Bo Bichette’s focus this spring appears to be solely on his new team.
Following his lucrative three-year, $126 million deal with the Mets, the infielder will not play for Team Brazil in this year’s World Baseball Classic. according to ESPN Brazil.
The 27-year-old expressed his desire to participate in this year’s tournament in Brazil along with his older brother Dante Bichette Jr., who was a first-round pick by the Yankees in 2011.
Their mother, Mariana, was born in Porto Alegre, Brazil, making them both eligible.
“I hope I can bring attention to baseball in Brazil,” Bichette told MLB.com last May. “There are great and talented athletes there. The WBC is a great opportunity for us.”
Bo and Dante, sons of former MLB slugger Dante Bichette, both suited up for Brazil during the 2016 WBC qualifiers at Maimonides Park in Brooklyn.
Bichette was a prospect in the Blue Jays system at the time and recorded two goals in those games, although Brazil failed to qualify for the WBC.
Bichette would have been the only MLB representative for Brazil in the tournament, as his brother never played above Double-A. The last Brazilian-born players to appear at the MLB level were catcher Yan Gomes and pitcher Thyago Vieira in 2024.
While Bichette would also be eligible to play for Team USA in the WBC, it appears he will begin spring training to acclimatize to his new club and position.
After spending his first seven Major League seasons with the Blue Jays, the two-time All-Star officially joined the Mets last week as the team’s new third baseman.
He hit a strong .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs last season, finishing second behind Aaron Judge (.331) for the American League batting title.
Outside of last year’s postseason, when he played second base after returning from a knee injury, Bichette spent his entire big league career at shortstop, where he was one of the worst defenders at that position by several defensive measures.
Mets skipper Carlos Mendoza told The Post’s Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman during Monday’s edition of “The Show” podcast that early indicators for Bichette’s new position are encouraging.
“He’s an athlete,” Mendoza said. “We’re looking at a guy who has played shortstop virtually his entire career. And as I watched him today, walking around third base, taking ground balls, creating angles and then making throws to first base, I said to him, ‘Looks like you’ve played there before.'”
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