CARY, N.C. – USA Baseball today announced that Rick Eckstein will return to manage the 18U National Team in 2025. Eckstein, who was named the Rod Dedeaux Coach of the Year after leading the 18U squad to a gold medal in 2024, will guide the stars and stripes at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup in Okinawa, Japan.
The assignment will mark Eckstein’s eighth coaching role with a USA Baseball national team and his second managerial appearance.
“The USA Baseball experience is unique and unlike any other in the amateur baseball landscape,” Eckstein said. “Being surrounded by the best coaches, players, and staff in the world is not an opportunity that I take lightly. I am honored and humbled to be named manager for the 18U National Team and will work hard to ensure that our national anthem is the last song playing on September 14 in Japan.”
“We are excited to bring Rick back as our manager again in 2025,” said Brett Curll, 18U National Team Program Director. “Rick’s leadership last summer played a key role in our gold medal and qualification into the World Cup. He will continue to make a big impact on our players and staff as we focus on bringing our eleventh world championship home from Japan.”
Eckstein led Team USA to a perfect 8-0 record at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier in Panama City, Panama in 2024. The U.S. won its seventh consecutive gold medal at the tournament, outscoring opponents 58-9 in the eight-game span. Under the watch of Eckstein–a former Major League hitting coach–U.S. hitters batted a tournament-best .280 and reached base at a .398 clip. Eckstein coached three players to spots on the all-tournament team, including Tournament MVP and 2024 Richard W. “Dick” Case Player of the Year Award winner Kayson Cunningham. Team USA’s defense also shined with Eckstein at the helm as the squad committed just four errors–tying for the fewest in a tournament in program history–and posting a .982 fielding percentage, the best of the 13 competing nations.
Rick Eckstein in the dugout as manager of the 18U National Team in 2024
Following his successful stint with the 18U National Team in 2024, Eckstein joined the Professional National Team coaching staff as the hitting coach for the 2024 Premier12 tournament. In his sixth appearance on the Pro Team staff, he helped lead the stars and stripes to their first bronze medal in Premier12 history. Team USA’s offense ranked second in the tournament in hits (83), runs scored (51), and home runs (12) as Eckstein captured his fifth overall medal. Prior to his stint as hitting coach at the Premier12, Eckstein had previously been a member of the Professional National Team coaching staff on five different occasions. He mainly worked under longtime big-league manager Davey Johnson and helped Team USA collect a trio of medals, including a bronze at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Eckstein was also the bullpen coach for the United States at the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006.
Along with his national team coaching experience, Eckstein has also been deeply involved with USA Baseball’s development programs and educational initiatives. In 2023, he was a coach at the Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) League, 16U/17U National Team Development Program (NTDP), and 18U National Team Training Camp, earning USA Baseball Coach Educator of the Year honors. Eckstein also took home the 2008 “Doc” Counsilman Science Award for his coaching efforts through scientific data and technology.
Eckstein started his coaching career in 1997 when he served as a volunteer assistant coach for the University of Florida following the end of his playing career at the school. In 1999, he joined the Tampa Bay Devil Rays as a bullpen coach and batting practice pitcher before taking the same role with the Minnesota Twins a year later. Eckstein got his first hitting coach position shortly after this, joining the University of Georgia’s coaching staff during the 2002 and 2003 seasons. In the subsequent years, he worked for multiple minor league teams in that role, including the Harrisburg Senators, Vermont Expos, New Orleans Zephyrs, Memphis Redbirds, and Columbus Clippers. He got his first major league coaching role at the end of 2008 with the Washington Nationals, where he served as the hitting coach until the end of the 2013 season. Eckstein joined the Los Angeles Angels as a player information coach in 2014 before returning to the college ranks as an assistant coach for the University of Kentucky, a position he held for two years. After that, he was brought on by the Minnesota Twins as a minor league hitting coordinator and worked in that role from 2016-2018. His most recent big-league coaching position was as the hitting coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates, which he held until the end of the 2021 season.
Since its inception in 1987, the 18U National Team program has won 10 world championships and 17 overall gold medals. The U.S. has collected 27 total medals at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup, more than any other competing nation. Its most recent gold medal was on home turf at the 2021 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup in Sarasota, Florida.
The remainder of the coaching staff for the 18U National Team will be announced at a later date. Click here to view the schedule for the 2025 18U National Team.
