It's award season! With the 2023 Major League Baseball season in the books, it's time for players to earn recognition for their play throughout the six-month campaign. Follow along here as we recognize all of the USA Baseball alumni who earned MLB awards in 2023.

AMERICAN LEAGUE CY YOUNG

P Gerrit Cole (2009, 2010 Collegiate National Team): Despite finishing runner-up in American League Cy Young voting twice in his career, the Yankees’ ace kept his foot on the gas in 2023 and deservedly earned his first Cy Young award. Cole was unanimously voted as the league’s best pitcher as he led the AL in eight pitching categories, including innings pitched (209), WHIP (0.98) and ERA (2.63). Cole’s eleventh year in the majors was nothing short of first-class, as the right-hander led all pitchers in wins above replacement (WAR) and tossed two shutouts during the season. This run of dominance is not unusual for the USA Baseball alum, as he previously posted a 4-0 record with a 1.06 ERA and 46 strikeouts over six appearances for the gold-winning 2009 Collegiate National Team. The former UCLA standout later led the 2010 CNT in innings pitched (25) while notching a 0.72 ERA and 2-0 record alongside teammate and fellow AL Cy Young finalist, Sonny Gray.

NATIONAL LEAGUE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

OF Corbin Carroll (2018 18U): After leading the Arizona Diamondbacks to their first World Series appearance since 2001, Corbin Carroll has been unanimously-named the 2023 National League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year. The 16th overall pick in the 2019 Major League Baseball draft made an emphatic entrance into the big leagues in 2023, as Carroll made history in his first-year campaign by recording the first 25 home run, 50 stolen base season by a rookie and was further bolstered by being selected as an MLB All-Star. Throughout the season Carroll continued to prove why he batted leadoff, as he maintained a .285 batting average and a .868 OPS while knocking in 76 runs for Arizona. Not only did Carroll rank fourth in stolen base percentage among NL players, but he consistently made spectacular defensive plays while yielding only one error as he patrolled the outfield. In his time with Team USA, Carroll also showed flashes of being a star, as he impressively hit .500 and led the 2018 18U National Team in stolen bases en route to capturing gold at the U-18 Pan Am Championships.

TREVOR HOFFMAN NATIONAL LEAGUE RELIEVER OF THE YEAR

P Devin Williams (2023 WBC): For the second time in his young career, Devin Williams has been awarded the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year. The two-time All Star and former NL Rookie of the year has added another accolade to his resume after anchoring the Milwaukee Brewer bullpen in 2023. Williams held an 8-3 record and posted a 1.53 ERA in 61 appearances. As the Brew Crew’s go-to closer, Williams notched 36 saves, averaged 13.3 strikeouts per nine innings, and held opponents to a .129 batting average. In Williams’ time with Team USA, the right-hander dominated the bump, as he allowed only one hit in 3.1 innings while striking out six.

SILVER SLUGGER

C Adley Rutschman (2018 Collegiate National Team): Rutschman capped off a stellar sophomore season with his first Silver Slugger award after the catcher reached the 20 home run, 80 RBI mark as well as competing in the 2023 Home Run Derby. This is not Rutschman’s first time in the spotlight, as the catcher/designated hitter led the 2018 Collegiate National Team in batting average, slugging percentage, and doubles over a nine-game span.

SS Corey Seager (2010 16U): After earning World Series MVP and leading the Texas Rangers to its first World Series title in franchise history, Seager has now captured his third Silver Slugger award after hitting 33 home runs and maintaining a .327 batting average. He has not only seen success at the major league level, but also went undefeated and won gold with the 2010 16U National Team at the Pan Am Championships where he batted .514.

OF Kyle Tucker (2012 15U, 2023 WBC): Leading the league with 112 RBIs, the Houston Astros outfielder now adds a Silver Slugger to his resume. This marks back-to-back years Tucker has surpassed 100 RBIs and his third season in a row tallying at least 140 hits. Tucker started four games in left field for the 2023 Team USA World Baseball Classic team and also led the 2012 15U National Team in RBIs.

1B Matt Olson (2010 16U): Rounding off a career year at the plate, Olson’s first Silver Slugger award was well deserved. The Georgia native routinely batted cleanup and played a pivotal role in Atlanta’s lethal offense, slugging a career-high and league-leading 54 home runs while hitting the 100 RBI mark for the third time in his career. Paired with U.S. alum Corey Seager in the infield, Olson also led the 2010 16U National Team in home runs and RBIS.

SS Francisco Lindor (2009 16U, 2010 18U): Lindor’s dominance at the plate continued in 2023 and led to his third Silver Slugger accolade, as the Mets’ shortstop notched his fourth career 30+ home run season. On top of that, Lindor joined the 30-30 club after stealing 30 bases as well in addition to hitting 31 home runs. Lindor adds this achievement to the trophy case that also features gold medals won with both the 2009 16U and 2010 18U national teams.

OF Mookie Betts (2023 WBC): Betts executed one of his best season-performances to date, as the 10-year veteran and now six-time Silver Slugger winner slugged a career-best 39 home runs and recorded another 100 RBI season. Betts’ first and only appearance for the stars and stripes was one to be remembered, as he was one of two Team USA players in the 2023 World Baseball Classic to tally double-digits in the hit column with 10.

DH Bryce Harper (2008 16U, 2009 18U): Harper’s star-studded resume now includes three Silver Slugger awards. Although the designated hitter turned first baseman missed the first month of the season, Harper still recorded 21 home runs – marking the ninth time in his career he’s surpassed the 20 home run mark. Harper’s prolific career featured two stints with USA Baseball, as he played on the 18U National Team in 2009 and led the 16U National Team in home runs and RBIs in 2008.

GOLD GLOVE

3B Matt Chapman (2013 Collegiate National Team): Leading all American League third basemen with 12 defensive runs saved in 2023, Chapman took home his fourth career Gold Glove Award. A staple at the hot corner for the Blue Jays since arriving in Toronto before the 2022 season, Chapman leads all MLB third basemen with 92 defensive runs saved since debuting in 2017. Ten years ago, Chapman was the only player on the Collegiate National Team to play in all 23 games as the U.S. posted a 20-3 record that summer.

3B Ke'Bryan Hayes (2014 18U National Team): The first Pirates third baseman to ever win a Gold Glove, Hayes de-throned fellow Team USA alum Nolan Arenado in 2023. Hayes sat atop the leaderboard in nearly every statistical category for NL third basemen, including outs above average (17) and defensive runs saved (21). The success is nothing new for Hayes, who started all eight games of Team USA's undefeated, gold-medal run at the 2014 COPABE U-18 Pan American Championships.

2B Nico Hoerner (2011 14U, 2012 15U National Teams): Playing up the middle with USA Baseball alum Dansby Swanson, Hoerner took home his first career Gold Glove in 2023. The Cubs second baseman ranked 10th in all of baseball with 15 outs above average, also tying for the league lead with 12 defensive runs saved. Hoerner's trophy case now features a Gold Glove and a gold medal, as he led the way for the U.S. at the 2011 COPABE U-14 Pan American Championships before playing for the 15U squad in 2012.

SS Dansby Swanson (2014 Collegiate National Team): Paired with U.S. alum Nico Hoerner up the middle for the Chicago Cubs, Swanson captured his second Gold Glove in as many years. Swanson led all major league players in outs above average with 20, also leading all shorstops with 18 defensive runs saved and a fielding run value of 15. Before becoming a big league star, Swanson played an integral role on the 2014 Collegiate National Team, helping the U.S. win gold at Haarlem Baseball Week.

SS Anthony Volpe (2013 12U, 2016 15U, 2018 18U National Teams): Volpe capped off a strong rookie year by becoming the youngest shortstop to ever win a Gold Glove Award. The three-time Team USA alum started 157 games at shortstop for the New York Yankees in his first big-league season, racking up 15 defensive runs saved. Volpe is no stranger to gold, as he captured gold medals at the 2013 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-12 Baseball World Cup and the 2018 COPABE U-18 Pan American Championships.

Nine Team USA alumni became World Series Champions on Wednesday night, as the Texas Rangers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in five games to win the Fall Classic.

Cody Bradford, Matt Bush, Robbie Grossman, Travis Jankowski, Josh Jung, Ian Kennedy, Brad Miller, Corey Seager, and Max Scherzer all earned World Series rings with the Rangers’ 5-0 victory over Arizona in Game 5 on Wednesday night at Chase Field.

Corey Seager (2010 16U) led the way for Texas en route to winning his second World Series Most Valuable Player Award, becoming the first USA Baseball alumni to earn the award twice (also: 2020). As he did all postseason long, Seager served as a force in the Rangers’ lineup, batting .286 with three homers and six RBIs over the five-game set. The former 16U player set the tone in the series with a clutch, game-tying blast in the ninth inning of Game 1 before homering in wins in Games 4 and 5. He wrapped up the series with a 2-for-4 performance, scoring the game’s first run on Wednesday night.

