The 2023 European Baseball Championships will kick off in slightly over a week. It will be a tournament where the traditional powers of European baseball will face significant challenges from up and coming programs hungry to prove their worth with the addition of hardware to their coffers.
The scenic Central European nation of Czechia will play host to the old world starting 24 September. The darlings of the 2023 World Baseball Classic will look to build on that initial success and establish themselves as a major power on the continent. The presence of traditional powerhouse Spain in Group A will add difficulty and intrigue to their quest for a first ever European medal. Austria and Greece will look to shock their way into the last eight.
The other surprise WBC qualifier from Europe was Great Britain. They will also have to tango with a traditional continental power in Italy. They will be on a mission to royally assent the growth of British baseball with a European medal. Sweden will also be looking to take a step forward along with Hungary in a group B that can go so many different ways.
The defending champs are the class of group C at least on paper. The Dutch have long dominated this tournament but there are more and more worthy challengers in 2023 ready to kick off their crown. Croatia, France and Ukraine round out the group. France has a bit of past success and something to prove. Croatia may be strongest in the Balkans. Ukraine is a sentimental favorite and will come motivated to make a deep run for a nation ravaged by war.
Group D is a decently balanced one but the favorite is 2021 runner-up Israel. The program has grown and Israel will be looking to lay the foundation for their EBC in 2025 and start the year 5784 off sweetly. Germany offers stiff resistance to winning the group. Switzerland and Belgium are solid outfits also. A repeat of 2021's podium finish will be expected as Israel come into a tournament for perhaps the first time as one of the favorites. The 2023 EBC can be considered a coming of age test for Team Israel.
A tournament long dominated by three nations promises to be much more open this time. The hosts can be considered a medal favorite after a creditable WBC and a decade of strong growth. Team GB is quietly getting dangerous and Team Israel is now a mainstay in high level competition. The big three are still dangerous though. Italy and Spain are still strong and the Dutch are a world power for a reason. It should be a tournament of great storylines and great memories. For hosts Czechia, it is a vindication of years of continued hard work and dedication to growing the game in their home country.
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