CARY, N.C. – USA Baseball today announced that Luke Gregerson, Doug Mientkiewicz, and Tim Raines Jr. will join Brian Schneider on the 2026 18U National Team coaching staff. All three assistants will be making their national team coaching debuts.
Together, the four-man staff of former big leaguers will lead Team USA at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier, where the U.S. is the seven-time defending champion.
“All great teams start with strong leadership, and we are extremely excited about the coaching staff we have put together for the 2026 18U National Team.” said 18U National Team Director Brett Curll. “This staff combines significant international and big-league playing experience with knowledgeable and passionate coaching expertise. Brian, Doug, Luke, and Tim will certainly have a positive impact on our players, and we look forward to watching them lead Team USA.”
Gregerson, a two-time Team USA alum, will serve as pitching coach following 11 seasons in the major leagues as a relief pitcher. He was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 28th round of the 2006 MLB Draft before he was traded to the San Diego Padres prior to the 2009 season. Gregerson made his MLB debut in 2009 and spent the first five years of his career with the Padres, pitching in 363 games and posting a 2.88 ERA. He played for the Oakland Athletics in 2014 and recorded a career-low 2.12 ERA in 72 games before spending the following three seasons with the Houston Astros. Gregerson recorded a career-high 31 saves in 2015 for Houston, posting the second-lowest WHIP (0.951) of his career and striking out 59 batters in 61.0 innings. After two more seasons with the Astros, Gregerson returned to the team that drafted him to wrap up his career, pitching for the Cardinals in 2018 and 2019. He finished his 11-year career with a 3.15 ERA in 646 games pitched, notching 66 saves and striking out 621 batters in 617.1 innings of work.
In addition to his MLB career, Gregerson twice suited up for the stars and stripes at the World Baseball Classic. He pitched in two games for the U.S. in 2013, throwing two spotless innings. The right-hander then returned to the Classic in 2017 and maintained his spotless ERA, picking up three saves in four scoreless appearances to help the United States secure its first gold medal in WBC history.
Mientkiewicz, a 12-year MLB veteran, will be an assistant coach and also brings significant international playing experience to the staff. After playing for the Collegiate National Team in 1994, the first baseman was selected in the fifth round of the 1995 MLB Draft by the Minnesota Twins. He played parts of two seasons for Minnesota in 1998 and 1999 before being selected to the U.S. Olympic Team for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. In Sydney, Mientkiewicz played all nine games for Team USA, batting .414 with a .655 slugging percentage and eight RBIs. His legendary moment came in the semifinal game, when he hit a walk-off home run to lift Team USA past Korea and into the gold medal game, where the U.S. beat Cuba, 4-0.
Following the Olympic gold, Mientkiewicz became an everyday player for the Twins from 2001-2003, batting .290 with 36 homers, 106 doubles, and 203 RBIs in 436 games played. He was traded to the Boston Red Sox in 2004 and helped the Club win its first World Series in 86 years, batting .444 in nine at-bats during the playoff run. Mientkiewicz spent the following five seasons with the New York Mets, Kansas City Royals, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Los Angeles Dodgers, wrapping up his playing career with a .271 career average, 66 home runs, 221 doubles and 405 RBIs. He made his coaching debut in 2012 as the hitting coach for the Ogden Raptors before being named manager of the Fort Myers Miracle (A), where he spent two seasons. Mientkiewicz has also held stints as manager of the Chattanooga Lookouts (AA) and Toledo Mud Hens (AAA). He has coached at 18U National Team Training Camp in several different capacities since 2022, most recently as a team manager in 2025.
Raines Jr. assumes assistant coach duties after spending the previous two summers on staff at 18U National Team Training Camp. Raines Jr. was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the sixth round of the 1998 MLB Draft. He debuted with Baltimore in 2001 at just 22 years old, and in his fourth big-league game, played center field while his father–Hall of Famer Tim Raines Sr.–played left field, becoming the second father-son duo to play in the same MLB game. Raines Jr. played parts of the 2003 and 2004 seasons in the big leagues with Baltimore, batting .255 with seven stolen bases in 48 games in 2004. He has playing experience in a handful of professional baseball leagues, including the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) in 2009, where he hit .327 for the La New Bears. Following his playing career, Raines Jr. held a stint as the hitting coach for the Aberdeen IronBirds (A) and currently owns Legacy Baseball.
The 18U National Team has won gold medals in two consecutive summers and owns 18 all-time gold medals. Most recently, the U.S. captured a world championship at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup in Okinawa, Japan, going 8-1 and defeating host Japan in the title game. This year will mark a return to the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier, where the United States has won seven consecutive gold medals and owns a 57-1 overall record dating back to 2009.
Phase 1 of the 18U National Team Training Camp will be held from July 16-20 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. The remainder of the 18U National Team schedule will be announced at a later date.
