Jays’ Pompey looking forward to first world classic

Dalton Pompey remembers watching the 2009 World Baseball Classic in Toronto as a teenager and wondering if he’d ever get a chance to play in the tournament.

Fast forward eight years and he finally has his answer.

The 24-year-old outfielder from Mississauga, Ont., will be in Miami next week when Canada opens WBC play against the Dominican Republic on Thursday.

Pompey, who hasn’t worn a Canadian jersey in an international competition since playing for the junior national team in 2010, is thrilled to be on the roster. But as someone who’s still hoping to crack the Blue Jays’ big-league roster out of spring training, he wasn’t initially sure if leaving camp for a week to compete for Canada was a good idea.

“It was a tough decision,” a thick-bearded Pompey said in a recent interview at Toronto’s spring training facility in Dunedin, Fla. “I had the conversation with (general manager) Ross Atkins and it’s something that I wanted to do. I’ve waited so long for this opportunity. I don’t know if there’s going to be another one so if this is my last shot, I wanted to do it.

“I’m still competing for a spot (with the Blue Jays) but when they signed Jose (Bautista) I knew it wasn’t as open as it once was. I figured, ‘Hey, I should go. Best case scenario I miss a week of spring training and that’s not too bad.”’

Canada will be without two of its most recognizable faces with Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto and Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin unavailable. Also missing are Phillies outfielder Michael Saunders, Mariners left-hander James Paxton and White Sox second baseman Brett Lawrie.

Votto turned down Canada’s invitation to focus on his own play this spring while Martin had to bow out due to insurance concerns following off-season knee surgery.

The WBC features a threegame round robin with the top two teams from each of the four groups moving on to the second round. The winners and runners-up from there advance to the single-elimination championship round in Los Angeles.

Canada has never moved past the group stage in each of the three previous tournaments.