CARY, N.C. - The second half of the week-long 2021 PDP League kicks off on Thursday with another doubleheader at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. The first matchup of the day will feature Team Gray vs. Team Light Blue on Coleman Field at 1:00 p.m. ET. Team Red and Team Navy will then follow with a 5:00 p.m. ET contest.

The 2021 PDP League features 96 of the best 18-and-under players in the country split onto four teams for a week of games, testing, on-field workouts, and off-field seminars. The PDP League coaching staff, led by USA Baseball Director of Player Development Jim Koerner as Field Coordinator, is made up of former professional players and respected collegiate, high school, and professional coaches, will guide and evaluate the participating athletes throughout the PDP League. Additionally, the 2021 18U National Team staff, led by Manager Jason Maxwell, will serve as supplemental evaluators during the PDP League, which serves as a primary identification event for the 18U National Team. Assistant coaches Michael Cuddyer and Jack Wilson, as well as Pitching Coach Adam Moseley round out this year's 18U National Team staff.

Thursday's PDP League games will be streamed live and can be viewed on USABaseball.com, as well as Facebook and YouTube Live.

Notable Information

• Team Gray currently leads the pack at the 2021 PDP League with a 2-1 record through the first three games of the week.
• Team Navy holds a 1-1-1 record heading into Thursday's game action.
• Team Red and Team Light Blue have both suffered two losses so far, each finishing the first half of the week 1-2.
• Team Red's Elijah Green hit the event's first home run on Sunday when he launched a 430-foot rocket over the centerfield wall to lead off the game. Team Navy's Druw Jones followed five innings later with a longball of his own for the second of the 2021 PDP League
• The PDP League schedule consists of 12 games. Double headers will be played each day from July 25-27 before a workout-only day on Wednesday, July 28. The teams will then play each day from July 29-31, including the championship game on Saturday, July 31, at 5:00 p.m. ET at the National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.
• All workouts and all 12 games of the PDP League will take place at the National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.
• The 2021 PDP League roster includes 13 USA Baseball national team alumni and 21 past National Team Development Program participants.
• Karson Bowen (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) and Ryan Clifford (Raleigh, N.C.) will reunite at the PDP League after playing together on the 2018 15U National Team that earned the program’s first world championship at the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup in Panama. Clifford was also a member of the gold medal-winning 2015 12U National Team.
• Six members of the 2019 15U National Team that won a gold medal at the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier have been named to the 2021 PDP League roster, including Brandon Barriera (Coconut Creek, Fla.), Bowen, Termarr Johnson (Atlanta, Ga.), Louis Rodriguez (Long Beach, Calif.), Michael Romero (Menifee, Calif.), and Nolan Schubart (Durand, Mich.).
• Following the PDP League, players will be invited to the 18U National Team Trials from August 29-September 3 in Tampa, Florida, before the 20-man 18U National Team roster is named.
• The 18U team will continue to train in Tampa from September 4-8 before competing at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup from September 10-19 in Sarasota and Bradenton, Florida.

On Deck

• Friday, July 30: Team Red vs. Team Light Blue (1:00 p.m. ET; Cary, N.C.; National Training Complex)
• Friday, July 30: Team Navy vs. Team Gray (5:00 p.m. ET;Cary, N.C.; National Training Complex)
• Saturday, July 31: TBD vs. TBD (1:00 p.m. ET; Cary, N.C.; National Training Complex)
• Saturday, July 31: TBD vs. TBD (5:00 p.m. ET; Cary, N.C.; National Training Complex)

Social

• Stay tuned to @BaseballPDP on Twitter for the most up-to-date news about the 2021 PDP League.