DURHAM, N.C. - USA Baseball announced the 40-man 14U National Team Development Program (NTDP) roster on Tuesday, following the conclusion of the 14U National Team Championships in Arizona and Florida. The 2019 14U NTDP will take place at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina, from July 21-24.
The NTDP offers athletes an opportunity to connect with USA Baseball staff to better prepare for future national team experiences. The program includes skill development sessions, off-field education seminars, an intrasquad series between Stars and Stripes teams, and exposure to professional scouts, college recruiters and the 15U National Team staff and task force.
"We cannot wait to welcome these forty athletes to the National Training Complex for the 14U National Team Development Program," said Director of Baseball Operations Charles Lane. "This is an incredibly strong group of athletes and our staff is excited to help them continue to grow as baseball players through this one-of-a-kind development opportunity."
The 40 athletes were selected for the 14U NTDP based on their participation and performance at USA Baseball sanctioned events, including the National Team Championships and the National Team Identification Series (NTIS), as well as recommendations from scouts, USA Baseball task force members and collegiate, high school and youth coaches at USA Baseball events.
Eleven members of the 2019 14U NTDP roster won a gold medal with the USA Baseball 12U National Team at the 2017 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-12 Baseball World Cup in Tainan, Taiwan, including Kai Caranto (Santa Clarita, Calif.), Owen Egan (Yucaipa, Calif.) and Ralphy Velazquez (Long Beach, Calif.), who also played together on the 12U National Team in 2016. In total, 29 of the invited players are new to USA Baseball national team programming in 2019, including nine athletes that represented their respective regions at the 2018 13U NTIS Champions Cup.
Eighteen athletes from the 14U NTDP will once again be invited to the 15U National Team Trials, which will begin with Phase I on July 26 at the National Training Complex. Phase II will immediately follow on July 29 and will include 34 athletes vying for a spot on the final 20-man national team roster. The 2019 15U National Team will train in Houston, Texas, from September 6-10 before competing in the 2019 COPABE U-15 Pan-American Championships from September 13-22 in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico.
In 2018, Joseph Brown (Petaluma, Calif.) and Karson Bowen (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) helped the 15U National Team win the program's first world championship at the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup in David, Panama, after earning a spot at the 15U National Team Trials following their performances at the 14U NTDP.
For more information on the National Team Development Program please visit USABaseball.com or follow @USABaseballNTDP on Twitter.
The roster for the 14U National Team Development program is as follows:
2019 14U National Team Development Program Roster
(Name; Position; Hometown; Travel Program)
Trent Abel; IF; San Diego, Calif.; San Diego Show
Eric Bitonti; IF; Hesperia, Calif.; IE Prime
Spencer Butt; IF/RHP; Davie, Fla.; Team Freedom
Kai Caranto; IF/RHP; Santa Clarita, Calif.; 2018 NTIS (SoCal)
Angel Cepeda; IF; Union City, N.J.; 2018 NTIS (North Atlantic)
Brandon Chang; IF/C; Irvine, Calif.; Saddleback Cowboys
Justin Corless; OF/RHP; Chandler, Ariz.; Pacific Baseball Academy
Connor Crisp; RHP/IF; Locust Grove, Ga.; 5 Star National 14U
Justin Cuellar; LHP; Tulare, Calif.; Tri County Baseball
Derek Curiel; OF; West Covina, Calif.; Scottsdale Dirtbags
Carson Dean; OF/IF; Frisco, Texas; 2018 NTIS (North Texas)
Ian Duarte; RHP/OF; Santa Clarita, Calif.; 2018 NTIS (SoCal)
Andrew Dunford; IF/OF; Centerville, Ga.; 5 Star National 14U
TJ Dunsford Jr.; RHP/IF; Grand Bay, Ala.; 2018 NTIS (Southeast)
Owen Egan; OF/RHP; Yucaipa, Calif.; GBG Renegades
Colt Emerson; IF/C; Cambridge, Ohio; Team Freedom
Keondre Fields; RHP/OF; Memphis, Tenn.; 2018 NTIS (Southeast)
Miles Ghossein; IF; West Hills, Calif.; Total Baseball Vipers
Gavin Grahovac; C/IF; Orange, Calif.; 2018 NTIS (SoCal)
Christian Grino; OF; Glendora, Calif.; GBG Renegades
Ryder Helfrick; C/OF; Discovery Bay, Calif.; 3D Gold
Jaydon Kea; IF/C; Kapolei, Hawaii; Kado Hawaii Elite
Cayne Killion; LHP; Scottsdale, Ariz.; 3D Gold
Trenton Lape; IF/RHP; Bossier City, La.; Team Freedom
Jonathan Mendez; IF; Los Angeles, Calif.; PFA Matadores
Andre Modugno; IF/C; Upper Saddle River, N.J.; 2018 NTIS (North Atlantic)
Chris Newstrom; IF/C; Anthem, Ariz.; Scottsdale Dirtbags
Brandon Olivera; RHP; Hialeah, Fla.; 2018 NTIS (South Florida)
Keilon Parnell; OF/IF; Pascagoula, Miss.; 2018 NTIS (Southeast)
Bryce Rainer; IF/RHP; Simi Valley, Calif.; Total Baseball Vipers
Benjamin Reiland; OF; Irvine, Calif.; Pacific Baseball Academy
Luca Reyes; OF; Teaneck, N.J.; Bronx Bombers
CJ Rice; RHP; Pleasanton, Texas; 3D Gold
Dillon Roberts; RHP; Cove Creek, Ariz.; PFA Matadores
Ty Southisene; IF; Las Vegas, Nev.; Mountain West
Nolan Stevens; LHP; Elk Grove, Calif.; Tri County Baseball
Cole Stokes; RHP; Redondo Beach, Calif.; Total Baseball SoCal
*Ralphy Velazquez; C/IF; Long Beach, Calif.; GBG Renegades
Samarion Ward; OF/C; Lithonia, Ga.; Meridian Panthers
Brooks Wright; C/RHP; Knoxville, Tenn.; 2018 NTIS (Southeast)
*Denotes National Team alumnus