BRADENTON, Fla. – The 18U National Team takes on Mexico in the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup Super Round on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. ET from LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida.
STARTING PITCHERS
Blake Dickerson (USA) vs. Victor Ceballos (MEX)
LAST TIME OUT
The U.S. lost its first World Cup contest on Thursday, falling 6-2 to Chinese Taipei at Ed Smith Stadium. Chinese Taipei jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first and extended it to 6-0 in the third to win the Super Round opener, dropping the U.S. to a 2-1 record in the round. Team USA only had two hits in the contest, with one of them being a 449-foot two-run homer by Bryce Eldridge to trim the deficit to 6-2 in the fourth. Alex Clemmey pitched 3.1 strong innings of relief to keep the stars and stripes in it but they ultimately fell short thanks to a complete-game by Nien-His Yang.
HISTORY AGAINST MEXICO
Team USA owns a 21-4 all-time record against Mexico at U-18 level. The two sides last met at the 2017 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup, which resulted in a 6-0 victory for the U.S. The first all-time meeting between Mexico and Team USA was in 1989.
INSIDE THE ROSTER
The 20-man 18U National Team roster features four players who have previously suited up for the stars and stripes. Aidan Miller is making his third appearance on a national team roster after playing for the 12U National Team in 2016 and winning a gold medal with the 15U National Team in 2019. Colt Emerson and Gavin Grahovac reunite after winning the 2017 WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup together, and Blake Mitchell returns to the 18U National Team after competing for the squad in a friendship series against Canada in 2021.
The roster features 19 players who competed in the 2022 Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) League. The PDP League, which was held from June 29-July 6 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina, 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.
Nine players on this year’s squad have previously participated in a USA Baseball National Team Development Program. Dylan Cupp and Miller participated at the 2018 14U NTDP, while Emerson and Grahovac both played at the 2019 14U NTDP. That duo also competed at the 2021 16U/17U NTDP, along with Max Clark, Cupp, Bryce Eldridge, Emerson, Grahovac, Adam Hachman, Miller, Mitchell, and Christian Rodriguez.
MEET THE COACHES
The 2022 18U National Team is managed by Denny Hocking, who brings 13 years of major league playing experience to the role. After spending 11 seasons with the Minnesota Twins and a season with both the Colorado Rockies and Kansas City Royals, Hocking has spent time as an analyst and a coach in the professional ranks. In addition, he was a manager at the 2021 PDP League and 2021 18U National Team Trials. Hocking will be joined on staff by pitching coach Adam Moseley and assistants Roberto Vaz and Jack Wilson.
CHASING GOLD
The 18U National Team won eight consecutive international tournament titles from 2011-2018, including winning four straight WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cups in 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2017. Currently the U.S. and Cuba are the only two countries to win four consecutive world championship titles at the U-18 level. In total, the program has won eight world championships. The U.S. most recently earned a silver medal at the 2019 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup in Gijang, South Korea.
ON HOME SOIL
The XXX WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup will be the first tournament held in the United States since 1995, when the event took place in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Overall, it will be the sixth U-18 Baseball World Cup held in the U.S., with the first one being held in Newark, Ohio, in 1981.
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.
