As Cooper Kinney took the field for the first time as a Durham Bull, a feeling of familiarity washed over him. Though it was his first time donning a Triple-A uniform, it wasn’t the 23-year-old's first time looking out from the batter’s box to see the Blue Monster – a 32-foot tall nod to Fenway’s left field wall – with a “Hit Bull, Win Steak” sign perched above it on one side and thousands of stadium seats on the other.

He’d stood on this very field a handful of years earlier as a member of USA Baseball’s 16U National Team Development Program. But his journey with the organization actually began when he was in elementary school.

In 2015, Kinney was selected to represent the stars and stripes as a member of the 12U National Team. Over a decade later, he still recalls the feeling of hearing his name called.

“I just remember being so shocked and excited, I didn't even know what to say,” Kinney said. “It was one of the greatest feelings I've ever had as a baseball player, especially at that young age, that was probably the coolest moment up to that point for sure.”

That summer, Kinney’s team traveled to Taiwan to compete in the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-12 Baseball World Cup. Team USA advanced to the gold medal game where they faced the host, Chinese Taipei, in front of a raucous home crowd of over 10,000 spectators.

“I remember in the championship game, it was deafening, I felt like I couldn't even hear myself think, it was so loud in there,” Kinney recalled. “It's crazy looking back on it, I was 12 years old and playing in front of a major league size crowd.”

Now, Kinney plays in front of an audience that size every day, but having that experience early on has played an instrumental role in his development. It helped him learn to control his breathing, calm his nerves, and keep his composure when the crowd gets rowdy.

During the gold medal game, the noise was no match for the talent of Team USA's squad, and they secured a 7-2 victory over the home team for a tournament record of 8-1. Kinney competed in four of the games, recording two hits and two RBIs while plating three runs himself.

“Winning and representing the USA, representing your country in that event made it even more sweet,” Kinney said. “That was such a cool and joyful experience, I [still] remember how happy I was.”

He not only left Taiwan with a gold medal, but lifelong friends and an expanded world view as well. Being a member of a national team is a unique experience because it brings together players from all over the country and exposes them to new cultures.

He not only left Taiwan with a gold medal, but lifelong friends and an expanded world view as well. Being a member of a national team is a unique experience because it brings together players from all over the country and exposes them to new cultures.

“I got to experience a different place and a different environment, and I think it was cool that baseball is such a big deal worldwide,” he said. “It feels like we're in our own little bubble in the U.S., so it was a really cool experience to get to travel and play different countries.”

Over the course of a five-day training camp, players spend long hours together preparing to compete on the world stage. For Kinney’s team, the bonds and friendships forged in practice played a key role in their success.

“I still keep in contact with a lot of those guys. There was a great group of guys, and I think that's partially why we won,” he said. “We had such good camaraderie and culture.”

That summer Kinney met Nick Kurtz and Danny Corona, who would later become his high school teammates at the Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Coached by his dad, Mike Kinney, the team won three state titles during Cooper’s four years there.

Throughout high school, he stayed with USA Baseball as a member of the 14U and 16U National Team Development Programs, and was constantly surrounded by high level talent and coaching. An elite prospect himself, the 2021 Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year was selected 34th overall by the Tampa Bay Rays just weeks after graduating.

“If you have talent around you that always pushes you, and there's always competition going on, that's what really makes you a good player,” Kinney said.

One of his favorite parts of the developmental programs was the opportunity to meet new people and travel to new places – and he feels the same way about progressing through the minors. After a strong start to the 2026 campaign with the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits, Kinney was called to Durham on May 5th.

“That always makes me laugh. It would have been my first time to Durham, but I've already got a game on the surface, I got to play here already,” he said. “I think that was funny, like I'd already been there with USA.”

His offensive numbers made sizable jumps this season after he spent the winter prioritizing his physical health, but he says his mindset is what’s gotten him to this point.

“I feel great body wise, and I'm just here enjoying it,” Kinney said. "That's what I would credit most of my success to – just enjoying being out here, and having fun and playing.”

He says his time with Team USA taught him to be a strong competitor and always strive for victory, but to have fun doing it. You have to remember to enjoy it, he said. Competing at a high level comes with its challenges and stressors, especially when playing in front of scouts and trying to make it to the next level, but these are the times when Kinney reminds himself where his journey began.

It began in his backyard playing catch with his dad. In the living room, watching Braves legend, Chipper Jones, on TV. In the ballpark, trying to keep up and compete with the older guys.

It began with having fun.