2015 Professional Team alum Travis Jankowski played a key role late in the series for Texas. After ALCS MVP Adolis Garcia was removed from the roster following an injury in Game 3, Jankowski stepped up and started the final two games in right field. He was a huge lift in the Texas lineup in Game 4, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a pair of RBIs, and a sliding catch in right to make his presence known. He drew a walk in Game 5 and continued his strong outfield play, helping the Rangers finish off the series victory.

Josh Jung (2018 CNT) led the Rangers in hits in the Fall Classic, going 7-for-20 to bat .350 with a double. Jung collected a pair of knocks in the series opener before posting a 1-for-3 day in Game 2. The Texas Tech product then broke out with a three-hit, two-run performance in a pivotal Game 4 win in which he led off the second inning with a double and came home on a wild pitch to open the scoring outburst. Jung capped off his strong postseason with a hit and a run scored in the series-clinching win.

Jung’s 2018 CNT teammate, Cody Bradford, continued his stellar postseason with two scoreless innings across a pair of appearances in the World Series. Bradford first appeared in Game 1, retiring all three batters he faced over the sixth and seventh innings to keep Texas within striking distance. He returned to action in Game 4, setting down the side in order as the Rangers maintained a big lead. Overall in postseason play, Bradford allowed just one run in five appearances, tossing 7.2 innings for the World Series winners.

2005 CNT alum Max Scherzer started Game 3 and was in the midst of a vintage performance before an injury caused him to leave the game and be removed from the roster. Scherzer pitched three shutout innings before departing the mound, working around a bit of trouble but keeping Arizona off the board in a game the Rangers would go on to win, 3-1.

Four other Team USA alumni on the Rangers earned World Series rings. Robbie Grossman (2007 18U) got a pinch-hit at-bat in Game 2 and appeared in seven postseason games. Two-time alum Matt Bush was on the Wild Card and Division Series rosters for the Rangers, while three-time U.S. player Ian Kennedy along with Brad Miller (2009, 2010 CNT) both played for Texas this season before suffering season-ending injuries.

Both the American League and National League Championship Series went a full seven games, giving USA Baseball alumni plenty of time to shine on baseball’s biggest stage. Check out how Team USA alums performed in the latest round of the MLB Postseason!

DIAMONDBACKS VS. PHILLIES

The Arizona Diamondbacks came back from down 3-2 to beat the Philadelphia Phillies in a seven-game clash and win the NL pennant for the first time since 2001. The series featured an extensive list of USA Baseball alumni, as Corbin Carroll (2018 18U) helped lead the charge in knocking off the defending National League champs. The rookie sensation started every game in the outfield for the Diamondbacks and recorded six hits, two RBIs, and three runs scored. Alek Thomas played a pivotal role in Arizona’s Game 4 victory, as the 2017 18U alum homered in the eighth inning to tie the game at 5-5. Thomas recorded three hits and four RBIs and runs scored apiece en route to advancing to the World Series. Two-time USA Baseball alum Evan Longoria played primarily at third base and tacked on an RBI on a pair of hits. Paul Sewald (2015 Pro) continued to execute in big moments, as the closer finished with a 1-0 record, two saves, and struck out six batters in 4.0 innings pitched while conceding only one base hit. 2023 WBC participant Merrill Kelly surrendered six runs and struck out 14 Phillies batters in 10.2 innings, as he concluded the NLCS 1-1 in two starts.

On the flip side, USA Baseball alumni accounted for 39 of Philadelphia’s 51 hits and scored 29 of its 30 runs. Two-time alum Kyle Schwarber spearheaded Philadelphia's offense, as the everyday DH racked up five RBIs on eight hits with five of those hits by way of the long ball. Schwarber also reached base eight times via walk and scored eight runs. Pro Team alumni Alec Bohm and J.T. Realmuto each notched seven hits and started every game at third base and catcher, respectively. Bohm knocked in four runs while Realmuto scored four Phillies’ runs and collected six RBIs. 2008 16U and 2009 18U alum Bryce Harper scored seven runs and homered twice as part of his five hits while three-time alum Trea Turner also gathered five hits. Former CNT player Bryson Stott stayed active on the basepaths and stole four bases while tallying six base hits. 2009 18U alum Nick Castellanos contributed to the effort with a base knock and two runs batted in. On the mound, Craig Kimbrel (2013 WBC) allowed four runs over 3.0 innings while Michael Lorenzen (2008 16U, 2010 18U) conceded only one hit in 1.2 innings.

RANGERS VS. ASTROS

USA Baseball alumni shined in the seven-game battle between AL West foes, as the Texas Rangers advanced to the World Series and beat Houston in a competitive ALCS matchup. Corey Seager started every game at shortstop and provided Texas with a surge of offense, as the 2010 16U alum gathered a base knock in five of his seven games played. Seager’s stat line included eight hits, six runs scored, and three RBIs scattered across the seven-game stretch. Josh Jung was the Rangers’ everyday third baseman and played his part at the plate, as the 2018 CNT alum knocked in five runs on five hits and scored four runs. Robbie Grossman (2007 18U) played three games for Texas and scored a run while Travis Jankowski (2015 Pro) pinch ran three times and secured a base hit in a pinch-hit appearance. 2018 CNT alum Cody Bradford didn’t allow a hit in a 1.1 inning outing in Game 3 and tossed 0.2 innings in Game 4 in which he conceded one run.

The Astros go-to third baseman and five-time national team alum Alex Bregman played an integral role in Houston’s offense, as he notched six runs scored, five RBIs, six walks, and six hits including three home runs over seven games. Former 2012 15U and 2023 WBC player Kyle Tucker walked five times, scored two runs, and recorded two doubles as part of his four-hit series. The Houston bullpen featured a duo of former Team USA arms, as Ryan Pressly (2023 WBC) and two-time CNT alum Ryne Stanek each concluded the ALCS with a 1-0 record. Pressly posted a spotless 0.00 ERA with only two hits surrendered in 4.0 innings and collected a save in Game 3 while Stanek tossed 2.2 frames and yielded two runs on two hits. 2003 CNT alum Justin Verlander pitched 12.1 innings in two starts for the ‘Stros while striking out eight batters and giving up six runs.

The MLB Postseason has reached the World Series, with Game 1 of the Fall Classic set to take place on Friday night. Continue to follow @USABaseball on social media to keep up with Team USA alumni in the postseason!

MUMBAI, India – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session announced today that baseball and softball will be on the Olympic Programme for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. This marks the first time since the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games that baseball and softball will be included in the prestigious event.

“We are thrilled that America’s pastime will be a part of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games,” said USA Baseball CEO Paul Seiler. “The inclusion of baseball and softball will undoubtedly enhance the experience of the Games, as both sports have enjoyed global success in recent years and deserve to be celebrated on the international stage. It is exciting to be able to return to the place that kickstarted baseball being on the Olympic Programme, as well as a location that boasts numerous professional teams and some of the most iconic players in today’s game. USA Baseball takes great pride in showcasing the nation’s best players in international competition, and we can’t wait for the opportunity to do so on home soil.”

The game of baseball has numerous ties to the Los Angeles area. It was first featured as a demonstration sport in the Los Angeles Games in 1984 before being a part of the Olympic Games from 1992-2008. Additionally, it is home to two MLB Clubs–the Los Angeles Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers–which include some of the world’s biggest stars.

Since its last inclusion in 2020, the game has enjoyed much success on a global stage, including record-breaking television and attendance numbers at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Additionally, it has grown exponentially at the amateur level with increased participation at youth world championships and other numerous international events.

USA Baseball has enjoyed tremendous success at the Olympic Games, accumulating six total medals in seven appearances, including two editions as a demonstration sport. Team USA won gold in both 1988 (Seoul) and 2000 (Sydney), earned silver at the Tokyo 2020 Games, and captured bronze in 1984 (Los Angeles), 1996 (Atlanta), and 2008 (Beijing).

Information regarding Team USA’s roster and the schedule of events for baseball at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games will be announced at a later time. Follow @USABaseball on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter/X for the latest news on USA Baseball.

*Indicates baseball was a demonstration sport

Highlighted by incredible performances from Bryce Harper and Merrill Kelly (among many others), Team USA alums made a huge impact on the MLB Division Series. Check out the top performances!

