For 15U National Team alumni Ryan Harwood, the past calendar year has proven to be a full-circle experience.

Around this time last summer, Harwood made his way to the 2022 National Team Championships in Arizona looking to earn his way back into the USA Baseball fold after previously participating in the 13U/14U Athlete Development Program the year prior. A standout performance helped open some eyes to the Chandler, Ariz. native's abilities, and after the event's conclusion, he was eventually selected to represent his country at the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup.

Once tournament time rolled around, Harwood again rose to the occasion. He went 5-12 with four RBIs and two stolen bases at the plate, and on the mound, he tossed 4.1 scoreless innings while striking out nine opposing hitters. He also picked up the save in the gold medal game against Cuba, stranding the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position by recording two clutch strikeouts to lock things down for Team USA.

Fast forward nine months, and Harwood finds himself back at the event that kickstarted his national team career. On the tournament's opening day, he helped lead his FS21 Stars 2026 team to two early wins, going 5-6 with five RBIs at the plate and locking down the save in their 5-3 victory over Next Level Baseball.

Following his second game, Harwood spoke to USA Baseball about his experience with the 15U National Team last year and his performance on the first day of the 2023 National Team Championships:

Q: It was a nice 2-0 start to the tournament for you guys. What did you think of both your performance and the team’s today?

A: I thought we did well. There were a few things in our way and we had a few good pitchers we had to see, so we had to make some adjustments. Other than that, I think we did amazing. We battled as a team and came away with two victories.

Q: You were here last year and you managed to make it all the way to the National Team from there. Tell me about that whole experience and what it was like being able to play for USA Baseball.

A: That’s an experience like no other, going out there and meeting new people from other countries, getting to see stuff you would usually never see, making bonds with coaches and players. I still talk to the national coach at least once every week. I’m still in touch with him and I’m really good friends with all those guys. I think it’s something you can’t take for granted, because it’s something that not many people get to do. It’s a once in a lifetime experience.

Q: You were able to close out the second game today, just like you were able to close out the gold medal game last year. Is it something about pitching the last inning that you like to do?

A: Yeah, I used to be a starter when I was a little younger and then I started to throw a little harder, so I transitioned to a closer. It’s always been my thing, just coming in and getting the last few outs and shutting it down.

Q: I know it’s still early in the tournament, but you guys were able to get off to a good start. How do you think of your guys’ chances going forward the rest of this week?

A: I feel like if we keep working hard and putting our nose down and grinding, I think we have a really good chance of winning the whole thing. We played in it last year, we went 3-0-1 and made bracket play. We came up short, but I think that lights a fire under our butt, and we want to win this year. We’re ready to go.