TAIPEI, Taiwan – The 18U National Team is set to begin play at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup, taking on the Netherlands. First pitch is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. local/10:30 p.m. ET at Tianmu Baseball Stadium in Taipei, Taiwan.
It will be the first of five pool play games at the World Cup.
PITCHING MATCHUP
LHP Ethan Schiefelbein (USA) vs. LHP Maxwell Cornelissen (NED)
HISTORY AGAINST THE NETHERLANDS
Team USA has met the Netherlands 13 times in international play and is yet to drop a game, posting a 13-0 record. The two nations first met at the 1989 World Junior Championships, resulting in a 14-0 victory for the stars and stripes. The U.S. and the Netherlands most recently competed against one another in last year’s World Cup opener, which Team USA won, 9-3.
DEFENDING GOLD
Team USA is aiming to defend its gold medal at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup after winning the title last summer in Bradenton and Sarasota, Florida. The U.S. defeated Chinese Taipei in the world championship game in 2022, marking its ninth World Cup gold medal. The United States won four consecutive titles from 2012-2017, joining Cuba as the only two nations to win four straight World Cup gold medals.
INSIDE THE ROSTER
Nine players on the 2023 roster have previously played for Team USA. A trio of players from last year’s WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier squad return to the 18U National Team, as Matthew Champion (Laguna Niguel, Calif.), Noah Franco (Downey, Calif), and PJ Morlando (Summerville, S.C.) all helped the U.S. win gold last November. In addition, three players from the 2021 15U National Team–Konnor Griffin (Florence, Miss), Ethan Schiefelbein (Corona, Calif.), and Nolan Traeger (Spring, Texas)–will reunite on this year’s roster, while two-time alum Jack McKernan (Missouri City, Texas) and Coy James (Advance, N.C.) represent the 2022 15U squad. Bryce Rainer (Simi Valley, Calif.) returns to Team USA and makes his second trip to Taiwan after playing for the 2017 12U team.
The 2023 Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) League featured 17 members of this year’s team. 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. Additionally, 14 members of the squad have previously participated in USA Baseball’s development programs. Three athletes who participated in the 2023 16U/17U National Team Development Program (NTDP)–James, McKernan, and Joey Oakie (Ankeny, Iowa)–earned spots on the final 20-man squad. Eleven members of the 2022 16U/17U NTDP and four players from the 2021 16U/17U NTDP roster were also named to the team. In addition, James and McKernan both participated in the 2021 13U/14U Athlete Development Program (ADP).
ALUM AT THE HELM
Team USA manager Michael Cuddyer is only the second alumnus to play for and manage the 18U National Team, joining Jason Hisey, who played for the U.S. in 1987 and managed the squad in 2006. Cuddyer is a two-time 18U National Team alum, as he played for the program in both 1996 and 1997. In 1996, Cuddyer batted .367 with five RBIs on a roster that featured seven future big leaguers, including Rick Ankiel and Josh Bard. Cuddyer then posted a .397 average with an .853 slugging percentage while leading the U.S. in home runs (7) and RBIs (26) at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup in New Brunswick, Canada, in 1997.
30 FOR 30
The U.S. is the only nation in the world to compete in all 30 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cups. The first edition of the tournament was held in 1981 in Newark, New Jersey, when the U.S. grabbed a silver medal. Chinese Taipei has played in 29 World Cups, while Australia has participated in the event on 28 different occasions.
GROUP B
The stars and stripes are in Group B for the Opening Round of the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup. The team is joined in Group B by World No. 1 Japan, as well as Venezuela (No. 6), the Netherlands (No. 8), Panama (No. 14), and Spain (No. 21).
SOCIAL MEDIA
To follow along with all the action with the 18U National Team, be sure to follow @USABaseball18U on Twitter and @USABaseball on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.
