DURHAM, N.C. - Following the conclusion of the 2018 14U National Team Development Program (NTDP) on Friday, USA Baseball announced 18 players selected from the program to finalize the 2018 15U National Team Trials roster. Phase 1 of 15U National Team Trials will begin July 29 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.
The 18 will join 54 additional athletes that received invitations to the 15U Trials following the 2018 National Team Championships in Arizona and Florida to round out the final 72-man roster. Phase 2 of 15U Trials will begin on August 1 and will feature 34 athletes vying for a spot on the final 20-man national team roster.
The 2018 15U National Team will participate in training in Cary, North Carolina, from August 4-7 before traveling to David, Panama, for the 2018 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-15 Baseball World Cup.
"We are excited to finalize the roster for the 2018 15U National Team Trials with these athletes," said Ashley Bratcher, Senior Director of Baseball Operations at USA Baseball. "The talent level at the 2018 14U National Team Development Program was incredibly high and made the decisions very difficult for the coaching staff. But we believe we have selected the right 18 athletes to round out the 15U Trials roster.
"Now, the 15U National Team coaching staff is ready to get out on the field and work with these players over the coming weeks to narrow down the field and ultimately pick the best team to represent the U.S. as we look to bring back the first world cup title in 15U National Team history."
15U National Team alums and COPABE Pan Am "AA" Championships gold medalists Davis Diaz (Pittsburg, Calif.) and Joshua Hartle (King, N.C.) return to 15U Team trials for the second consecutive year after both earned a roster spot after competing at the 2017 14U NTDP. In addition, nine members of the 2016 12U National Team that won silver at the COPABE Pan Am "A" Championships were selected to compete at 15U Trials from the 2018 14U NTDP.
In total, 22 USA Baseball national team alumni are on the trials roster, including Diaz and 13 other members of the 2015 12U National Team that won a gold medal at the WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup in Taichung, Taiwan. In addition to the 18 players selected from the 2018 14U NTDP, 23 other invitees have previously participated in the 14U National Team Development Program.
Thirty-seven players on the 15U National Team Trials roster are new to USA Baseball programming in 2018. The athletes selected for the USA Baseball National Team Trials are chosen from the 15U National Team Championships, the USA Baseball 14U National Team Identification Series (NTIS), the NTDP and recommendations from professional scouts and college and high school coaches.
In total, the 72 athletes invited to 15U Trials span 23 different states and Puerto Rico.
Jason Maxwell will serve as the 15U National Team manager in 2018 and is joined on staff by Manny Crespo, Troy Gerlach and Adam Moseley.
For more information on the 15U National Team and the selection process, follow along on Twitter, at @USABaseball15U
2018 USA Baseball 15U National Team Trials Roster:
(Name; Position; Hometown)
Oren Abbott; LHP/OF; Short Hills, N.J.
Ethan Anderson; C; Virginia Beach, Va.
^Eldridge Armstrong III; IF/OF; Pasadena, Calif.
*^Brandon Barriera; LHP; Coconut Creek, Fla.
^Mario Bejarano; LHP/IF; Tucson, Ariz.
Kyle Bender; RHP; Vacaville, Calif.
Evan Blanco; LHP/OF; Worburn, Mass.
*^Karson Bowen; C/RHP; Anaheim Hills, Calif.
*^Joseph Brown; C/IF; Petaluma, Calif.
^Blake Burke; IF; Brentwood, Calif.
*^Kai Caranto; IF; Santa Clarita, Calif.
Ethan Campbell; IF/OF; Panama City, Fla.
^Josiah Chavez; C/IF; Santa Paula, Calif.
*^Ryan Clifford; OF/IF; Raleigh, N.C.
*^Cutter Coffey; IF/RHP; Bakersfield, Calif.
^Joey Collier; LHP; Surprise, Ariz.
^Tyler Collins; OF; McKinney, Texas
Justin Colon; IF; Carolina, P.R.
*^Daniel Corona Jr.; IF/RHP; Brooklyn, N.Y.
^Justin Crawford; OF; Torrance, Calif.
^Dylan Cupp; IF; Cedartown, Ga.
*Garrett Cutting; IF/RHP; Las Vegas, Nev.
Justin DeCriscio; IF; Orange, Calif.
*^Davis Diaz; IF/RHP; Pittsburg, Calif.
*^Thomas DiLandri; OF/RHP; Las Vegas, Nev.
Samuel Dutton; RHP/OF; Rainbow City, Ala.
^Duke Ekstrom; RHP; San Diego, Calif.
^Logan Forsythe; RHP/OF; Biloxi, Miss.
*^Josh Hartle; LHP/IF; King, N.C.
*^Brady House; IF/RHP; Winder, Ga.
^Termarr Johnson; IF; Atlanta, Ga.
Gage Jump; LHP/OF; Aliso, Calif.
*^Cooper Kinney; C/IF; Chattanooga, Tenn.
Cale Lansville; RHP/IF; Denver, Colo.
Talmadge LeCroy; C/IF; Belton, S.C.
^Luke Leto; RHP/UT; Portage, Mich.
^Dylan Lina; RHP; Carson, Calif.
Christian Little; RHP/IF; University City, Mo.
^Kaden Martin; OF/LHP; Redondo Beach, Calif.
^Anthony Martinez; IF/C; Fairfield, Calif.
Rheego McIntosh; RHP/OF; Temecula, Calif.
*Carson McKinney; RHP/IF; Chelseay, Ala.
*^Steven Milam; IF/RHP; Las Cruces, N.M.
Derrick Mitchell; OF/RHP; Tempe, Ariz.
Brewster Mott; OF/IF; Vacaville, Calif.
Devin Obee; OF; Bowling Green, Ky.
Andrew Painter; RHP; Pompano Beach, Fla.
Aaron Perez; IF/LHP; Santa Ana, Calif.
Matthew Porchas; RHP/OF; Ladera Ranch, Calif.
^Diego Prieto; C; Miami, Fla.
^Tyree Reed; OF; Vallejo, Calif.
*^Joshua Reis; IF/RHP; Wahana, Hawaii
*^Collin Reuter; C/IF; Olive Branch, Miss.
*^Luis Rodriguez; RHP; Long Beach, Calif.
*^Mikey Romero; IF; Menifee, Calif.
^Logan Saloman; IF/RHP; Chandler, Ariz.
Michael Saumell; C/IF; Spring, Texas
Charlie Saum; C/OF; Ventura, Calif.
*^Cody Schrier; IF; San Clemente, Calif.
*^Christopher Scinta; LHP; Tamarac, Fla.
*Pierre Seals; OF/IF; Memphis, Tenn.
Ryan Spikes; IF/RHP; Covington, Ga.
^Thomas Splaine; C/RHP; Los Gatos, Calif.
Riley Stanford; RHP/OF; Gainesville, Ga.
Sal Stewart; IF/RHP; Miami, Fla.
*^Zachary Torres; OF; Vista, Calif.
Brian Uribe; RHP; Camarillo, Calif.
Vytas Valincius; IF/RHP; Chicago, Ill.
Jeffery Waters; OF/RHP; Mableton, Ga.
Treylen White; OF/RHP; Moore, S.C.
Timothy Williams; LHP; Shenandoah, Va.
Gage Ziehl; RHP; Penfield, Mass.
*National Team Alumnus
^National Team Development Program Participant