RANGERS VS. ORIOLES

Familiar faces flooded the ALDS stat sheet in the Rangers’ sweep of Baltimore, as Josh Jung (2018 CNT) and Corey Seager (2010 16U) once again led Texas’ offense for the second straight series. In three games, Jung went 5-for-12 while homering once and scoring four times. Seager made MLB postseason history, as the shortstop’s nine walks were the most in any three-game span, while in Game 2 he became the first player to walk five times in a postseason contest. Seager did what he could with his bat, as he went 2-for-6 with a home run and four runs scored. Robbie Grossman (2007 18U) recorded a double in one game played while Baylor alum Cody Bradford (2018 CNT) came out of the bullpen in Game 2 and struck out four in 3.2 quiet innings to earn the win.

2013 18U alum Jack Flaherty gave up one run in Game 2 while Kyle Gibson (2008 CNT) surrendered only one hit and one run in three frames in Baltimore’s Game 3 loss. Adley Rutschman (2018 CNT) started all three games as the Orioles’ backstop and tallied a double. 2023 WBC alum Cedric Mullins started all three games in center field for Baltimore while Adam Frazier (2012 CNT) made a pair of appearances.

ASTROS VS. TWINS

Five-time alum Alex Bregman started all four games at third for the ‘Stros and played a crucial role in Game 3, hammering a home run to lead off the fifth in addition to an RBI base hit in the sixth. Former 2012 15U and 2023 WBC participant Kyle Tucker contributed with three walks and a pair of base knocks, one being an extra-base hit. On the flip side, three former Team USA players made an impact with their arms en route to Houston’s series win. Justin Verlander (2003 CNT) made a statement in Game 1, as he surrendered only four hits and struck out six in a six-inning shutout of Minnesota to earn the win. Two-time Collegiate National Team alum Ryne Stanek had an outing in Game 2 while Ryan Pressly (2023 WBC) made two ninth-inning appearances, earning saves on both occasions and punching out five of six batters faced.

For the second straight series, Royce Lewis showed off his pop, as the 2014 15U and 2016 18U alum collected three runs scored and a pair of home runs, the second handing the Twins an early 1-0 lead in a win-or-go-home Game 4. Kyle Farmer (2012 CNT) added on with a two-run home run of his own in Game 2, with that being his only appearance of the series. Matt Wallner (2018 Olympics) started two games in left field and notched a hit while walking twice. Representing more than a third of Minnesota’s pitching staff, Team USA saw a handful of its arms take the mound for the Twins. Two-time CNT alum Sonny Gray started Game 3 and lasted four innings before being saddled with the loss while Bailey Ober (2014 CNT) started Game 1 and had a similar outing, enduring 4.1 arduous frames before being pulled. Joe Ryan (2021 Olympics) was the starter in Game 4 and yielded one run over two innings while 2019 Premier12 participant Caleb Thielbar pitched 1.1 innings and gave up three runs.

DIAMONDBACKS VS. DODGERS

Corbin Carroll (2018 18U) maintained his offensive output and continued to represent the stars and stripes in stunning fashion, gathering three hits with a home run, three runs scored, four walks, and two stolen bases. Starting center fielder and 2017 18U gold medal winner Alek Thomas scored twice and blasted a home run while Evan Longoria picked up an extra-base hit and two RBIs for the Diamondbacks. Team USA showcased its arm talent for Arizona as well, as 2023 WBC alum Merrill Kelly tossed 6.1 shutout innings of three-hit ball to earn the win in a statement Game 1 victory. Paul Sewald (2015 Pan Am) made appearances in Game 2 and Game 3, allowing only one hit and earning the save both times to secure the sweep of Los Angeles.

Mookie Betts (2023 WBC) and 2005 16U and 2006 18U alum Freddie Freeman scored a run apiece and started all three games for the Dodgers while Kolten Wong (2009 CNT) made a pinch-hit appearance in all three games. Will Smith (2023 WBC) led the Los Angeles offense, as the catcher tallied five base knocks with two being extra-base hits as well as two RBIs over a three-game span. 2007 CNT alum Joe Kelly punched out three batters in 1.2 shutout innings while Clayton Kershaw (2005 18U) and two-time alum Lance Lynn combined for only three innings pitched and an 0-2 record.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES VS. ATLANTA BRAVES

The Phillies led all MLB Clubs with nine Team USA alumni on their postseason roster, and all nine played a key role in the Phillies’ second Divisional Series victory over the Braves in as many years. Two-time CNT alum and World Baseball Classic alum Trea Turner carried the Philadelphia offense, collecting a series-most eight hits with a pair of home runs and RBIs, along with five runs scored. 2009 18U alum Nick Castellanos finished the four-game set on a tear, cranking two home runs in both Game 3 and Game 4 to finish off the series win. His 2009 teammate Bryce Harper blasted three homers, including two in a Game 3 win. J.T. Realmuto (2023 WBC) notched a home run and five RBIs, while Kyle Schwarber (2013 CNT, 2023 WBC) and Alec Bohm (2019 Pro) each chipped in two hits. 2018 CNT alum Bryson Stott picked up three hits and an RBI to cap off Philadelphia’s explosive offensive performance. On the mound, Craig Kimbrel (2013 WBC) pitched twice and allowed no runs while earning a save, and two-time U.S. alum Michael Lorenzen turned in a scoreless relief inning.

For Atlanta, 2010 16U player Matt Olson was a mainstay in the heart of the Braves’ order and picked up four hits while scoring a run. Travis d’Arnaud (2011 Pro) delivered a huge home run in Atlanta’s Game 2 victory, while 2014 CNT pitcher A.J. Minter made three dominant relief appearances, tossing 2.1 innings and not allowing an earned run.

The MLB Postseason rolls on to the Championship Series, with action set to begin on Sunday. Continue to follow along with Team USA alums in the postseason by following @USABaseball on X!

CARY, N.C. – Sixty-eight USA Baseball alumni have been named to Major League Baseball postseason rosters, USA Baseball announced on Saturday.

All 12 Clubs that made the postseason have at least two former Team USA players on their roster, including the Philadelphia Phillies, who lead all teams with nine alumni. The Baltimore Orioles, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Minnesota Twins, and the Miami Marlins–who were eliminated in the Wild Card Round–all placed seven USA Baseball alumni on their 26-man squads.

Eleven members of the 2023 World Baseball Classic Team, which earned a silver medal in March, were named to postseason rosters. In total, the list includes 28 players from the Collegiate National Team, 27 from the Professional National Team, 18 former members of the 18U National Team, seven players from the 16U National Team, and three alumni of the 15U National Team.

Following the conclusion of the Wild Card Round, the Division Series begins on Saturday with Game 1 of all four series set to take place.

The complete list of USA Baseball alumni in the 2023 postseason is as follows:

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

• Corbin Carroll; 2018 18U
• Merrill Kelly; 2023 WBC
• Evan Longoria; 2007 Pro, 2009 WBC
• Paul Sewald; 2015 Pro
• Alek Thomas; 2017 18U

ATLANTA BRAVES

• Travis d'Arnaud; 2011 Pro
• A.J. Minter; 2014 Collegiate
• Matt Olson; 2010 16U

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

• Jack Flaherty; 2013 18U
• Adam Frazier; 2012 Collegiate, 2015 Pro
• Kyle Gibson; 2008 Collegiate
• Heston Kjerstad; 2019 Collegiate
• James McCann; 2011 Pro
• Cedric Mullins; 2023 WBC
• Adley Rutschman; 2018 Collegiate

HOUSTON ASTROS

• Alex Bregman; 2010 16U, 2011 18U, 2013 & 2014 Collegiate, 2017 WBC
• Ryan Pressly; 2023 WBC
• Ryne Stanek; 2011 & 2012 Collegiate
• Kyle Tucker; 2012 15U, 2023 WBC
• Justin Verlander; 2003 Collegiate

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

• Mookie Betts; 2023 WBC
• Freddie Freeman; 2005 16U, 2006 18U
• Joe Kelly; 2007 Collegiate
• Clayton Kershaw; 2005 18U
• Lance Lynn; 2007 Collegiate, 2023 WBC
• Will Smith; 2023 WBC
• Kolten Wong; 2009 Collegiate

MINNESOTA TWINS

• Kyle Farmer; 2012 Collegiate
• Sonny Gray; 2009 & 2010 Collegiate
• Royce Lewis; 2014 15U, 2016 18U
• Bailey Ober; 2014 Collegiate
• Joe Ryan; 2021 Olympic
• Caleb Thielbar; 2019 Pro
• Matt Wallner; 2018 Collegiate

MIAMI MARLINS*

• Jake Burger; 2016 Collegiate
• Xavier Edwards; 2019 Pro
• Garrett Hampson; 2015 Collegiate
• Braxton Garrett; 2015 18U
• A.J. Puk; 2015 Collegiate
• David Robertson; 2017 WBC, 2021 Olympic
• Ryan Weathers; 2017 18U

