SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Brady Singer was hosting a golf outing the day before his wedding this offseason when he noticed his agent take a call, then drive over to Singer in his golf cart.

Team USA had just extended an invitation for the Royals right-hander to play in the World Baseball Classic.

“The answer was an immediate, ‘Yes, absolutely,’" Singer said Thursday at the Royals’ Spring Training complex in Surprise. “It’s a different kind of pressure to rep your country. To wear it across your chest will be a different feeling. I’m incredibly excited.”

Singer is one of 10 Royals bound for the World Baseball Classic next month representing six countries. Singer and shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. will head across town to Scottsdale in a couple of weeks to represent Team USA as it looks to defend its 2017 Classic title.

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Singer, 26, doesn’t know what to expect in terms of his role or how much he’ll pitch. He’s welcome to anything asked of him. The leader of the Royals’ young core of pitchers and one of the faces of Kansas City’s young club, Singer will soon enter a Team USA locker room full of baseball’s biggest stars.

That’s what he’s most excited about.

“Seeing the guys I’ve watched forever with [Clayton] Kershaw and [Adam] Wainwright, just being able to sit back like a little kid and watch them work. It’ll be cool to bounce ideas off them. And the position players, too, with [Team USA captain Mike] Trout and everyone. To be in the same locker room with a bunch of guys who you have watched become the face of this game will be awesome.”

Back in camp Thursday for the first day after learning he lost his arbitration hearing to determine his 2023 salary, Singer threw a bullpen session and will face hitters for two innings in a few days, his focus now solely on the Classic and the upcoming season. He started his offseason ramp-up earlier than usual to be as prepared as possible for the adrenaline rush that comes with competing in elimination games.

“Above anything else, we want to go win,” Singer said. “That’s the cool part about this team and representing our country -- we’re not there just to play in that atmosphere and be like, ‘This is cool.’ We’re there to win it. Trout has said that, our manager [Mark DeRosa] has said it. We want to win. That’s our goal, not only represent our country in a great way, but to win the whole thing again.”

There’s another reason Singer started ramping up earlier than usual this offseason. There were things he wanted to work on as he comes off a breakout 2022 performance and readies for ’23.

Once again, Singer’s changeup is a major focus for the 26-year-old. Last year, Singer rejoined the Royals’ rotation in May armed with an improved changeup and the willingness to use it more in his outings. It transformed the way he pitched the rest of the year, finishing with a 3.11 ERA in 24 starts from May 17 to the end of the year.

“They’ve really stressed working on the changeup,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “With most pitchers in the game, there’s usually disparity between what they do to the same side hitters and opposite side hitters. As teams look to use their rosters more, they’ll stack it with lefties against him. He’s going to have to continue to evolve to get lefties out.”

New pitching coach Brian Sweeney and assistant pitching coach Zach Bove have brought more to the table for Singer to learn about his signature sinker, biting slider and improved changeup, something the pitcher is “extremely excited” about.

“I think Sweeney and Bove together is just like, ‘Wow, this is great,’” Singer said. “Bove is so good on the pitch design and understanding the analytics. So is Sweeney, obviously, but that’s what Bove was doing before this. And then to have Sweeney’s expertise and background, for them to come together, they work so well together. Their communication with the pitchers has been unbelievable.”

Singer took a major step forward last year, and he’s looking for more in 2023, as well as bringing his fellow starters along with him. This spring is not all that different for Singer, despite his spot on Team USA, being a lock for the Royals' rotation -- which was not the case last year -- and perhaps even an Opening Day start.

His goal is simple.

“I think just every time I take the ball, I want to give the team a chance to win,” Singer said. “I want to be a workhorse. That is the most important thing to me.”