Kimbrel, McCann, Freeman candidates for World Baseball Classic

Atlanta Braves stars Freddie Freeman, Craig Kimbrel and Kris Medlen are all potential participants in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

Mark Bowman of MLB.com writes that Kimbrel and Medlen are targets of Team USA skipper Joe Torre, who would surely love to add both to his pitching staff. Freeman is also a potential name for the WBC, but Bowman notes that the Atlanta first baseman is eligible for both Team USA and Team Canada, since both his parents were born in the Great White North.

Medlen exploded onto the scene this season with a tremendous performance, going 10-1 for the Braves in the regular season with a minute 1.57 ERA and 0.913 WHIP in 50 appearances, 12 of them starts. Kimbrel is coming off a season for the ages, with 42 saves and a microscopic 0.654 WHIP in 63 appearances out of the bullpen while striking out 116 batters in just 62.2 innings. Freeman clubbed 23 homers and drove in 94 runs for the Braves in his second full season, logging 147 games.

One player who won't be appearing in the World Baseball Classic is Atlanta right fielder Jason Heyward. Bowman writes that Heyward declined overtures from Team USA so that he could better focus on the 2013 MLB season.