MILWAUKEE BREWERS*

• Hoby Milner; 2011 Collegiate
• Brice Turang; 2014 15U, 2016 & 2017 18U
• Devin Williams; 2023 WBC
• Jesse Winker; 2011 18U
• Christian Yelich; 2017 WBC

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

• Alec Bohm; 2019 Pro
• Nick Castellanos; 2009 18U
• Bryce Harper; 2008 16U, 2009 18U
• Craig Kimbrel; 2013 WBC
• Michael Lorenzen; 2008 16U, 2010 18U
• J.T. Realmuto; 2023 WBC
• Kyle Schwarber; 2013 Collegiate, 2023 WBC
• Bryson Stott; 2018 Collegiate
• Trea Turner; 2012 & 2013 Collegiate, 2023 WBC

TAMPA BAY RAYS*

• Zach Eflin; 2015 Pro
• Taylor Walls; 2016 Collegiate

TEXAS RANGERS

• Cody Bradford; 2018 Collegiate
• Matt Bush; 2002 16U, 2003 18U
• Robbie Grossman; 2007 18U
• Travis Jankowski; 2015 Pro
• Josh Jung; 2018 Collegiate
• Corey Seager; 2010 16U

TORONTO BLUE JAYS*

• Kevin Gausman; 2009 18U, 2011 Collegiate
• Cavan Biggio; 2012 18U
• Matt Chapman; 2013 Collegiate
• George Springer; 2010 Collegiate
• Daulton Varsho; 2019 Pro

*indicates Club was eliminated in Wild Card Round

The 2023 MLB Playoffs are underway, and Team USA alumni have already made their mark through the Wild Card round. Over 20 percent of the eight Wild Card rosters featured Team USA alums, and the 43 players representing USA Baseball had some standout performances through the first two days of the postseason. Catch up with all of the action below!

MARLINS VS. PHILLIES

Team USA alums were all over the diamond in Philadelphia, as 89% of the Phillies’ hits came from players who have previously donned the stars and stripes. Seven months after his hot bat carried Team USA at the World Baseball Classic, Trea Turner shined yet again in the clutch by going 4-for-7 with a pair of doubles and an RBI in the two-game sweep. His WBC teammates, J.T. Realmuto (3-for-8, HR, 2B) and Kyle Schwarber (2-for-8, 2B, R), were also key contributors in the series. Collegiate National Team alum Bryson Stott delivered the knockout blow in Game 2, blasting a grand slam in the sixth to put Philadelphia comfortably in front. 2009 18U teammates Nick Castellanos (2-for-8, 2 2B, RBI) and Bryce Harper (1-for-6, 2 BB, 2 R) also chipped in offensively, 2019 Pro Team alum Alec Bohm went 2-for-8 with a pair of doubles and an RBI, and 2013 WBC alum Craig Kimbrel tossed a scoreless ninth in Game 1 to earn the save.

On the other side, six U.S. alums saw action for the Marlins. 2016 CNT member Jake Burger collected a pair of hits while Xavier Edwards of the 2019 Pro Team notched a base hit in his only at-bat. The 2015 CNT was well-represented in Game 1, as Garrett Hampson had a pinch-hit assignment and A.J. Puk tossed a scoreless inning of relief. Three-time alum David Robertson and 2015 18U alum Braxton Garrett combined to toss five innings on the mound.

DIAMONDBACKS VS. BREWERS

Corbin Carroll was all over the stat sheet in the Diamondbacks’ two-game sweep, going 4-for-7 with a home run, three runs scored, two RBIs, and two walks. The 18U National Team alum’s home run came at a crucial juncture in Game 1, kickstarting Arizona’s comeback victory. Alek Thomas (2017 18U) hit a similar longball in Game 2 after Arizona fell behind early, hitting a solo shot in the fifth before a four-run sixth put the Diamondbacks in front. 2007 and 2009 Pro Team star Evan Longoria delivered a hit and made a huge defensive play in Game 1, starting a double play to escape a jam in the fifth. On the mound, Paul Sewald (2015 Pro) earned saves in both games with two shutout innings and three strikeouts.

For Milwaukee, 2017 WBC alum Christian Yelich led the way with four hits in eight at-bats, also drawing two walks. Yelich doubled in the ninth inning of Game 2 to try to lift the Brewers to a comeback, accounting for one of the team’s two doubles in the series. Three-time alum Brice Turang started both games at second base for the Brew Crew, while Jesse Winker (2011 18U) made a pair of pinch-hit appearances. 2011 CNT alum Hoby Milner pitched in both games and allowed no runs over 2.1 innings of work, while 2023 WBC relief pitcher Devin Williams also made an appearance on the mound in Game 1.

RANGERS VS. RAYS

Team USA alums Josh Jung (2018 CNT) and Corey Seager (2010 16U) played crucial roles in the Rangers’ sweep of Tampa Bay. Jung picked up three hits, with all of them coming in a 3-for-4 performance in Game 2, where he hit a pair of doubles and drove in a run. Seager went 4-for-8, collecting two hits in each game, including three doubles overall. The shortstop had two RBIs, scored twice, and drew two bases-on-balls, reaching in six of his 10 plate appearances. Robbie Grossman (2007 18U) was the three-hole hitter in both games for Texas and picked up a hit in nine at-bats.

2016 CNT player Taylor Walls started at shortstop in each of the two games for the Rays and posted a 2-for-6 stat line. Zach Eflin (2015 Pro) earned the Game 2 start and suffered the loss, yielding four runs in five frames.

TWINS VS. BLUE JAYS

Two-time Team USA alum Royce Lewis got the Twins started early in their two-game sweep over Toronto. The former 15U and 18U standout hit a pair of home runs in Game 1, sending blasts over the Target Field wall in each of his first two at-bats of the series. Lewis finished the two games going 2-for-6 with three RBIs, three runs scored, and two walks. 2012 CNT alum Kyle Farmer got a pinch-hit at-bat in Game 1, while Matt Wallner (2018 CNT) drew a walk in four plate appearances. On the hill, two-time CNT alum Sonny Gray was lights-out in Game 2, tossing five shutout innings with six strikeouts to earn the win. 2019 Pro Team pitcher Caleb Thielbar threw in both games and did not allow a run in 1.2 innings of work.

With their stints on the Collegiate National Team separated by three years, Matt Chapman and George Springer combined for three hits and a walk for the Blue Jays offensively. Cavan Biggio (2012 18U) chipped in a hit in eight at-bats, while 2019 Pro Team member Daulton Varsho started both games in left field. Two-time Team USA alum Kevin Gausman got the ball to start Game 1 and suffered the loss after allowing three runs in four innings pitched.

The 2023 MLB Playoffs continue with Division Series action, beginning on Saturday. Be sure to follow @USABaseball on all social media to keep up with Team USA alums in the postseason!

Box Score & Plays | Cumulative Stats

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Team USA was shut out by Korea, 4-0, in the bronze medal game of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup on Sunday afternoon at Tianmu Baseball Stadium.

The U.S. completes tournament play with a 5-4 record, while Korea wraps up the World Cup with a 6-3 mark and a bronze medal.

The stars and stripes could not get anything going against Korea starter Taekyon Kim on Sunday, as the right-hander tossed a complete game and struck out nine in the process. PJ Morlando (Summerville, S.C.) provided the only two hits for the U.S. in the defeat, singling in the second and hitting a double in the fourth. Bryce Rainer (Simi Valley, Calif.), who drew a walk in the second, was the only other Team USA baserunner in the loss.

Cooper Williams (Alvin, Texas) started on the mound for the United States and turned in a start similar to his first. As he did against Japan in pool play, Williams surrendered two runs in the first before settling down for the remainder of the outing. Williams­–who suffered the loss–pitched three innings before Matthew Champion (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) took over and tossed 2.2 innings of two-run ball. Trey Gregory-Alford (Colorado Springs, Colo.) finished the sixth and pitched a scoreless seventh.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• An RBI triple by Tongkeon Yeo and a run-scoring bunt single from Jihwan Park gave Korea an immediate 2-0 lead in the top of the first.
• Korea threatened to extend its lead in the top of the second when Seungmin Lee hit a one-out double, but Williams locked in and retired the next two batters to maintain the two-run U.S. deficit.
• The Korea advantage grew to three in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Sangjun Lee before Rainer threw a runner out at the plate to keep the stars and stripes within striking distance.
• Morlando tried to ignite the Team USA bats with a two-out double in the fourth, but Kim induced an inning-ending ground out to keep his shutout intact.
• Champion was chased from the game in the sixth when Seungmin Lee hit his second extra-base hit of the game, an RBI triple to grow Korea’s lead to 4-0.
• Kim sent the United States down in order in the bottom of the seventh to finish off his complete-game shutout.

