TAINAN, Taiwan – On Friday, June 25, the eighth edition of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-12 Baseball World Cup commences on the western coast of Taiwan. After the 2025 12U National Team assembled in Los Angeles, California this past week to finalize preparations and training, the stars and stripes are primed to engage in international competition. To kick off this year's World Cup, the United States will first face last year’s WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier tournament host, Panama.

In addition, the U.S. will look to defend its title as world champion after taking home gold in the 2023 WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup, as Team USA sets its sights on a third consecutive and sixth overall gold medal in the event.

Team USA, along with four other teams in its pool, is competing for one of two berths in Group B to advance to the World Cup Super Round stage.

PITCHING MATCHUP

RHP Kristian Valadez (USA) vs. RHP Angel Gondola (PAN)

HISTORY AGAINST PANAMA

The 12U National Team is 9-0 all-time against Panama, as this will be the tenth time the United States has faced its Latin American counterparts. The U.S. has only faced Panama two times in the past seven years, while the two teams most recently competed in the 2024 WBSC U-12 Baseball Americas Qualifier semifinal contest, when Team USA shutout Panama and won 7-0. In addition, Panama was the first country the U.S. faced in international competition during the 12U National Team's inaugural season in 2013, with the game ending 2-0 in Team USA's favor.

GROUP B STANDINGS

Czechia (0-0)

Dominican Republic (0-0)

Korea (0-0)

Panama (0-0)

South Africa (0-0)

United States (0-0)

INSIDE THE ROSTER

The 18-player roster features 12 athletes who were invited to Training Camp following the 11U Futures Invitational, while the remaining six were previously selected from last summer’s 11U National Team Identification Series (NTIS) Champions Cup. Overall, 11 states are represented among the 18 players on this year’s roster. Texas leads all states with three athletes, while Florida, Nevada, Tennessee, and Virginia are each represented by two players apiece. California, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Washington are responsible for the remaining seven athletes. The 2025 12U National Team roster can be found here.

AT THE HELM

Team USA is led by two-time 12U National Team Manager Bryan Madsen – who helped secure a gold medal and a World Cup qualification last October in Panama. Alongside Madsen is a veteran group of coaches, including Wes Brooks, Erick Quesada, and Roger Wright. Brooks serves as pitching coach for the second consecutive summer while Quesada and Wright will take on assistant coaching roles. Madsen and Quesada make their second appearance on a World Cup roster, having previously served on staff of the 2023 12U National Team, who won gold at the VII WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup held in Taiwan. Likewise, this will be the second consecutive summer that Brooks and Wright suit up in a Team USA uniform.

FOLLOW ALONG

Fans can watch the game here and also follow live stats, while highlights and updates can be found on the 12U National Team Twitter/X account.

SCHEDULE

The schedule for the VIII WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup is as follows:

• July 26 - Czechia - 10:30 p.m. ET (July 25) / 10:30 a.m. local
• July 27 - South Africa - 10:30 p.m. ET (July 26) / 10:30 a.m. local
• July 28 - Korea - 6:30 a.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. local
• July 29 - Dominican Republic - 2:30 a.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. local
• July 31-August 3 - Super Round/Medal Round - TBD

SOCIAL MEDIA

To follow along with all the action with the 12U National Team, be sure to follow @USABaseball12U on Twitter/X and @USABaseball on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter/X.