Brothers Garrett and CJ Stubbs have a lot in common.
Both are catchers. Both played at Torrey Pines High School and at USC. Both have played in the major leagues.
But Garrett and CJ Stubbs are four years apart and have never played on the same team — until now.
The Stubbs brothers are the catchers for Israel, which opened play Saturday in the World Baseball Classic. Israel is in Pool D with the Dominican Republic, the Netherlands, Nicaragua and Venezuela.
Garrett Stubbs, who is with the Philadelphia Phillies, has played in 197 major league games over seven seasons. CJ Stubbs made his big-league debut last season, catching one game for the Washington Nationals. He signed with the Toronto Blue Jays organization during the offseason.
The Stubbs brothers are two of eight players with San Diego ties playing in the WBC. Another four San Diegans are coaching.
Here’s a look:
• Former San Diego State standout Cole Carrigg also plays for Israel. MLB.com ranks the 23-year-old Carrigg as the sixth-best prospect in the Colorado Rockies organization. He played some catcher and shortstop in the low minors, but is now primarily seen as an outfielder.
• Former Padres catcher Brad Ausmus is the manager of Team Israel, while former Padres All-Star second baseman Mark Loretta is a coach.
• Carlsbad High School grad Thomas Saggese is an infielder for Team Italy, which is in Pool B with Brazil, Great Britain, Mexico and the United States. Saggese, who is with the St. Louis Cardinals, has played 100 major league games over the last two seasons, hitting .250 with three homers and 29 RBIs. Pool B plays in Houston.
• Former UC San Diego standout Shay Whitcomb is an infielder playing for Korea, which is in Pool C alongside Australia, Chinese Taipei, Czechia and Japan. He opened play on Thursday by hitting a pair of solo home runs in the Tokyo Dome. Whitcomb has played 40 games for the Houston Astros over the last two seasons.
• Veteran right-hander Dylan Covey is pitching for Great Britain. Covey, who played at USD, is 7-32 in 100 big-league games with the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox.
• Jacque Jones, who played at San Diego High School and USC, is a coach for Nicaragua. Jones played 10 years in the majors, hitting .277 with 165 homers and 630 RBIs.
• Castle Park High School grad Benji Gil is managing Team Mexico. Gil played eight major-league seasons, hitting .237 with 32 homers and 171 RBIs. He manages Charros de Jalisco in the Mexican League.
Colombia pitcher Rio Gomez throws against Canada during the sixth inning of a World Baseball Classic game in Phoenix, Tuesday, March 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
• Left-hander Rio Gomez, whose father Pedro was a sportswriter for the Union-Tribune before joining ESPN, is pitching for Colombia in Pool A, which includes Canada, Cuba, Panama and Puerto Rico. Rio Gomez pitched at the University of Arizona. Pedro Gomez died in 2021 at age 58.