NOTABLES

• Morlando finishes the tournament as the team’s leading hitter, batting .409 (9-for-22) in World Cup play. The lefty collected a hit in eight of the nine U.S. games.
• Including Sunday’s performance, Gregory-Alford went unscored upon in four tournament appearances out of the bullpen, allowing just two hits in six innings of work.
• The U.S. pitching staff wraps up the World Cup with a 2.44 team ERA.
• The loss was Team USA’s second all-time defeat to Korea in World Cup bronze medal games after it also dropped the third-place matchup in 2004.

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TAIPEI, Taiwan – The 18U National Team finishes play at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup with the bronze medal game against Korea on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. local/2:00 a.m. ET at Tianmu Baseball Stadium in Taipei, Taiwan.

PITCHING MATCHUP

RHP Taekyon Kim (KOR) vs. LHP Cooper Williams (USA)

LAST TIME OUT

Team USA dropped its Super Round finale on Saturday, falling in a close 4-3 defeat to Puerto Rico. Despite carrying a lead into the late innings, the U.S. bullpen allowed a pair of runs in the sixth and seventh frames and the bats could not rally in the loss. Team USA scored first in Saturday’s game, plating a run in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by PJ Morlando. Puerto Rico answered with a run in the top of the third to tie it, but the U.S. responded in the bottom half with Konnor Griffin’s RBI triple and Derek Curiel’s sac fly to regain a 3-2 lead. However, a wild pitch in the sixth and a Puerto Rico sac fly in the seventh put the U.S. behind and it was unable to muster anything off of reliever Jarrette Bonet.

Levi Sterling started for the U.S. and was solid, tossing 4.1 innings and allowing two runs. Sterling finished the tournament with a 1.86 ERA in 8.1 frames and walked just one batter. Jack McKernan suffered the loss on Saturday by yielding two runs in two innings. Konnor Griffin got the final outs on the mound for the U.S.

BRONZE MEDAL GAME HISTORY

The United States has competed in five bronze medal games at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup. Picking up its first bronze medal win in 1986, the team has gone 4-1 overall in the third-place contest. The U.S. and Korea have played one another on two separate occasions in the bronze medal game; Team USA won the first meeting in 1996, and Korea took home bronze in the most recent matchup in 2004.

HISTORY AGAINST KOREA

At the U-18 level, the United States and Korea have played one another 22 times. Team USA owns a slight series advantage over Korea, posting a 13-9 all-time record. The series began when the U.S. earned a 7-5 victory over Korea in the opening game of the 1988 World Junior Championships, while the most recent meeting was a 5-1 win for the U.S. in game two of the Super Round. The two nations have met in the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup bronze medal game twice, each winning one of those matchups.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT

Korea enters the bronze medal matchup fresh off a 3-1 win over the Netherlands in its Super Round finale, which secured its spot in Sunday’s bronze game. Korea emerged from Group A as the number two seed for Super Round play after going 4-1, suffering an opening game loss to Chinese Taipei and then rattling off four wins in a row. The squad dropped its first two Super Round games (7-1 vs. Japan and 5-1 vs. Team USA) before Saturday’s 3-1 victory over the Netherlands.

The team is currently led at the plate by Hyunmin Cho, who is batting .350 (7-for-20) with a double, eight RBIs, and four runs scored. Yulyee Lee, who owns a .263 average (5-for-19), ranks second in the team with six RBIs and is tied for first with four runs scored. On the mound, Korea owns a 2.25 ERA with an astounding 77 strikeouts in 53 innings pitched. Sunday’s starter, Taekyon Kim, is 1-0 with a 1.56 ERA with 20 punch outs in nine innings of work.

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, Noah Franco, and PJ Morlando all helped the U.S. win gold last November. In addition, three players from the 2021 15U National Team–Konnor Griffin, Ethan Schiefelbein, and Nolan Traeger–will reunite on this year’s roster, while two-time alum Jack McKernan and Coy James represent the 2022 15U squad. Bryce Rainer 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–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.

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Box Score & Plays | Cumulative Stats

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Team USA lost to Puerto Rico, 4-3, in its World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup Super Round finale on Saturday morning at Tianmu Baseball Stadium.

The loss drops the United States to 5-3 overall and 2-3 in the Super Round, per WBSC tournament regulations. Puerto Rico is also now 5-3 overall and 2-3 in the Super Round standings. Despite the loss, the U.S. has secured a spot in Sunday’s bronze medal game against an opponent to be determined.

After holding onto a one-run lead after five, Team USA allowed a run in both the sixth and seventh innings and could not rally late. Puerto Rico tied the game on a wild pitch in the sixth inning, and a sacrifice fly by Henry Clausell provided the go-ahead and eventual winning run in the top of the seventh before the U.S. went down in order to end it. 

Levi Sterling (Los Angeles, Calif.) started for the stars and stripes and lasted 4.1 innings while allowing two runs on five hits. Sterling departed the game with the lead intact and Jack McKernan (Missouri City, Texas) escaped a bases-loaded jam to keep it a 3-2 edge in the fifth, but the southpaw surrendered runs in the sixth and seventh to suffer the loss. Jarrette Bonet turned in 4.1 hitless innings of relief for Puerto Rico and earned the win.

At the plate, Team USA was led by Konnor Griffin’s (Florence, Miss.) two-hit performance. Griffin singled and scored in the first, then hit an RBI triple and scored again in the third, to be responsible for all three U.S. runs. PJ Morlando (Summerville, S.C.) collected a hit and an RBI with a sacrifice fly in the first, while Derek Curiel (West Covina, Calif.) chipped in a sacrifice fly of his own.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Griffin singled to begin the U.S. first and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Morlando to put Team USA up 1-0 out of the gates.
• Puerto Rico’s Harold Laracuente hit a two-out single down the right field line in the top of the third to bring home a run and level the contest at 1-1.
• The U.S. regained a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third when Griffin stayed hot and ripped a triple to left center to plate Manny Marin (Miami, Fla.), who led off the frame with a single.
• Curiel hit the second sacrifice fly of the game for the stars and stripes in the third to bring home Griffin and extend the lead to two.
• Puerto Rico crept back within one on an RBI triple by Adrian Padro in the top of the fourth.
• Padro led off the top of the sixth with a single for Puerto Rico and scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at three.
• Three consecutive singles loaded the bases for Puerto Rico in the top of the seventh before Clausell hit a sacrifice fly to center to give his team its first lead of the game.
• Bonet continued to be a tough task for U.S. hitters as he retired the side in the bottom of the seventh to complete the 4-3 win.

NOTABLES

• Morlando continued his hot tournament with a hit on Saturday and has now collected a knock in seven of Team USA’s eight games played. The lefty is batting .389 with a .480 on-base percentage.
• Griffin has picked up three hits and scored three runs over Team USA’s last two games.
• Sterling finishes his tournament on the mound with a 1.86 ERA in 8.1 innings pitched, walking just one batter.
• Saturday’s loss was the first for Team USA against Puerto Rico in six all-time matchups at the U-18 level.

ON DECK

Team USA awaits its opponent for the bronze medal game at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup. The bronze medal game is set for 2:00 p.m. local/2:00 a.m. ET and will be streaming live on Gametime.sport from Tianmu Baseball Stadium.

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TAIPEI, Taiwan – The 18U National Team wraps up World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup Super Round play on Saturday against Puerto Rico. First pitch is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. local/10:00 p.m. ET (Friday) at Tianmu Baseball Stadium in Taipei, Taiwan.

PITCHING MATCHUP

RHP Jose Bulted (PUR) vs. RHP Levi Sterling (USA)

SUPER ROUND STANDINGS

Chinese Taipei (4-0)

Japan (3-1)

USA (2-2)

Korea (1-3)

Netherlands (1-3)

Puerto Rico (1-3)

LAST TIME OUT

Team USA notched its first Super Round victory on Friday afternoon, picking up a 5-1 win over Korea. After being held off the scoreboard through the game’s first four innings, big hits by Derek Curiel and PJ Morlando helped the U.S. put up a four-spot in the fifth. All four United States’ runs came with two outs in the fifth-inning rally, and Bryce Rainer added a sac fly in the sixth for some insurance.

The U.S. pitching continued its dominant stretch at the World Cup in Friday’s win. Ethan Schiefelbein had his second straight impressive start, tossing five innings of one-run ball and not walking a single batter. Schiefelbein turned it over to reliever Trey Gregory-Alford in the sixth, and the big right-hander got the final six outs to secure the win. Gregory-Alford now has three saves to lead all pitchers in the tournament, one ahead of teammate Noah Franco.

