OKINAWA, Japan – After five days of practice and an exhibition game, the 18U National Team will begin play at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup on Friday morning against Panama. First pitch is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. JST/9:30 p.m. ET (Sept. 5) at Okinawa Cellular Stadium.

HOW TO WATCH

Every game of the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup will be streamed LIVE on Gametime.sport ($). Live stats will also be available HERE.

GROUP B STANDINGS

Team USA (0-0)
Australia (0-0)
China (0-0)
Chinese Taipei (0-0)
Germany (0-0)
Panama (0-0)

THE MATCHUP

Team USA has met Panama 28 times at the U-18 level and owns a 26-2 all-time record in the matchup. The two nations first met in 1987, when the U.S. picked up a 9-3 win at the IBA Baseball World Cup. Both of Panama’s victories in the series came in 1999–once at the Junior Pan American Tournament and again at the IBA Junior World Cup. The most recent matchup between the two countries was at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier gold medal game, a 4-2 win for the U.S.

BEEN HERE BEFORE

A trio of players on this year’s 18U National Team already have a world championship under their belt: Carson Bolemon, Andrew Costello, and Grady Emerson. The three of them played for the 15U National Team in 2022 and won a title at the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup in Hermosillo, Mexico. Bolemon pitched seven innings of one-run ball, Costello was a member of the All-World Team, and Emerson reached base at a .429 clip in the tournament.

FAMILY AFFAIR

Both Jacob Lombard and Brody Schumaker have fathers who are on Team USA’s coaching staff for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. George Lombard, who currently serves the bench coach for the Detroit Tigers, will be the first base coach with the stars and stripes next spring. Brody’s father, Skip, was the NL Manager of the Year for the Miami Marlins in 2023 and currently holds a senior advisor position with the Texas Rangers. Skip will be the bench coach for Team USA.

WE MEET AGAIN

Friday’s contest marks the second consecutive game between Team USA and Panama after the two nations last met in the gold medal game of the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier last August. It will be the third time in the last five games that the U.S. will take on Panama, as the stars and stripes have won each of the first two.

BUILT BY MLB DEVELOPS

James Clark, Jacob Lombard, Anthony Murphy, and Aiden Ruiz are all products of MLB Develops, which is Major League Baseball’s youth and amateur baseball and softball development programs and initiatives. The athletes have competed in a number of MLB Develops programs and events, including the Breakthrough Series, DREAM Series, Hank Aaron Invitational, High School All-American Game, High School Home Run Derby, and The Program.

THE ROSTER

The 20-player Team USA roster features five USA Baseball alumni, 10 players with USA Baseball national team development programming experience, and four players who have participated in MLB Develops events and programming. Grady Emerson is appearing on a national team roster for the fourth consecutive summer, becoming the first player in USA Baseball history to play for two 15U National Teams and two 18U National Teams. He is joined by his 2022 15U teammates Carson Bolemon and Andrew Costello, who helped Team USA win gold at the 2022 WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup. 2023 15U alum Jorvorskie Lane Jr. makes his second appearance on a U.S. roster, while two-time alum Jared Grindlinger rounds out the alumni on the roster.

In addition to the five alumni on the roster, 10 total players have experience participating in USA Baseball’s national team development programming. Emerson and Grindlinger were both members of the 2022 13U/14U Athlete Development Program (ADP), while Costello and Jacob Lombard both participated at the 2023 16U/17U National Team Development Program (NTDP). Bolemon, Coleman Borthwick, Will Brick, Lane Jr., Anthony Murphy, and Gio Rojas competed at the 2024 16U/17U NTDP, and Grindlinger played at the 2025 16U/17U NTDP in July.

Additionally, James Clark, Lombard, Murphy, and Aiden Ruiz all have experience across a myriad of MLB Develops programs and events. The quartet has participated in nearly all of MLB Develops’ offerings, including the Breakthrough Series, DREAM Series, Hank Aaron Invitational, High School All-American Game, High School Home Run Derby, and The Program-all of which are hosted jointly with USA Baseball.

FOLLOW ALONG

To follow along with all the action with the 18U National Team, be sure to follow @USABaseball18U on X and @USABaseball on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X.