Just like another O’s minor league hurler, righty Ryan Long, right-hander Daniel Federman hoped he could make it onto a roster for the World Baseball Classic. And like Long, Federman had never even pitched as high as Double-A ball and not only did he make it, he has a 0.00 ERA to show for his one inning on the mound.

On March 13 in Miami, Federman pitched a scoreless and quick 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh inning on just nine pitches for Team Israel against Puerto Rico. He got three groundouts against Johneshwy Fargas, Nelson Velazquez and Vimael Machin.

It was over fast as he averaged, per Statcast, 92.8 mph on his fastball, which topped at 93.4. He threw four fastballs, three curves, one changeup and one cutter.

“You know, warming up in the bullpen, it definitely sped up a little bit,” Federman, 24, said over the phone this week from O's minor league camp. “You look around and see the most people you have ever pitched in front of. But I think it was good that we had some veteran guys that had played in pro ball 10 or 15 years and guys that had been in the World Series. A big emphasis to the younger guys was 'just breathe.' It’s the same game.

“So, in the ‘pen it sped up a bit, but after the first pitch it felt weirdly calm out there. I’m definitely a fiery person and definitely very energetic. But I didn’t feel sped up when out on the mound. Glad how it all worked out.”

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Joey Meneses left Nationals camp two weeks ago a mostly anonymous 30-year-old ballplayer who didn’t register much on a national scale. He returned to Nationals camp today an international sensation whose name was chanted by thousands of Mexico fans on the streets of downtown Phoenix after he homered twice in a World Baseball Classic win over the United States.

“I never imagined that,” Meneses said. “That was awesome. It’s one of the best feelings I’ve ever felt. I never thought about that. Just a special moment for me.”

Meneses, along with dynamic and colorful left fielder Randy Arozarena, became the face of Team Mexico during its improbable run to the WBC semifinals in Miami. He finished the tournament with two homers, six RBIs, 10 hits in 27 at-bats and a lifetime of memories.

A veteran of 10 minor league seasons in the Braves, Phillies and Red Sox organizations before he finally made his major league debut last August for the Nationals, Meneses is now well known to baseball fans around the world. He batted third for Mexico, starting mostly at first base, and put on a massive power display in the upset win over Team USA.

One of the indelible images of the tournament was Meneses tossing his bat high into the Arizona night after connecting for his second homer, his teammates leaping out of the dugout with joy.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Patrick Corbin’s last three seasons have been well documented. The numbers don’t need to be repeated. It’s best to just look forward.

The veteran left-hander took a positive step forward this afternoon in just his second spring training start in what resulted in a 6-2 loss to the Astros in front of 3,240 fans at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.

The emphasis for Corbin, and all of the Nationals starters, has been working quickly and throwing strikes. He was able to do both while completing 2 ⅔ innings and throwing 50 pitches, 34 for strikes. He became the first Nats pitcher to go that deep in a game this spring.

“Pretty good. It was good to get a third up there,” Corbin said of pitching into the third inning. “I felt pretty good throughout, even getting up to 50 (pitches). They had a couple of longer at-bats, a couple of their guys. But that was good. I think trying to get in that rhythm to kind of work fast but also be in control and be sure you're ready to go. So I think overall pretty good.”

Pitching the bottom of the first inning for the away team against a lot of Astros regulars, Corbin’s outing started with back-to-back five-pitch strikeouts of Jose Altuve and Jeremy Peña. He then got Martín Maldonado to ground out to short on three pitches to finish the first inning with 13 total, nine for strikes.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander is leaving camp on March 6 to join Team Venezuela in Miami for the World Baseball Classic. He’s jumping into a talent-heavy roster that includes Ronald Acuña Jr., Jose Altuve, Luis Arraez, Miguel Cabrera, Andrés Giménez, Gleyber Torres and Salvador Perez. He also can reunite with former Orioles catcher Robinson Chirinos, who remains a free agent.

Which team is better, the Orioles or Venezuela?

“Oh, that’s a tough question, man,” Santander said, smiling. “I think both are kind of the same. Yeah.”  

Santander mentioned an “MVP-caliber player” on his WBC team. Is Santander that guy?

“Could be, yeah,” he said, smiling again.

SARASOTA, Fla. – Cedric Mullins, Anthony Santander and Dean Kremer will be leaving Orioles camp in a few weeks to get ready for the World Baseball Classic. They got together this morning on the Camden Yards replica field and played their own game.

