Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. - USA Baseball announced the 2018 18U National Team roster on Tuesday following National Team Training in Florida. The final 20-man roster will now travel to Santiago, Panama, to compete in the 2018 COPABE U-18 Pan-American Championships which begins on November 23.
Team USA will look to secure its fifth-consecutive Pan-American Championships gold medal in 2018. The program has won seven straight international tournament titles dating back to 2011, including winning the last four World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cups in 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2017.
"To hear your name called to be on the U.S. National Team is an incredible honor," 2018 18U National Team Manager, Jack Leggett. "These kids have worked extremely hard. I am excited and proud to have the opportunity to coach them and challenge ourselves against international competition. These kids have been preparing for this for a long period of time and I think we will be well prepared."
Five USA Baseball alumni will once again wear the stars and stripes in 2018, including Pete Crow-Armstrong (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) and Anthony Volpe (Watchung, N.J.) who have been named to their third national team. The two made their USA Baseball national team debuts with the 2014 15U National Team before winning a gold medal at the 2017 COPABE Pan American "AA" Championships with the 15U National Team.
In addition, nine members of the 2018 18U National Team participated in the USA Baseball 17U National Team Development Program (NTDP) with seven of those athletes having played in the 2018 event. The NTDP offers identified athletes an opportunity to connect with USA Baseball staff to better prepare or a future national team experience.
Fifteen members of the team are making their national team debuts in 2018.
"We're really excited to announce these 20 players," 18U National Team Director Matt Blood said. "It's been a long process and a long year. They have worked really hard to get here. It was hard to see some of those other guys go, but we are down to 20 now and we love our group and we feel good about the guys we have."
The athletes selected for the 18U National Team are chosen from the 17U NTDP, the USA Baseball 17U National Team Identification Series (NTIS), the Tournament of Stars, as well as recommendations from professional scouts, USA Baseball task force members and collegiate and high school coaches.
Team USA will open play in the COPABE U-18 Pan-American Championships against Honduras on Friday, November 23, at 1 p.m. ET in Santiago, Panama.
Continue to follow @USABaseball18U on Twitter and visit USABaseball.com for the most up-to-date news about the 18U National Team.
The 2018 18U National Team roster:
Name; Position; Hometown
^CJ Abrams; IF; Alpharetta, Ga.
Tyler Callihan; IF; Neptune Beach, Fla.
Corbin Carroll; OF; Seattle, Wash.
Riley Cornelio; RHP; Monument, Colo.
*^Dylan Crews; OF; Longwood, Fla.
*^Pete Crow-Armstrong; OF; Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Sammy Faltine; RHP; Richmond, Texas
^Riley Greene; OF; Oviedo, Fla.
Ryan Hawks; RHP; Bowling Green, Ky.
^Jared Kelley; RHP; Refugio, Texas
Jack Leiter; RHP; Summit, N.J.
Brennan Malone; RHP; Matthews, N.C.
Timmy Manning; LHP; Pompano Beach, Fla.
Jacob Meador; RHP; Burleson, Texas
*^Yohandy Morales; IF; Miami, Fla.
^Max Rajcic; RHP/IF; Fullerton, Calif.
Drew Romo; C; The Woodlands, Texas
Avery Short; LHP; Indianapolis, Ind.
*^Anthony Volpe; IF; Watchung, N.J.
^Bobby Witt Jr; IF; Colleyville, Texas
*Denotes National Team alum
^Denotes National Team Development Program participant