MINNEAPOLIS - The final 20-man roster for the 2017 USA Baseball 18U National Team was announced on Thursday at Target Field following the completion of a six-day trials process in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The 2017 18U National Team will compete in the 2017 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup in Thunder Bay, Canada, from Sept. 1-10.
Team USA is the three-time defending World Cup champion and will look to become the second country to win four-straight gold medals in the tournament.
Prior to traveling to Canada, the 2017 18U National Team will play a series of four exhibition games against Iowa Western Community College, the Minnesota Blizzard and Madison College from August 26-29.
Five USA Baseball national team alumni have earned another opportunity to wear the red, white and blue, including four members of the 2016 18U National Team. Triston Casas (Pembroke Pines, Fla.), Jarred Kelenic (Waukesha, Wis.), Michael Siani (Glenside, Pa.), and Brice Turang (Corona, Calif.) won a gold medal at the COPABE Pan Am "AAA" Championships in Monterrey, Mexico, last summer.
Carter Young (Selah, Wash.) is one of three 15U National Team alumni who will represent the U.S. again in 2017. Young was a member of the bronze-medal-winning 2016 15U National Team.
Casas, meanwhile, was on the 2015 15U National Team that won a gold medal at the COPABE Pan Am "AA" Championships in Aguascalientes, Mexico, and Turang won a silver medal at the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup with the 2014 15U National Team.
In addition to national team alumni, 15 athletes will make their debut on a USA Baseball national team, including four players on the roster who have previously participated in the 14U and 17U National Team Development Programs (NTDP). The NTDP offers identified athletes an opportunity to connect with USA Baseball staff to better prepare for a future national team experiences.
Andy Stankiewicz will once again serve as the manager for the 18U National Team in 2017 after leading the U.S. to a gold medal at the 2014 COPABE Pan Am "AAA" Championships. Ricky Meinhold (pitching coach), Bill Mosiello (assistant coach), Gregg Ritchie (assistant coach), and Chris Carter (assistant coach) round out the coaching staff.
Continue to follow @USABaseball18U on Twitter and visit USABaseball.com for the most up-to-date news about the 18U National Team.
2017 USA Baseball 18U National Team Roster:
Name, Position, Hometown, School, Class
William Banfield V; C/RHP; Lawrenceville, Ga.
*^Triston Casas; 1B/RHP; Pembroke Pines, Fla.
^Raynel Delgado, IF, Miami Lakes, Fla.
Mason Denaburg; RHP/C; Merritt Island, Fla.
Brandon Dieter; RHP/IF; Covina, Calif.
JT Ginn; RHP/IF; Brandon, Miss.
^Nolan Gorman; IF; Glendale, Ariz.
^Ethan Hankins; RHP; Cumming, Ga.
*Jarred Kelenic; OF/LHP; Waukesha, Wis.
Matthew Liberatore; LHP; Peoria, Ariz.
Landon Marceaux; RHP; Destrehan, La.
Anthony Seigler; C/RLHP; Cartersville, Ga.
Joseph Menefee; LHP; Richmond, Texas
^Kumar Rocker; RHP; Watkinsville, Ga.
*Michael Siani; OF/LHP; Glenside, Pa.
Alek Thomas; OF; Chicago, Ill.
*^Brice Turang; IF; Corona, Calif.
Ryan Weathers; LHP; Loretto, Tenn.
Cole Wilcox; RHP; Chickamauga, Ga.
*^Carter Young; C/Util; Selah, Wash.
*National Team Alumnus
^National Team Development Program Participant