CARY, N.C. - USA Baseball announced the 42-man 2018 17U National Team Development Program (NTDP) roster on Tuesday, following the conclusion of the 17U National Team Championships in Arizona and Florida. The weeklong 17U NTDP will be held in Chicago, Illinois, from July 22-26.
The National Team Development Program offers identified athletes an opportunity to connect with USA Baseball staff to better prepare for a future national team experience. The program includes skill development sessions, off-field education seminars and intrasquad Stars vs. Stripes games to assist in the development of the athletes as a person and a player.
"The 2018 17U National Team Development Program is a great opportunity for players to get a jump on competing for a spot on the 18U National Team in 2019," said Matt Blood, USA Baseball 18U National Team Director. "I am excited about the overall level of talent on this year's roster. Our coaching staff and game schedule is going to provide an amazing experience for the student athletes in attendance."
The roster is made up of 42 athletes who were identified and selected based on their participation and performance at USA Baseball sanctioned events, including the National Team Championships and the National Team Identification Series (NTIS), among others. In total, 11 athletes have played on a USA Baseball national team and 11 past NTDP participants are on the roster. Twenty-eight of the invited athletes are new to the USA Baseball national team pool in 2018.
Five of the 42 invitees are alumni of the 2017 15U National Team that won a gold medal at the COPABE Pan American "AA" Championships in Colombia, while an additional five players were members of the 2016 15U National Team that won bronze at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-15 Baseball World Cup.
Yohandy Morales (Miami, Fla.), Carson Tucker (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Anthony Volpe (Watchung, N.J.), were all members of the inaugural 12U National Team that won gold at the 2013 International Baseball Federation (IBAF) World Championships in Taipei City, Taipei, and will be reunited at the 2018 17U NTDP in Chicago.
In addition, Carter Young (Selah, Wash.), who was a member of the 2017 18U National Team that won Team USA's fourth consecutive WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup gold medal, is returning to the 17U NTDP for the second year in a row in 2018.
Four additional members of the 2017 17U NTDP are returning to the program in 2018, and overall, 11 of the invited athletes have participated in the USA Baseball National Team Development Program previously.
Pete Crow-Armstrong (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) and Masyn Winn (Kingwood, Texas) have been teammates for their entire Team USA careers, appearing on the 2014 12U National Team, 2016 14U NTDP and 2017 15U National Team together.
American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Hall of Famer Jack Leggett will serve as the field coordinator for the event after coaching in 2017. Ricky Meinhold and Gregg Ritchie will join Leggett on the staff and serve as additional evaluators for the event.
For more information on the National Team Development Program please follow @USABaseballNTDP on Twitter or visit USABaseball.com.
2018 17U National Team Development Program
Name; Position; Hometown
Mick Abel; RHP; Portland, Ore.
*^Nelson Berkwich; LHP; Boca Raton, Fla.
Drew Bowser; IF; Woodland Hills, Calif.
*Alek Boychuk; C; Buford, Ga.
Enrique Bradfield; OF; Hialeah, Fla.
Jack Bulger; C; Bowie, Md.
Max Carlson; RHP; Savage, Minn.
Gavin Casas; IF; Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Kellum Clark; IF; Brandon, Miss.
Nate Clow; IF; Federal Way, Wash.
*^Dylan Crews; OF; Longwood, Fla.
*^Pete Crow-Armstrong; OF; Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Jamar Fairweather; IF; Cutler Bay, Fla.
Brandon Fields; OF; Orlando, Fla.
Dax Fulton; LHP; Oklahoma City, Okla.
Alex Greene; RHP/OF; Edgewater, Md.
Austin Hendrick; OF; Oakdale, Pa.
Macauley Horvath; RHP/IF; Rochester, Minn.
*^Jared Jones; RHP/OF; Whittier, Calif.
Colten Keith
Jared Kelley; RHP; Refugio, Texas
Christian Knapczyk; IF; Plainfield, Ill.
Avery Mabe; RHP; Wytheville, Va.
Nolan McLean; IF; Willow Spring, N.C.
^Victor Mederos; RHP; Miami, Fla.
*Yohandy Morales; IF; Miami, Fla.
^Aaron Nixon; IF; Mission, Texas
Liam Norris; LHP; Cary, N.C.
Jack O'Dowd; IF; Boca Grande, Fla.
Caleb Pendleton; C; Jensen Beach, Fla.
Brett Percival; RHP; Lancaster, S.C.
Jackson Phipps; LHP; Dallas, Ga.
Maxwel Rajcic; RHP/IF; Fullerton, Calif.
Jordan Rollins; OF; Miami, Fla.
Drew Romo; C; The Woodlands, Texas
^Blake Shapen; IF; Shreveport, La.
Josh Shuler; OF; Suwanee, Ga.
*Carson Tucker; IF; Phoenix, Ariz.
*^Anthony Volpe; IF; Watchung, N.J.
*^Masyn Winn; RHP/IF; Kingwood, Texas
*^Nate Wohlgemuth; RHP; Owasso, Okla.
*^Carter Young; IF; Selah, Wash.
*Denotes National Team alum
*Denotes National Team Development Program participant