HISTORY AGAINST PUERTO RICO

Team USA has won all five matchups it has played against Puerto Rico at the U-18 level, starting with a 7-1 victory at the 2005 COPABE Pan Am “AAA” Championships. Saturday’s meeting will be just the second all-time between the two nations at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup – the U.S. won the only other contest, 7-0, in 2008.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT

The No. 3 seed out of Group A, Puerto Rico went 3-2 in pool play and won one of its first two Super Round games. The squad got off to a hot start, beating Czechia, Australia, and Mexico to begin the group stage with a 3-0 record. However, it came up short against Korea and Chinese Taipei­–thus entering the Super Round with a 0-2 mark–before beating the Netherlands and dropping Friday’s game to Japan.

Yeriel Pastrana is the leading hitting for Puerto Rico, pacing the team with a .500 (6-for-12) average and three RBIs. Jan Luis Reyes and Adonys Velez have also chipped in three RBIs apiece to tie for the team lead. The team has posted a 4.92 ERA on the mound thus far with 45 strikeouts in 42.2 innings pitched, paced by Ibrahim Gonzalez’s 15 K’s in 9.1 innings.

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, Noah Franco, and PJ Morlando all helped the U.S. win gold last November. In addition, three players from the 2021 15U National Team–Konnor Griffin, Ethan Schiefelbein, and Nolan Traeger–will reunite on this year’s roster, while two-time alum Jack McKernan and Coy James represent the 2022 15U squad. Bryce Rainer 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–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).

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.

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.

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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.

Box Score & Plays | Cumulative Stats

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Team USA broke through for four runs in the fifth inning to get past Korea, 5-1, in its second game of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup Super Round on Friday afternoon at Tianmu Baseball Stadium.

The U.S. is now 5-2 overall in tournament play and 2-2 in the Super Round, per WBSC tournament regulations. Korea falls to 4-3 overall and 1-3 in the Super Round.

After being shut out by Chinese Taipei in Thursday’s Super Round opener, the U.S. was held off the scoreboard for the first four innings on Friday before breaking through with a two-out rally in the fifth. With Team USA trailing by a run, Carter Johnson (Oxford, Ala.) singled before a fly out recorded the second out of the inning. Konnor Griffin (Florence, Miss.) then notched a single of his own to set the table for Derek Curiel (West Covina, Calif.), who snuck a hard ground ball down the right field line to plate two and give the stars and stripes a 2-1 advantage.

Levi Clark (Marietta, Ga.) followed by drawing a walk, and two stolen bases put runners on second and third for PJ Morlando (Summerville, S.C.). The cleanup man delivered, hitting a two-run single past the outstretched arms of Korea’s Anseok Jeong as Team USA’s lead became 4-1 in the fifth. The U.S. added an insurance run in the sixth and Trey Gregory-Alford (Colorado Springs, Colo.) got the final six outs to shut the door on the United States’ first Super Round win.

Ethan Schiefelbein (Corona, Calif.) started on the mound for Team USA and was dominant for the second time this tournament. He turned in five innings and allowed just four hits and one run, striking out four and not walking a single batter. Gregory-Alford got Schiefelbein out of a two-on, no-out jam in the sixth and then pitched a perfect seventh to earn the six-out save. Junseo Hwang started for Korea and surrendered four runs in 4.2 innings to suffer the loss.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Back-to-back singles by Nolan Traeger (Spring, Texas) and Bryce Rainer (Simi Valley, Calif.) loaded the bases for the U.S. with just one out in the second but Korea starter Hwang got two big outs to keep the game scoreless.
• Korea finally got to Schiefelbein after three hitless innings, scoring on a two-out RBI single by Hyunmin Cho to take a 1-0 lead in the fourth.
• Singles by Johnson and Griffin put two on for Curiel with two outs in the fifth and he delivered, doubling down the right field line and giving the U.S. a 2-1 lead.
• After Clark drew a walk to keep the fifth inning alive, Morlando lined a two-run single to right center field as the United States’ dugout erupted and its advantage grew to three.
• An error and single put two on with no outs in Korea’s half of the sixth; Gregory-Alford came in from the bullpen and made quick work of the next three batters to maintain the 4-1 lead.
• The U.S. put together two team at-bats in the sixth, resulting in a sacrifice fly by Rainer to plate Coy James (Advance, N.C.) and make it a 5-1 advantage for the stars and stripes.
• Gregory-Alford came back out for the top of the seventh and retired the side in order to earn his third save of the tournament and finish off the 5-1 win.

NOTABLES

• Six different players in the U.S. lineup recorded a hit, led by Curiel and Morlando, who each had two RBIs.
• Morlando has recorded a hit in six of Team USA’s seven games in tournament play and is now batting .353.
• Schiefelbein and Gregory-Alford showed great command in Friday’s win, not walking a single batter while striking out six.  
• Over two starts, Schiefelbein has permitted just one run with 12 strikeouts in nine innings pitched.
• Gregory-Alford’s three saves lead all pitchers at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup. Noah Franco (Downey, Calif.) sits second with two.
• The United States’ record against Korea at the U-18 level improves to 13-9 all-time.

ON DECK

Team USA wraps up WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Super Round play on Saturday, taking on Puerto Rico with first pitch set for 10:00 a.m. local/10:00 p.m. ET (Sept. 8). Catch all the action from Tianmu Baseball Stadium by watching live on Gametime.sport.

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TAIPEI, Taiwan – The 18U National Team continues World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup Super Round play on Friday against Korea. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. local/2:30 a.m. ET at Tianmu Baseball Stadium in Taipei, Taiwan.

PITCHING MATCHUP

RHP Junseo Hwang (KOR) vs. LHP Ethan Schiefelbein (USA)

SUPER ROUND STANDINGS

Chinese Taipei (3-0)

Japan (2-1)

USA (1-2)

Korea (1-2)

Netherlands (1-2)

Puerto Rico (1-2)

LAST TIME OUT

Team USA fell in its Super Round opener to Chinese Taipei, 3-0, on Thursday night at Tianmu Baseball Stadium. Taipei’s Nian-Hao Wang drove in all three runs for the victors, skying a two-run homer to left in the third and adding an insurance run with an RBI single in the seventh. Tegan Kuhns was strong in his start despite the loss, tossing 5.2 innings of two-run ball to keep Team USA in the game. Kuhns worked around trouble in the outing, allowing four walks and three hits, but was able to keep Taipei in check aside from one swing by Wang in the third. PJ Morlando and Nolan Traeger had the only two hits for the United States, each notching two-out singles in the first and second innings, respectively.

HISTORY AGAINST KOREA

At the U-18 level, the United States and Korea have played one another 21 times. Team USA owns a slight series advantage over Korea, posting a 12-9 all-time record. The series began when the U.S. earned a 7-5 victory over Korea in the opening game of the 1988 World Junior Championships, while the most recent meeting was an 8-3 win for the stars and stripes at the 2021 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT

Korea enters Friday’s contest at 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the Super Round, an identical record to the U.S. Emerging from Group A as the two seed, Korea dropped its tournament opener to Chinese Taipei before winning its next four games to go 4-1 in pool play. It fell in its first Super Round contest, however, losing a 7-1 contest to Japan on Thursday afternoon.

Korea is batting .271 as a team through its first six games, led by Sangjun Lee, who is batting .417 (5-for-12). Hyunmin Cho has tallied six hits and four runs scored, while Yulye Lee has a team-high six RBIs. On the mound, Korea owns a team ERA of 1.93 with 58 strikeouts in 40 innings pitched. Junseo Hwang, who is starting on Friday against Team USA, is 1-1 with a 2.74 ERA in two appearances at the World Cup.

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, Noah Franco, and PJ Morlando all helped the U.S. win gold last November. In addition, three players from the 2021 15U National Team–Konnor Griffin, Ethan Schiefelbein, and Nolan Traeger–will reunite on this year’s roster, while two-time alum Jack McKernan and Coy James represent the 2022 15U squad. Bryce Rainer 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–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).

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.

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.

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.

Box Score & Plays | Cumulative Stats

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Tegan Kuhns (Gettysburg, Pa.) pitched 5.2 strong innings, but Team USA fell to Chinese Taipei, 3-0, in the first game of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup Super Round on Thursday night at Tianmu Baseball Stadium.  

The U.S. is now 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the Super Round standings, per WBSC tournament regulations. Chinese Taipei improves to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the Super Round.

Taipei’s Nian-Hao Wang was the difference in Thursday’s contest. After a two-out walk put a runner on in the third, Wang sent a high fly ball over the left field wall for Taipei’s first hit, a two-run shot that gave it a 2-0 lead. Taipei starter Jun-Wei Zhang held the U.S. off the scoreboard from there, and Wang added an insurance run with a two-out RBI single in the seventh.

