WATCH IN US/CANADA ON DAZN ($) | WATCH OUTSIDE US/CANADA ON GAMETIME ($) | LIVE STATS
TEPIC, Mexico – Team USA is set to begin play at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier12 presented by RAXUS on Saturday, taking on Puerto Rico. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. local/6:00 p.m. ET from Santa Teresita Stadium in Tepic, Mexico.
PITCHING MATCHUP
LHP Rich Hill (USA) vs. LHP Jonathan Bermudez (PR)
Team USA starter Rich Hill throws a pitch in exhibition action
GROUP A STANDINGS
Team USA (0-0)
Mexico (0-0)
Netherlands (0-0)
Panama (0-0)
Puerto Rico (0-0)
Venezuela (0-0)
HISTORY AGAINST PUERTO RICO
The U.S. and Puerto Rico have met 13 times, with Team USA holding an 8-5 advantage in the matchup. The U.S. won the first meeting between the two sides in 2005, a 12-6 victory at the XXXVI World Cup. Most recently, the stars and stripes squared off against Puerto Rico in the championship game of the 2017 World Baseball Classic, which resulted in an 8-0 victory for Team USA. Marcus Stroman turned in six innings of one-hit ball and Ian Kinsler went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer that started the scoring in the gold medal win. This will be the first ever contest between the United States and Puerto Rico at the Premier12.
Adam Jones bats for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic title game, the last meeting between Team USA and Puerto Rico
THE FUTURE IS NOW
Six players on Team USA’s roster have played in the MLB All-Star Futures Game, including five players who competed in the event in 2024: Drake Baldwin, Justin Crawford, Termarr Johnson, Matt Shaw, and Chandler Simpson. Crawford also earned a spot in the 2023 iteration of the Futures Game, while Willie MacIver played in the event in 2019.
BACK IN THE RED, WHITE, AND BLUE
Anthony Gose, Termarr Johnson, Chris Okey, and Touki Toussaint all return to play for the stars and stripes after previous stints with Team USA. Gose was a member of the Olympic team in 2021, when he made four appearances and allowed just one hit and no runs in 5.1 innings. Johnson is a two-time alum who won gold with the 15U National Team in 2019 and led the 18U National Team in batting during a friendship series in 2021. Okey is also a five-time alum, suiting up for the 16U squad in 2010, the 18U National Team in 2011 and 2012, winning gold medals each time, and the Collegiate National Team in 2014 and 2015. Toussaint won gold with the 16U National Team in 2011, pitching three times at the IBAF World Youth Championships in Mexico.
Two-time Team USA alum Termarr Johnson bats for the 18U National Team in 2021
TOP SPECTS
The U.S. roster features four players who rank in the MLB Pipeline Top 100, including two players who are the top-ranked prospect for their respective Club. Carson Williams ranks as the fourth-best prospect in baseball and atop Tampa Bay’s Top 30 Prospects, while Matt Shaw leads the way for the Cubs and is the 22nd-ranked prospect in the sport. Additionally, Justin Crawford sits at No. 53 and Termarr Johnson ranks No. 75 in the Top 100.
BIG LEAGUERS
The U.S. roster features nine players with MLB playing experience, combining for 57 big-league seasons. Rich Hill leads the way with 20 MLB seasons under his belt, while Dan Altavilla, Anthony Gose, Spencer Patton, and Touki Toussaint bring at least five seasons of big-league time to the roster. Zac Grotz, Casey Lawrence, Chris Okey, and Cam Vieaux have also had stints in the major leagues.
SCIOSCIA AT THE HELM
Nineteen-year MLB veteran manager Mike Scioscia leads Team USA at the Premier12 in 2024, his third stint in the U.S. dugout. Scioscia debuted with the stars and stripes in 2021, first leading the Club to a 4-0 record as it qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Scioscia then managed the United States at the Olympics and led the team to a silver medal, going 4-2 overall. Before his role with Team USA, Scioscia won three World Series titles in MLB; two as a player for the Los Angeles Dodgers and one as a manager for the Los Angeles Angels.
