FORT MYERS, Fla. – USA Baseball today finalized the roster for the 2022 18U National Team, which will compete in the XXX World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup from September 9-18 in Bradenton and Sarasota, Florida.
The roster announcement comes after five days of 18U National Team Training Camp, which consisted of on-field workouts and a four-game Stars vs. Stripes series at the Lee County Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Florida.
“We are really excited about the group we are bringing to represent our country next week in Florida,” said 2022 18U National Team Manager Denny Hocking. “This Training Camp roster was extremely competitive and talented, giving us the opportunity to put together a strong roster at every position. The mission is to protect our home soil and win the World Cup, and this group gives us a great chance at accomplishing that goal.”
Four players on this year’s roster have previous experience playing for the stars and stripes. Aidan Miller (Trinity, Fla.) makes his third appearance on a Team USA roster after playing for the 12U National Team in 2016 and winning a world championship with the 15U National Team in 2019. Colt Emerson (Cambridge, Ohio) and Gavin Grahovac (Orange, Calif.) will reunite on this year’s team after winning a gold medal with the 2017 12U National Team at the IV WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup in Tainan, Taiwan. Lastly, Blake Mitchell (Sinton, Texas) returns to the 18U National Team after playing for the U.S. in 2021 when the team went 5-1-1 in a friendship series against Canada.
Nineteen players on the 2022 roster participated in this year’s Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) League at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. The PDP League, which serves as the primary identification event for the 18U National Team, is an invitation-based development and assessment opportunity for high school players eligible for the following year’s MLB Draft. Since its inception in 2019, it provides athletes with an extraordinary amateur experience, including competitive gameplay, player development sessions, educational seminars, and other programming to prepare players for a professional baseball career.
Additionally, nine players on this year’s team have previously participated in the USA Baseball National Team Development Program (NTDP). Dylan Cupp (Cedartown, Ga.) and Miller participated at the 2018 14U NTDP, while Emerson and Grahovac both played at the 2019 14U NTDP. That duo also competed at the 2021 16U/17U NTDP, along with Max Clark (Franklin, Ind.), Cupp, Bryce Eldridge (Vienna, Va.), Emerson, Grahovac, Adam Hachman (Wentzville, Mo.), Miller, Mitchell, and Christian Rodriguez (Coral Springs, Fla.).
Manager Denny Hocking will lead Team USA at the XXX WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup in 2022. Hocking will make his international managerial debut with the U.S. at the World Cup, bringing 13 years of major league playing experience to the role. He is familiar with USA Baseball, serving as a manager at the 2021 PDP League as well as the 2021 18U National Team Trials. Hocking has spent time as an analyst and reporter for MLB.com and Fox Sports Radio in addition to serving as a coach and manager throughout the minor leagues. He has served as a minor league manager for four different teams, most recently with the Single-A Modesto Nuts, and currently works as an analyst on Bally Sports West.
Pitching coach Adam Moseley and assistants Roberto Vaz and Jack Wilson join Hocking on the coaching staff in 2022. Moseley, who is currently the head coach at Hoover High School (Hoover, Ala.), brings international experience to the staff as he helped the 15U National Team capture a world championship as the pitching coach in 2018. Vaz was a Golden Spikes Award finalist in 1997 and currently serves as an assistant coach at LSU-Eunice, and is making his USA Baseball national team coaching staff debut in 2022. Wilson, who was an assistant on the 2021 18U National Team staff, returns this summer after recently being named an assistant coach at Grand Canyon University. The former big leaguer spent 12 seasons playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners, and Atlanta Braves.
Team USA begins pool play at the XXX WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup on September 9 against the Netherlands at 7 p.m. ET from LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida. The game immediately follows the Opening Ceremony at 6 p.m. Tickets are available here.
Fans are encouraged to follow along with the action by following @USABaseball18U on Twitter and @USABaseball on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
2022 18U National Team Roster
(Name; Position; Hometown)
- Jake Brown; LHP; Sulphur, La.
- ^Maxwell Clark; OF; Franklin, Ind.
- Alexander Clemmey; LHP; Middletown, R.I.
- ^Dylan Cupp; INF; Cedartown, Ga.
- Matthew Dallas; LHP; Arlington, Tenn.
- Blake Dickerson; LHP; Virginia Beach, Va.
- ^Bryce Eldridge; RHP/INF; Vienna, Va.
- ^*Colt Emerson; INF; Cambridge, Ohio
- Kendall George; OF; Houston, Texas
- ^*Gavin Grahovac; INF/OF; Orange, Calif.
- ^Adam Hachman; LHP; Wentzville, Mo.
- RJ Hamilton; INF; Hoover, Ala.
- Cameron Johnson; LHP; Upper Marlboro, Md.
- Camden Kozeal; INF; Omaha, Neb.
- Kevin McGonigle; INF; Aldan, Pa.
- ^*Aidan Miller; INF/OF; Trinity, Fla.
- ^*Blake Mitchell; C/RHP; Sinton, Texas
- ^Christian Rodriguez; RHP/OF; Coral Springs, Fla.
- Stone Russell; INF; Bradenton, Fla.
- Cameron Tilly; RHP; Newburgh, Ind.
* denotes national team alumni
^ denotes national team development programs participant
