How is Joc Pederson qualified to represent Israel? Looking into team's criteria for WBC eligibility

Joc Pederson, the Californian baseball star who plays with the San Francisco Giants, is not representing his home country in the World Baseball Classic. Instead of suiting up for the defending champion United States, he will play for Team Israel.

This is not because he or his family is from Israel. Instead, it's because his mother is Jewish, which means he was born with Jewish heritage. Team Israel's criteria allows for players like that to join their roster for international competition.

---

Why Joc Pederson is on Team Israel

Pederson played for the Israeli team in 2013, when they failed to qualify for the competition. He did not join their 2017 roster, when they also failed to qualify. He will be present for their 2023 run, which will require a lot of firepower from the Giants' star.

Pederson headlines an Israeli roster with a few other MLB names:

• Richard Bleier
• Adam Kolarek
• Dean Kremer
• Matt Mervis
• Spencer Horwitz

He is also going to be coached by former MLB star and a member of Team USA's 2017 champion team Ian Kinsler. Pederson is arguably the most notable member of the roster and will be asked to do a lot of heavy lifting on offense.

If Israel is to make it out of the Pool stage, then they'll need a lot of production from Pederson, who had a stellar season in 2022 and is poised for another big year.

Joc Pederson plays for San Francisco in MLB

Israel has not yet played in the World Baseball Classic, but once they do, the pressure will be on for Joc Pederson and company.