"Oh, my God!' Australia is stronger than expected → LG Lachlan Wells leads with pitchers from KBO such as Saupold and Coenwin

*This content was translated by AI.

The tragedy of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) held in 2023 cannot be repeated. However, the Australian players who will face at Tokyo Dome seem to have become stronger. It is bringing in better-than-expected players to cool Ryu Ji-hyun's bloodshed.

On the 6th, the WBC Organizing Committee released the final roster of 30 participating countries on its official website. Australia's roster, which belongs to Group C with South Korea, was also outlined. In particular, there are a large number of pitchers from the KBO League who know Korean hitters relatively well, putting the national team on alert.

The most threatening existence is by far left-hander Lachlan Wells (29, LG Twins). Wells wore an LG uniform as an "Asian Quarter" player introduced to the KBO League ahead of the 2026 season. Having already experienced Korean baseball while playing as an injury replacement for the Kiwoom Heroes in the 2025 season, he is a left-hander with elaborate control and tricky trajectories. He was a substitute foreign player in the 2025 season, but he was not bad with 1-1 losses and a 3.15 ERA in four games.

The Australian national team is very likely to put Wells, who clearly understands the strengths and weaknesses of Korean hitters, as a starter or a key bullpen against Korea. In particular, it is the No. 1 target for vigilance as it showed a one-beat fast operation against South Korea in the 2023 tournament, consuming as many as nine pitchers.

Warwick Suffold (36), who is familiar to Hanwha Eagles fans, will also wear an Australian uniform once again. Suffold, who served as an ace with double-digit wins in both the 2019 and 2020 seasons as a member of Hanwha, will play the role of mental support for the Australian mound based on his abundant experience. He recorded a record of 22-24 with a 4.16 ERA in 69 games over two seasons in the KBO League. However, there are concerns about aging as a veteran, but one inning is enough.

In addition, Koenwin (27), who was the MVP of the Australian League in 2025 and played as a temporary foreign pitcher for LG in the 2025 season, also joined the team. Coenwin was not good with 1-1 losses and a 7.04 ERA in five games, but like Suffold, he is expected to play one or two innings. They understand the tendencies of Korean hitters and the unique game patterns of the KBO League, which is expected to pose a great threat to our batters in the short-term WBC.

Australia's power has soared not only from the pitching staff but also from the fielders. Starting with infielder Travis Bazana (24, minor under the Cleveland Guardians), who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 Major League Rookie Draft, Alex Hall (28), who recently confirmed his joining of Ulsan Wales, and Kia Tigers Asian quarter infielder Jared Dale (26), are filling the lineup. Just as the power that caused Korea's painful defeat three years ago is not a coincidence, Australia's current power is widely considered to be the "strongest ever."

Ryu will face Australia in his final group match on March 9. Although they meet after the bloody battle with Japan and Taiwan, the physical burden as well as how to target "from KBO" players who are familiar with Korean baseball are expected to determine their fate in advancing to the quarterfinals.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.