Zhang gave the Team USA lineup all it could handle, striking out seven over 6.1 shutout innings to earn the victory. Zhang permitted hits in the first and second innings but nothing after that, retiring 11 consecutive U.S. hitters before allowing a walk in the seventh. Yi-Lei Sun took over and recorded the final two outs to earn the save.

Despite suffering the loss, Kuhns delivered a strong outing on the mound for the stars and stripes. The right-hander scattered four walks and three hits in his 5.2 innings of work, striking out four and yielding just the two runs on Wang’s home run. Bryce Rainer (Simi Valley, Calif.) got the U.S. out of a jam in the sixth with a strikeout but allowed an insurance run in the seventh in relief, striking out a pair in his outing.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Chinese Taipei’s Ting-Lun Hsu was hit by the first pitch of the game but was erased on the basepaths on a strike-him-out, throw-him-out double play orchestrated by catcher Nolan Traeger (Spring, Texas).
• PJ Morlando (Summerville, S.C.) notched the first hit of the day for Team USA in the bottom of the first by legging out an infield single before being stranded at first on an inning-ending fly out.
• A fielder’s choice ended the U.S. half of the third after Traeger singled up the middle for the United States’ second two-out hit in as many innings.
• Wang hit a two-run homer for Chinese Taipei’s first hit of the day to put Team USA in a 2-0 hole in the third.
• A bunt single by Chia-Wei Lin and a two-out walk chased Kuhns from the game in the sixth; Rainer then entered and notched a strikeout to keep the U.S. deficit at two.
• Wang hit an RBI single with two outs in the top of the seventh to drive in his third run of the game and put Chinese Taipei in front by three.
• Levi Clark (Marietta, Ga.) drew a one-out walk in the seventh to knock Zhang out of the game, but Sun got the final two outs in relief to complete the 3-0 victory for Chinese Taipei.

NOTABLES

• Morlando (1-for-3) and Traeger (1-for-3) had the only two hits for the United States in the contest.
• With his four strikeouts on Thursday, Kuhns is now tied with Ethan Schiefelbein (Corona, Calif.) for the team lead with eight punch outs.
• The loss was the first time the 18U National Team has been shut out since 2015 (vs. Japan).
• Team USA is now 22-10-1 all-time against Chinese Taipei at the U-18 level.

ON DECK

Team USA continues WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Super Round play, taking on Korea on Friday at 2:30 p.m. local/2:30 a.m. ET. Catch all the action from Tianmu Baseball Stadium by watching live on Gametime.sport.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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TAIPEI, Taiwan – The 18U National Team gets World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup Super Round play underway on Thursday, taking on Chinese Taipei. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. local/6:30 a.m. ET at Tianmu Baseball Stadium in Taipei, Taiwan.

PITCHING MATCHUP

RHP Tegan Kuhns (USA) vs. RHP Jun-Wei Zhang (TPE)

SUPER ROUND STANDINGS

Chinese Taipei (2-0)

USA (1-1)

Japan (1-1)

Korea (1-1)

Netherlands (1-1)

Puerto Rico (0-2)

LAST TIME OUT

Team USA finished Group B action with a 4-1 victory over Venezuela on Tuesday to complete pool play with a 4-1 record. The U.S. got a strong outing on the mound from Levi Sterling, who tossed four shutout innings while the offense put up some early runs. It was an immediate 1-0 lead for the stars and stripes on Tuesday, as Coy James led off with a single and scored on an error in the bottom of the first. The other U.S. runs came in the second and third innings when Manny Marin scored on a wild pitch, Konnor Griffin hit a sacrifice fly, and Derek Curiel came home on a balk. Venezuela got the tying run to the plate in the sixth, but Joey Oakie entered in relief to put out the fire before Noah Franco recorded the final out to secure the win.

HISTORY AGAINST CHINESE TAIPEI

Team USA and Chinese Taipei have met 32 times at the U-18 level, with the U.S. holding a 22-9-1 advantage in the all-time series. The first-ever meeting between the two nations came in the opening game of the 1987 World Junior Championships, when the United States picked up a 10-0 victory. Most recently, the two nations faced off in the gold medal game of the 2021 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup, which resulted in a 6-2 victory for the stars and stripes.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT

The only remaining unbeaten team at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup, Chinese Taipei went 5-0 in Group A play. The reigning silver medalists opened play with a 3-0 win over Australia and beat Korea, 6-1. After consecutive 4-1 wins over Mexico and Czechia, Taipei finished pool play with a resounding 16-2 victory over previously undefeated Puerto Rico.

Offensively, Taipei is led by Ching-Hsien Ko, who is 7-for-11 with a home run and four runs scored so far in tournament play. Chao-Hung Chang poses a power threat in Taipei’s order as he has hit two home runs and driven in seven runs through five games. The club is batting .300 as a team and has scored 36 runs in five contests. On the mound, Taipei owns a 0.85 team ERA and has punched out 35 batters in 33 innings pitched. It has gotten the most innings out of Yi-Lei Sun, who has tossed nine scoreless frames allowing just three hits.

SUPER ROUND SUCCESS

Dating back four tournaments, Team USA has experienced great success in the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Super Round. The team is 11-1 in its past 12 Super Round games, with its only loss coming last summer against Chinese Taipei. The United States went unbeaten through the Super Round in 2015, 2017, and 2019, winning gold in two of those tournaments.

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, Noah Franco, and PJ Morlando all helped the U.S. win gold last November. In addition, three players from the 2021 15U National Team–Konnor Griffin, Ethan Schiefelbein, and Nolan Traeger–will reunite on this year’s roster, while two-time alum Jack McKernan and Coy James represent the 2022 15U squad. Bryce Rainer 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–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).

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.

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.

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.

Box Score & Plays | Cumulative Stats

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Levi Sterling (Los Angeles, Calif.) pitched four shutout innings as the United States took down Venezuela, 4-1, in its pool play finale at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup on Tuesday afternoon at Tianmu Baseball Stadium.

The U.S. finishes pool play with a 4-1 mark, while Venezuela’s record sits at 1-4.

Despite tossing four scoreless innings, Sterling’s day had a tumultuous beginning when Venezuela collected back-to-back hits to put two in scoring position with no outs in the first. The right-hander locked in, however, getting a ground out, fly out, and strikeout to strand both runners on base and get the momentum back on the U.S. side. When Venezuela then put runners on in the third and fourth innings, Sterling–who earned the win–quickly erased them with inning-ending double plays to keep a zero on the scoreboard. Jack McKernan (Missouri City, Texas) then yielded a run in 1.2 innings of work before Joey Oakie (Ankeny, Iowa) and Noah Franco (Downey, Calif.) combined to finish off the victory.

Offensively, it was a quiet day for the U.S., which only collected three hits. Manny Marin (Miami, Fla.) kept his hot bat going, notching a hit for the fifth consecutive game. Derek Curiel (West Covina, Calif.) and Coy James (Advance, N.C.) delivered the only other knocks for the stars and stripes, while PJ Morlando (Summerville, S.C.) drew a pair of walks.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Two consecutive hits put runners on second and third with nobody out in the top of the first for Venezuela, but Sterling induced a ground out, fly out, and strikeout to escape unscathed.
• James led off the U.S. half of the first with a single, advanced to second on a walk, and then scored on a fielder’s choice and throwing error to give Team USA an early 1-0 lead.
• A single and a hit batter put two on with one out for Venezuela in the third, but Sterling again got out of trouble by coaxing a 5-4-3 double play to keep the one-run lead intact.
• After a well-struck single put Marin aboard to begin the third inning, he made his way around the bases and scored on a wild pitch as the United States’ lead became 2-0.
• The U.S. advantage grew to four in the third on a sacrifice fly by Konnor Griffin (Florence, Miss.) that plated James and a balk that brought Curiel home from third.
• A two-out rally led to Venezuela cracking the scoreboard in the sixth on an RBI single by Francisco Rivero.
• Venezuela brought the tying run to the plate in the sixth before Oakie entered to put out the fire, getting a big swinging strikeout as the U.S. held onto its 4-1 lead.
• A sliding catch by Curiel in right center field recorded the final out of the 4-1 victory for Team USA.

NOTABLES

• Collecting a hit in all five games of pool play, Marin owns a .500 batting average to lead the team. His two doubles also lead the club at the completion of Group B play.
• James’ leadoff single in the first was his team-leading sixth hit of the tournament. His six knocks tie for second among all players in the World Cup.
• Sterling joins Carter Johnson (Oxford, Ala.) and Ethan Schiefelbein (Corona, Calif.) as the three U.S. starters to toss at least four innings and allow no runs.
• By permitting just one run in Tuesday’s victory, the United States lowered its tournament ERA to 1.80.
• The U.S. improves to 17-3 against Venezuela all-time at the U-18 level and 8-1 at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup.

