24.

When he takes the field in Dubai, he will become one of the oldest professional players in history. Colon turned 50 earlier this year.

The East team’s starting infield has a total of 32 years MLB playing experience, with players from the Dominican Republic, the United States, Curaçao, and Venezuela.

Meanwhile, the Baseball United West All-Stars are captained by eight-time MLB All-Star second baseman, Robinson Cano.

Cano won a World Series Championship with the New York Yankees in 2009, and a World Baseball Classic Championship with the Dominican Republic in 2013 at which he was named MVP.

Cano, who is also a Co-Owner of Baseball United, was selected sixth overall in the Baseball United Draft by the Wolves.

Former MLB All-Star, Jair Jurrjens, will be the starting pitcher for the West All-Stars on Opening Night. Jurrjens, who posted double-digit wins three times for the Atlanta Braves from 2008 to 2011, was selected 10th overall by the Wolves in the Baseball United Draft.

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