Tommy Edman is of American nationality. He will represent South Korea in the World Baseball Classic because he has Korean root/heritage from his mother’s side.
Tommy Edman’s mother, Maureen Kwak, was born in Korea. She moved to the United States as a child and settled down there. Moreover, Tommy Edman’s parents welcomed him in Pontiac, Michigan. He grew up in San Diego.
While Edman’s connection to Korea may have taken some by surprise, it has only increased the World Baseball Classic’s appeal on a global scale.
The criteria for baseball participation in the World Baseball Classic are relatively broad. The most obvious requirement is to be a native of the target nation. But there are many additional situations in which a player can represent a nation.
For example, earning citizenship, residing there permanently, or having a parent or grandmother who was born in the country.
The simplest explanation is that players may represent a country if they are eligible for citizenship in that country – they don’t necessarily have to be citizens.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Edman said, “that’s the great part about the World Baseball Classic.” The Michigan-born baseball player added that it allows people worldwide to watch baseball and exposes baseball to many more nations.
Tommy Edman also talked about understanding the rivalry between Japan and South Korea, with whom Korea would share a pool.
In the upcoming matches, Edman will face off against Lars Nootbaar of the Cardinals, who is Japanese on his mother’s side.
