Matteo Sollecito, a baseball senior at Swarthmore College, is on Great Britain’s taxi squad roster for the 2023 World Baseball Classic, which started today, March 8, and runs until March 21.  

Sollecito is serving initially as a reserve, but has a chance to be added to the active roster of the tournament.

Great Britain’s roster includes several current and former Major League players, including the Dodgers Trayce Thompson and former Phillies Vance Worley and Darnell Sweeney.

 “It’s an honor and a privilege to represent something bigger than myself or baseball,” said Sollecito. “It’s the country where I threw my first baseball in and there are a lot of people on that coaching staff to who I owe my success and transfer to American baseball.

“It was my beginning and I’m really lucky to be selected to play for a nation that I constantly feel the need to give back to.”

The London native started eight games out of 10 appearances last season for the Swarthmore College Garnets. He posted a 4-1 record with a 4.01 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 24.2 innings of work.

The Garnet’s had late-season success last year significantly helped by right-hander Sollecito who stabilized the pitching staff.

During the Centennial Championship opening round, he tossed four-shutout innings in a no-hit effort.

Find out more about Matteo Sollecito and his appearance at the World Baseball Classic swarthmoreathletics.com.

Here’s a video of Matteo Sollecito doing some practice pitching.