ON DECK

Team USA advances to the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Super Round, where it will play three games with the schedule to be announced later this evening. Catch all the action from Tianmu Baseball Stadium by watching live on Gametime.sport.

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TAIPEI, Taiwan – The 18U National Team looks to finish pool play with a 4-1 record as it takes on Venezuela in its Group B finale. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. local/2:30 a.m. ET at Tianmu Baseball Stadium in Taipei, Taiwan.

PITCHING MATCHUP

RHP Brian Fernandez (VEN) vs. RHP Levi Sterling (USA)

LAST TIME OUT

Team USA got back in the win column with a 6-4 victory over Panama on Monday night. Starting with Coy James’ leadoff single, the U.S. came out of the gates hot in the victory and scored six runs in the first three innings, including a four-run third. The first two tallies of the third-inning outburst came when Konnor Griffin reached on a fielder’s choice and the throw got away to bring in a pair of runs, and then Noah Franco and Manny Marin each had RBI knocks to extend the advantage to six.

Matthew Champion pitched five innings of two-run ball to earn the win. The California native was nearly spotless through the first four before yielding a pair of runs in the fifth. When the lead dwindled to 6-4 in the sixth, Trey Gregory-Alford entered and slammed the door with a four-out save to lock down the win.

HISTORY AGAINST VENEZUELA

Since first meeting in 1992 at the Junior World Championships, Team USA owns a 16-3 all-time record against Venezuela at the U-18 level. The most recent contest between the two sides was at the 2022 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier, when the U.S. notched a 16-3 win. The United States is 7-1 all-time against Venezuela at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT

Venezuela enters Tuesday’s contest at 1-3 and has already been eliminated from potential Super Round play. It opened tournament play falling 13-4 to Panama before dropping an 8-2 contest to the Netherlands. After getting back on track with a 6-1 defeat of Spain, Venezuela was shutout by Japan on Monday to drop to 1-3.

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, Noah Franco, and PJ Morlando all helped the U.S. win gold last November. In addition, three players from the 2021 15U National Team–Konnor Griffin, Ethan Schiefelbein, and Nolan Traeger–will reunite on this year’s roster, while two-time alum Jack McKernan and Coy James represent the 2022 15U squad. Bryce Rainer 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–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).

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 STANDINGS

Japan (4-0)

USA (3-1)

Netherlands (3-1)

Panama (1-3)

Venezuela (1-3)

Spain (0-4)

Box Score & Plays | Cumulative Stats

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Team USA scored four runs in the third inning and Trey Gregory-Alford (Colorado Springs, Colo.) earned a four-out save in a 6-4 win over Panama on Monday night in World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup Group B play at Tianmu Baseball Stadium.

The win improves Team USA’s record to 3-1 in Group B. Panama is now 1-3 through its first four World Cup games.

Already leading by two entering the third, the U.S. put up a four-spot to extend its lead and pull away from Panama. The rally began when Derek Curiel (West Covina, Calif.) drew a walk in between singles by Coy James (Advance, N.C.) and PJ Morlando (Summerville, S.C.) to load the bases. Konnor Griffin (Florence, Miss.) then drove in one run on a fielder’s choice before another came home to score on an error to make it a 4-0 lead, and to cap it off, Noah Franco (Downey, Calif.) and Manny Marin (Miami, Fla.) smacked back-to-back hits to put the United States up by six.

Panama scored two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to creep within two runs at 6-4, but Gregory-Alford entered and slammed the door over the final 1.1 innings to secure the U.S. win.

James (2-for-4, 2 R) and Marin (2-for-3, RBI) each had two-hit games to pace Team USA offensively. Franco was all over the box score as well, going 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Griffin collected the only other RBI for the U.S. with his third-inning fielder’s choice.

Matthew Champion (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) was handed the ball to start for the stars and stripes. The right-hander pitched five innings of two-run ball to earn the win, working four shutout frames before allowing two in the fifth. Griffin entered in relief and nearly escaped a jam but allowed two runs, making way for Gregory-Alford take over and earn the four-out save.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• An infield single put James on to start the game and he eventually came home to score on a double steal to put the U.S. in front by a run in the first.
• Levi Clark (Marietta, Ga.) singled up the middle to begin Team USA’s second inning, later scoring on a throwing error to extend the early lead to 2-0.
• With the bases loaded and no outs in the third, Griffin reached on a fielder’s choice to bring home one run before a throwing error let another U.S. run cross home plate and make it a 4-0 score.
• Back-to-back two-out hits by Franco and Marin each plated a run to cap the four-run third and put the stars and stripes in front by six.
• Champion got through four shutout frames, but Panama finally scratched a pair across in the bottom of the fifth on RBI singles by Yeremy Sanchez and Julio Casas to make it 6-2 in favor of the United States.
• Panama scored twice more in the bottom of the sixth on a two-out, two-run single by Hector Rayo, but Gregory-Alford entered and picked up a big strikeout to keep Team USA’s lead at 6-4.
• Gregory-Alford returned to the mound in the bottom of the seventh and worked around a leadoff walk to lock down the 6-4 U.S. victory.

NOTABLES

• Marin’s two-hit day raised his tournament batting average to .500. The shortstop has a hit in all four games of the World Cup, including two doubles.
• James had two hits and scored twice in the win for the second time in the World Cup. The North Carolina native had an identical stat line in Saturday’s win over Spain.
• With his leadoff single in the second, Clark has now collected a hit in all three of his starts and is 3-for-6 in tournament play.
• Team USA can secure a spot in the Super Round ahead of its pool play finale if Japan beats Venezuela in this evening’s Group B matchup.
• The U.S. is now 24-2 all-time against Panama since the two clubs first met in 1987.

ON DECK

Team USA will wrap up the pool play portion of the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup against Venezuela at 2:30 p.m. local/2:30 a.m. ET on Tuesday. Catch all the action from Tianmu Baseball Stadium by watching live on Gametime.sport.

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.

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TAIPEI, Taiwan – The 18U National Team looks to bounce back from its first loss at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup, taking on Panama in Group B play. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. local/5:00 a.m. ET at Tianmu Baseball Stadium in Taipei, Taiwan.

PITCHING MATCHUP

LHP Matthew Champion (USA) vs. RHP Anthony Gantes (PAN)

LAST TIME OUT

The U.S. suffered its first loss of the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup on Sunday night, falling in heartbreaking fashion to Japan, 4-3. Trailing 4-0 and down to its final out, Team USA rallied for three runs and got the tying run in scoring position before a strikeout ended the comeback threat. Coy James and Manny Marin collected RBI knocks in the last-minute rally, and Bryce Clavon scored on a wild pitch. Derek Curiel went 2-for-4 with a double to pace the stars and stripes offensively; PJ Morlando also collected a double.

On the mound, Cooper Williams was solid for Team USA. After a two-out, two-run triple put him in an early hole, the southpaw battled and finished his night with two perfect innings to toss four frames overall. Tegan Kuhns (2 ER, 2 IP) and Joey Oakie (0 ER, 1 IP) also got work in on the mound in the setback.

HISTORY AGAINST PANAMA

After first meeting at the 1987 World Junior Championship in Windsor, Ontario, the U.S. and Panama have since played one another 24 times at the U-18 level. Team USA holds a 23-2 all-time record against Panama, including its most recent 11-1 victory in the gold medal game of the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier. The two nations haven’t met at the WBSC U-18 World Cup since 2002, when the stars and stripes picked up a 21-2 win.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT

Panama enters Monday’s contest with a 1-2 record in Group B play. After opening the World Cup with a commanding 13-4 win over Venezuela, it has suffered two consecutive setbacks: a 7-0 loss to Japan and a 4-3 defeat against the Netherlands. The squad is led offensively by Julio Cesar Casas Lopez, who is 4-for-9 with three RBIs through three games. Jose David Bernal Carrion also has three runs batted in for the Panamanians. On the mound, Panama owns a 3.85 team ERA and has a 15:10 K/BB ratio through 20 innings pitched.

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, Noah Franco, and PJ Morlando all helped the U.S. win gold last November. In addition, three players from the 2021 15U National Team–Konnor Griffin, Ethan Schiefelbein, and Nolan Traeger–will reunite on this year’s roster, while two-time alum Jack McKernan and Coy James represent the 2022 15U squad. Bryce Rainer 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–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 Ankieland** 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.

GROUP B STANDINGS

Japan (3-0)

USA (2-1)

Netherlands (2-1)

Panama (1-2)

Venezuela (1-2)

Spain (0-3)

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.