The stars of tomorrow are here at the National Training Complex (NTC) in Cary, N.C., taking on this week's 15U National Team Training Camp. Of the 44 players taking part in Training Camp this week, four of them are making their mark on the USA Baseball Pipeline after initially winning gold early on in their careers.

Levi Kerr, Cris Matos, Dylan Mercado, and Trent O’Malley were teammates on the 2022 12U National Team. Going 8-0 during international play, winning gold at the VI World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-12 Baseball World Cup.

Following their dominant run with the 12U National Team, Kerr, Matos, Mercado, and O’Malley all took on stints at USA Baseball’s 13U/14U Athlete Development Program (ADP). Participating in a week of development with a strong coaching staff, taking on position-based drills, along with team drills, to provide top-notch training.

Ending off their summer of USA Baseball, the group participated in the National Team Identification Series (NTIS). A six-region player identification event that is split amongst the Midwest, Northeast, Northwest, South, Southeast, and Southwest.

With a plentiful amount of experience with USA Baseball, these players know what it means to don the red, white, and blue.

The 12U National Team helped prepare the group for what was to come down the line. Receiving coaching on what it means to represent your country on the international stage, as well as developing as players.

“It was amazing, that experience going over to Taiwan and winning gold was awesome,” said Kerr. “All the amazing coaches helped me out. They helped me learn so much about the game. It was great.”

Like the others, O’Malley put in all the work he had to, putting himself in a great spot to make the 12U National Team, creating an incredibly special moment for himself.

“Making the 12U National Team was something special to me. I worked hard all year to achieve that, and it felt special to go down to Taiwan and represent the country, showing that the USA has a lot of talent,” expressed O’Malley, which Matos and Mercado also agreed with.

The ADP proved to be a super beneficial event for the group, as all of them have found themselves here at 15U National Team Training Camp. The coaching staff from the ADP consistently came up with the players, echoing that the development players gain at the ADP is extremely valuable.

“The ADP impacted my game positively, because the number of coaches that are hands-on with you and the specialties they have,” said Matos. “They made me feel comfortable, and I know that I'm learning from guys with experience at the highest level to help me get better as a player.”

Kerr, Mercado, and O’Malley all described the feeling of a collective community of friends making the ADP a meaningful development program for them.

At the NTIS, representing your region amongst the best of the best from where you are from is a privilege. Being able to go through intensive testing along with playing uber-competitive games against the other regions brings out the best in everyone, showcasing the different playstyles.

“I had a great experience at the NTIS,” said O’Malley. “Meeting new players from where I am from, there are also a ton of other players I met from the other regions. I feel like it has helped me develop a better game sense, seeing all the other playstyles.”

Honored to be selected at the NTIS was Kerr, being one of 12 to advance from last year’s event to this year’s 15U National Team Training Camp held high significance to him. On the other hand, Matos appreciated the value in meeting new coaches and players, creating an opportunity to improve his communication skills.

This week the group will take on 15U National Team Training Camp together at the NTC, looking to make the next step in the USA Baseball pipeline. Every one of them with the same goal in mind.

“Making the 15U National Team has been a goal of mine since I was eight years old,” said Kerr.

Making new relationships off the field, while having high team chemistry on the field, often results in success. O’Malley understands that and looks to achieve his goals of making the 15U National Team along with new friends.

“To make the team and go down to Mexico, bring back gold,” stated O’Malley. “I also want to meet new players and make new friendships. It’s something I look forward to doing.” Matos had the same goal in mind: to bring home gold.

Looking to carry everything they have learned from the 12U National Team, ADP, and NTIS, this group will give it their all at 15U National Team Training Camp, attempting to make the next step in the pipeline.