In addition to Mark Teixeira (USA) and Robinson Cano (Dominican Republic), five more Yankees will be leaving camp to play in the World Baseball Classic: infielders Gil Velasquez and Walter Ibarra, who will play for Mexico, outfielder Melky Mesa and pitcher Juan Cedeno, both of whom will play for the Dominican Republic, and two-handed pitcher Pat Venditte, who will play for Ambidextria. I mean Italy.
Joe Girardi said that Teixeira would play in five of the first eight preseason games and Cano would play in six of the eight before leaving the club on March 3. Mesa will start in center field in the spring opener on Saturday in Kissimmee, and Girardi said he would try to get Velasquez some game at-bats before he leaves.