USA start selection process for WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup

World No. 5 USA have named an expanded roster of 88 for the first phase of their U-18 National Team training camp, scheduled from July 18 to 22 at the National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.

The selection will produce a 40-player roster for the selection camp's stage two, to be held in Cary from August 25 to 28.

The final 20-player roster will compete in the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2025 presented by RAXUS.

"With Training Camp kicking off on Friday [July 18], we are very excited about the collection of talent coming to Cary," said Brett Curll, USA Baseball’s U-18 National Team Director. "The 88 players who will compete at Training Camp are the top 18-and-under athletes in the country and we look forward to welcoming them to Cary on our journey to a world championship."

Thirteen USA national team alumni will return to the National Training Complex looking to be named to another national team. Grady Emerson and Brady Murrietta helped USA win a gold medal at last summer’s WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier and will vie for a spot on the team in 2025. Including Emerson and Murrietta, 13 total alumni of the U-15 National Team will compete at Training Camp, including five players from the world championship-winning 2022 squad: Carson Bolemon, Andrew Costello, Emerson, Murrietta, and James Tronstein.

Additionally, nine players from the 2023 U-15 National Team are on this year’s U-18 Training Camp roster: Will Adams, Wilson Andersen, Blake Bowen, Trey Ebel, Emerson, Brady Harris, Jorvorskie Lane Jr., Taytum Reeves, and Tronstein. 2024 U-15 National Team alum Rocco Maniscalco also appears on the Training Camp roster.

Thirty-three athletes invited to Training Camp have previously participated in USA Baseball’s national team development programming. Twelve players were members of the 13U/14U Athlete Development Program (ADP), while 26 have participated in the 16U/17U National Team Development Program (NTDP). Seven of those players have experience at multiple USA Baseball development programs: Andersen, Bowen, Dylan Minnatee, Murrietta, Kevin Roberts Jr., Rookie Shepard, and Tronstein.

Rick Eckstein will manage the USA U-18 National Team. The coaching staff includes his brother, 2006 World Series MVP David Eckstein, along with two-time MLB All-Star Brad Penny and longtime high school coach Steve Stone. Minor League coaching veteran Kirk Champion will join the staff as the pitching coordinator for both phases of the selection camp. Champions has served on the USA coaching staff at the 2001, 2009 and 2011 Baseball World Cups.

Plenty of Major League Baseball (MLB) experience will work at the two camps as assistant coaches.

Tim Raines Jr., RJ Farrell, Homer Bush, Jared Halpert, Jeff Reboulet, Troy Glaus, Guy Civitello, Dave Webb, Mike McKenry, Doug Mientkiewics (a Sydney 2000 gold medallist), Rick Ankiel, Brian Schneider, Luke Gregerson, Jason Sekany, Josh Beckett and Sam Freeman will assist the staff during phase one of the selection camp.

Raines, Mc Kenry, Wilson, Mientkiewics, Gregerson and former No. 1 Draft pick and 2008 Beijing bronze medallist Stephen Strasbourg will assist during the second phase.

The Baseball Federation of Japan (BFJ) and NPB Enterprise will co-host the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2025 presented by RAXUS from September 5 to 14 in Naha City, Okinawa, with the support of the High School Baseball Federation.

USA will compete in Group B and face world No. 2 Chinese Taipei, No. 8 Panama, No. 12 Australia, No. 17 Germany and No. 20 China.

Group A will include the defending U-18 World Champions, No. 1 Japan, No. 6 Korea, No. 9 Puerto Rico, No. 10 Cuba, No. 14 Italy and No. 30 South Africa.