Matt Koperniak only met his All-Star team-mates a few weeks ago, and already they are out to get him.

London-born Koperniak, 25, will enter the Team GB dugout representing David as they look to slay an almighty Goliath wearing stars and stripes.

The outfielder, who moved to Adams, Massachusetts, as a toddler and was plucked from Trinity College, Connecticut, by the St. Louis Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2020, made his GB debut in September's World Baseball Classic qualifying tournament in Regensburg, Germany. 

There, Britain went 3-0 against France, Germany and Spain - winning the latter 10-9 in extra innings having trailed 8-3 at one stage - to reach this year's expanded 20-term WBC.

Britain's reward for qualifying for their first ever Classic is an opening group game against the US, the reigning champions who have assembled a Dream Team with perhaps the strongest roster since the tournament began in 2006 as part of a plan to grow the game globally.

Koperniak is already etched into British baseball folklore, having scored the winning run in their Spanish conquest, and followed it by earning his first call-up to Cardinals Spring Training this month, where he has been taking his hacks alongside four Team USA stars with 19 All-Star appearances between them - pitchers Miles Mikolas and Adam Wainwright, third baseman Nolan Arenado and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, the reigning National League Most Valuable Player.

Britain are the lowest-ranked team in the competition, 150-1 shots to even make it out of a group of death that also features heavyweights Mexico, Colombia and Canada. 

But Koperniak is adamant that the GB squad - which includes 10 players with MLB experience including LA Dodgers center fielder Trayce Thompson, brother of NBA star Klay - can make some noise.

'It's going to be tough,' Koperniak tells Dailymail.com.

'But for us just being there is going to be great. Just to see some of the arms that Team USA or Mexico have will be a great experience, to stand up against major leaguers. Every team's going to be stacked.'

Team USA's 2017 title, crowned with an 8-0 rout of Puerto Rico in the championship match at Dodger Stadium, was a breakthrough moment for the WBC. 

Until recent years, it was a struggle to convince the sport's elite players to give up their Spring Training for what were seen as little more than exhibition matches. But this time around, the stars have come out to play.

Facing Britain will be Mike Trout in center field, flanked by Mookie Betts and Kyle Tucker. 

An infield with Arenado and Goldschmidt on the corners, and Trea Turner and Tim Anderson up the middle. On the mound will be Adam Wainwright, leading a pitching staff that also includes Lance Lynn, Kyle Freeland and Devin Williams, and will be caught by JT Realmuto and Will Smith.

'We're playing to win the gold medal,' says Arenado. 

'There are no goals other than that. Usually you don't play important games in March, but when you play for Team USA it's important to win this thing again. 

'This event is a special thing and I hope more people catch on and watch it, because representing your country is such a big deal. I watched the (soccer) World Cup and saw how awesome that was, and hopefully one day we can get the WBC close to that.'

Trout, the three-time MVP, has already dismissed anything other than a gold medal for the US as 'failure', but this will be no procession. 

The 2017 title was the first time the US had finished higher than fourth in the WBC, with other countries such as two-time champions Japan and 2013 winners the Dominican Republic boasting far more developed national teams, having embraced this competition from the outset.

In fact, the young, exuberant DR team on their day will go toe-to-toe with any lineup the US can muster, led by a fearsome top of the lineup that reads Julio Rodriguez, Juan Soto, Manny Machado. Bravado won't get any pitcher through that without damage.

Another advantage for the Dominicans is that the championship rounds will be in Miami, where the DR beat the US in 2017 pool play in front of a raucous crowd backing the Latin American teams.

But to get that far, the US must first beat Koperniak and Great Britain. It's a momentous year for British baseball, with their WBC debut followed in June by the return of MLB across the pond, as the Cardinals face the Chicago Cubs in a two-game series in London. And there's certainly no fear on their side.

'It's as close as it gets to major-league play, and all eyes are on you,' says Koperniak. 'It's a showcase.

'There's nothing to lose. We're just going to go out there, have some fun and see what happens - but we're playing to win.'

St. Louis Cardinals will play Chicago Cubs in the MLB World Tour: London Series 2023 on June 24 – 25 at London Stadium. Tickets are available now at ticketmaster.co.uk/mlb