Kremer threw live batting practice to Mullins and Santander, providing one of the most interesting scenes from the first three days of spring training workouts.

You can only watch so many bullpen sessions.

Mullins drove Kremer’s final pitch over the right field fence and the batting cage beyond it. Some observers gasped and hollered, but Mullins downplayed his achievement, saying Kremer told him what was coming.

An impressive blast, nonetheless.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Paolo Espino was immensely proud when Panama qualified for the World Baseball Classic for the first time since 2009, and he was excited to represent his home country in next month’s international tournament.

But when the final bracket was unveiled and Panama was placed in Pool A, which will hold its first-round games in Taiwan, Espino came to a difficult conclusion: He couldn’t go.

Though he remains on Panama’s preliminary WBC roster, Espino said he has opted not to participate, citing his need to remain with the Nationals this spring as he tries to make the Opening Day roster.

“It’s just too far to go,” the right-hander said. “I would have to miss too much of camp, and I know I have work to do here.”

Panama’s first-round games are set to be played March 8-11 against the four other competitors in Pool A: Taiwan, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Cuba and Italy. Players will need to report to camps a week prior to that for workouts and exhibitions.

We are now a little over three weeks away from the start of the fifth World Baseball Classic. The now expanded to 20-nation tourney begins with four pools of five teams each playing games in Taiwan, Tokyo, Phoenix and Miami.

Team USA will play in Pool C at Chase Field in Phoenix along with Canada, Colombia, Mexico and Great Britain. The two top teams in each of the four pools advance to the quarterfinals and play is then single-elimination, one and done, from that point on. The semi-finals are March 19-20 in Miami with the championship game set for March 21.

Here are past winners:

2006 – Japan

2009 – Japan

Cedric Mullins will participate in the upcoming Orioles caravan, added to the list on Jan. 10, and report early to spring training in Sarasota before leaving camp to join Team USA at the World Baseball Classic.

The Orioles aren’t done trying to make other moves to set their opening day roster, but Mullins is certain to roam center field and sit atop the order.

What’s new to Mullins is ramping up for WBC competition while leaving behind most of his teammates. Reliever Dillon Tate also was chosen for Team USA.

“It’s going to be awesome. It’s a huge honor to be a part of this,” Mullins said this week on MLB Network Radio.

“The last one being back in 2017, so a decent amount of time has passed. COVID kind of got in the way of that, as well, so it’s awesome to be amongst this group. Not only being competitive out there, but you’re preparing for the season, as well. It’s definitely going to be an experience.”

At least two members of the Nationals’ projected Opening Day roster are expected to participate in this spring’s World Baseball Classic, with Joey Meneses and Erasmo Ramirez among those named to their home countries’ preliminary rosters.

Meneses (Mexico) and Ramirez (Nicaragua) were formally included on the WBC preliminary rosters that were reported Friday. Barring injury, each should hold a prominent role on his country’s national team for this spring’s tournament.

Meneses, who became something of a celebrity back home during his stunning two-month debut with the Nationals late last season, is likely to be Mexico’s starting first baseman and hit somewhere in the middle of the lineup. Ramirez, who was named Nats’ Pitcher of the Year after posting a 2.92 ERA in 86 1/3 innings, could start for Nicaragua even though he’ll again be a member of the Nationals bullpen this season.

Players who participate in the WBC could miss a significant chunk of spring training, depending on how far their teams advance in the tournament.

Mexico will compete in Pool C (along with the United States, Canada, Colombia and Great Britain), with pool play scheduled for March 11-15 in Phoenix following several days of workouts and exhibitions. Nicaragua (which qualified for the first time) is competing in the powerhouse Pool D (along with the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Israel), with games in Miami, also scheduled for March 11-15 following several days of workouts and exhibitions.

The Orioles made an adjustment to their 40-man roster on the first day of their offseason.

Catcher Anthony Bemboom’s contract was selected this afternoon from Triple-A Norfolk, and right-hander Anthony Castro was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.

Bemboom didn’t play for the Orioles after No. 1 prospect Adley Rutschman arrived on May 21. He cleared waivers and was outrighted to Norfolk six days later.

The Orioles signed Bemboom to a minor league contract and he broke camp with the team, beating out Jacob Nottingham as the backup to veteran Robinson Chirinos. He appeared in 22 games and went 6-for-52 (.115) with two doubles and a home run.

Bemboom threw out three of eight runners attempting to steal.