WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: POOL B - GREAT BRITAIN VS MEXICO

March 6, 2026

Brad Marcelino

Tristan Beck

Branden Beck

Daikin Park

Team Great Britain

Pregame Press Conference

Q. Morning, Brad. Obviously Anderson is starting the game today. What are your thoughts on how you are going to basically approach the pitching situation from the start on wards?

BRAD MARCELINO: Get outs. So, yeah. Jack will go, and however long he can take us, however miles he can get for us. I was telling you guys yesterday that we are approaching this every at-bat, every inning is in its own, it's one of its own. Whatever he can give us I am excited for him to perform. He will be good.

Q. Could the three of you reflect as we start game play what it means to play for GB in this tournament right now today.

TRISTAN BECK: Yeah. I can start. It means a lot. It means a lot. Brendan and I this is our first tournament with the team. Being British is a huge part of our identities, was a huge part of growing up. You know, the team, the federation has set a really good base over the past decades and even the last WBC. And we are really excited to hit the ground running, further the cause, advance the group and kind of see what we can do.

BRENDAN BECK: Going off of what Tristian said, obviously being a part of the heritage means a lot. Every guy in the locker room, every person on the staff would echo that sentiment.

Really taking it back the last few years and seeing what this team has been able to accomplish in a short amount of time. Obviously 2023 was a huge year for federation, playing in the WBC, getting a win, showing the world that we can compete with the world's best, and early qualifying for 2026. Everything that's happened in between has also really advanced the program.

Following the guys, following Marce, following Drew Spencer, seeing the guys compete in the European Championships, following our U-23 team, we took a gold medal in their tournament in Europe. Great Britain baseball is in a great spot right now. And I am really excited and really honored to do be able to wear the logo on my jersey, on my hat. And a lot of the guys are in that same state of mind.

BRAD MARCELINO: I would add quickly that I think digging in to the guys, their individual stories or family history, but each of the guys in the clubhouse have a unique connection to GB. That is what's kind of what is cool because we have the flag, or multiple flags, and that part of it is probably the best part, is how we all come together for the tournament.

Tournament baseball is kind of strange, because you never have the same team. This is a special group.

Q. (Indiscernible) I know two of you this is your first tournament. It is your second. You were an assistant the last time, right? How does this tournament feel different than the previous one?

BRAD MARCELINO: Yeah. I am going to age myself. My first tournament with the national team was 1999. And my last tournament as a player was 2012. I have been in multiple of them. But, yeah, the past one, '23 at Chase, obviously the WBC -- but question was how has it changed?

Q. How is it different than the last WBC?

BRAD MARCELINO: I think more momentum, more eyeballs that -- from what we did last time. You start to see the program and a bunch of kids start to kind of pay attention to what's going on in the country. So I think that's great.

Obviously that's one thing that we all have talked about is how we can inspire the future generations of kids. So it feels like that's taken a step up. The quality of the players to get guys like Tristan and Brendan. It is unbelievable to get arms like that. It is part of this program. We have been working on it for a while. Now, I think, the group that we have, it is cool when it comes together.

Q. Tristan and Brendan, when is the last time you two competed together in a team?

BRENDAN BECK: Back in 2018 which makes me feel pretty old and Tristan is probably saying the same thing. That was my freshman year and Tristan's junior year at Stanford University. Had one year together there. Our team was really good that year.

The two of us had a pretty big role in the pitching staff. Our mantra is try to go carry that success into this team this year and see if we can capture the magic and get the boys rolling again and do our part.

THE MODERATOR: Tristan, anything you want to add?

TRISTAN BECK: We grew up playing together, two years in high school. Obviously that one year in college was the last time doing it together.

Just echoing that, we've have had pretty good success every time we have been wearing the same uniform, pulling on the same rope. Excited to keep that going.

Q. Marce, you brought with you Liam, who has paved the way for the level that GB is competing at now. You also brought your dad. Can you talk about the cast you brought around you and how they have shaped you?

BRAD MARCELINO: That's a difficult one to put into words. But, yeah, I mean Liam, obviously, grew up, known him for a really long time, went through the same sort of struggles in the game and trying to find our footing there. So he has done tremendous job all of the managers and previous skippers those before me -- Rapaglia, Vince Garcia and Gary Roberts -- all of these guys there previously, Drew Spencer.

I think when you think about those guy, the teammate, my dad now who also played for the national team in the '80s, my son who is going to be the bat boy today. So we have three generations of Marcelinos which is pretty cool.

There's so many people -- player, teammates, the support staff -- who are all part of the journey. You reflect on it. There's a lot different things it could go. They have definitely helped me and my journey, because I feel like it is such a huge part of the organization.

When I started playing I didn't know I was going to necessarily be a part of the WBC. I just wanted to give back to the program at some point. Yeah. Cool journey to think about.

Q. What's it like having one of the heavyweights early as opposed to later in the group stage?

BRAD MARCELINO: Don't really care. Yeah. Nameless and faceless. Us verses us. We execute. We are on the attack, no matter what.

So my dad -- these guys weren't in the room, but my dad told a funny story to position players. And it is not PR worthy, but, yeah, don't really care.