CARY, N.C. – Twenty-five USA Baseball alumni were selected for the 2023 MLB All-Star Game, which will take place at T-Mobile Park in Seattle tonight, Tuesday, July 11, at 8:00 p.m. ET.

The National League (NL) roster features 15 alums, and 10 American League (AL) players also have experience with USA Baseball.

Seven alumni were selected to the starting lineup, including four for the NL and three for the AL. Nolan Arenado (St. Louis Cardinals), Mookie Betts (Los Angeles Dodgers), Corbin Carroll (Arizona Diamondbacks), and Freddie Freeman (Los Angeles Dodgers) were all named to the NL starting lineup for Tuesday night. Josh Jung (Texas Rangers), Corey Seager (Texas Rangers), and Mike Trout (Los Angeles Angels) were voted into the starting lineup for the AL. Due to injury, however, Trout will not participate in the Midsummer Classic.

Twelve 2023 All-Stars have won a gold medal with the United States. The roster features players from seven different gold medal-winning teams, including two members of the 2017 World Baseball Classic team that won the organization’s first-ever championship at the event and eight players from the 2023 World Baseball Classic squad that earned silver this past March.

In total, 12 players competed for the Professional National Team, eight played for the Collegiate National Team, six suited up for the 18U National Team, four were members of the former 16U National Team, and one appeared on the 15U National Team.

The complete list of USA Baseball alumni named 2023 MLB All-Star Game rosters is as follows:

Name; MLB Team; USA Baseball National Team Program(s):

• Pete Alonso; New York Mets; 2023 WBC
• Nolan Arenado; St. Louis Cardinals; 2017, 2023 WBC
• David Bednar; Pittsburgh Pirates; 2023 WBC
• Mookie Betts; Los Angeles Dodgers; 2023 WBC
• Corbin Carroll; Arizona Diamondbacks; 2018 18U
• Nick Castellanos; Philadelphia Phillies; 2009 18U
• Gerrit Cole; New York Yankees; 2009, 2010 Collegiate
• Freddie Freeman; Los Angeles Dodgers; 2005 16U; 2006 18U
• Kevin Gausman; Toronto Blue Jays; 2009 18U; 2011 Collegiate
• Sonny Gray; Minnesota Twins; 2009, 2010 Collegiate
• Josh Hader; San Diego Padres; 2015 Pro
• Josh Jung; Texas Rangers; 2018 Collegiate
• *Clayton Kershaw; Los Angeles Dodgers; 2005 18U
• Craig Kimbrel; Philadelphia Phillies; 2013 WBC
• Michael Lorenzen; Detroit Tigers; 2008 16U; 2010 18U; 2011, 2012 Collegiate
• Matt Olson; Atlanta Braves; 2010 16U
• Brent Rooker; Oakland Athletics; 2019 Pro
• Adley Rutschman; Baltimore Orioles; 2018 Collegiate
• Corey Seager; Texas Rangers; 2010 16U
• Will Smith; Los Angeles Dodgers; 2023 WBC
• *Marcus Stroman; Chicago Cubs; 2011 Collegiate; 2017 WBC
• *Dansby Swanson; Chicago Cubs; 2014 Collegiate
• *Mike Trout; Los Angeles Angels; 2010 Pro; 2023 WBC
• Kyle Tucker; Houston Astros; 2012 15U; 2023 WBC
• *Devin Williams; Milwaukee Brewers; 2023 WBC

*denotes All-Stars who are inactive

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Representing Team USA as a coach or player is an experience unlike any other. It is an opportunity for some of the best in baseball to come together to pursue a common goal: to win gold on the international stage.

From the outside looking in, most people only get to see the surface of what it entails to put together a national team. Public announcements of who will make up the coaching staff and roster, the schedule of events, and the outcome are all just a small part of what goes on behind the scenes to compile the best possible team.

Behind the scenes, a considerable amount effort from the USA Baseball staff goes into the process of identifying a leader, determining a staff, and building a roster. It is a process that begins roughly six to nine months before that respective team’s international competition and involves difficult and complex decisions.

“Constructing a national team is like a puzzle, and everything that we do behind the scenes contributes to not only identifying the best players, but the best people to make up a coaching staff and support staff,” said USA Baseball Chief Executive Office Paul Seiler. “One of the biggest challenges is making sure we find the right pieces so that at least when we begin our journey to playing for a gold medal, we feel like the puzzle is pretty completed. We have a good picture of where we want to go and how we will get there.”

ASSEMBLING THE STAFF

The primary part of assembling a national team is identifying a manager who will lead and embody what it means to represent Team USA. USA Baseball’s staff considers many variables when choosing who to give that responsibility to. Of course, their prior successes on the field matter, but more importantly, how they can connect with and motivate players and embrace what Team USA stands for helps complete the makeup of the ideal manager.

“The process of identifying a manager for a national team varies between the programs,” said National Teams General Manager Ashley Bratcher. “You need that person to be familiar with the age of the athletes who they will ultimately lead, but also, we try to look for someone that will represent our national team programs well and uphold our standards and expectations of our athletes.”

But just as important as identifying the right manager to lead a national team, it is just as vital for the manager to surround themselves with a staff that can identify the top talent and character at the respective identification events for their squad.

“I tried to surround myself with knowledgeable people through the entire process, people at all levels from high school, to college, to pro, to working with USA Baseball,” recalled 2022 18U National Team Manager Denny Hocking, who led Team USA to gold medals at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup and World Cup Americas Qualifier.

“My number one thing while being in charge of a team is building relationships, so for me, it was important to put people in roles at the PDP League where they would be able to learn about the kids because I wanted an honest evaluation of the 100 players that we had there. It was about what 20 puzzle pieces we were going to put together in order to be the best representation of Team USA.”

THE IDENTIFICATION PROCESS

When preparing for an international competition, determining a roster is one of the most complex parts of the entire process. From the hundreds of players in each age group who put their talent on display to the coaches and staff members, only 18 are selected for the 12U National Team, while 20 are chosen for the 15U, 18U, and Women’s National Teams. Meanwhile, the Collegiate National Team carries 26 players and the Professional National Team’s roster size ranges from 24-30 players based on the event.

It’s not always about finding the best players, though. It’s about finding the right players.

“When we’re identifying players, we tend to look for qualities that would play well in the international environment,” explained 2022 15U National Team Manager Drew Briese, who led the team to its second consecutive World Cup title last summer. “An international environment can be very hostile, so some of the things that we were looking for with that [15U] team were guys who were highly competitive, had the ability to handle adversity, and their qualities as a person fit into the team dynamic.

“If you want to find the right folks to hit the field and win that gold medal, you have to have that mentality in the team chemistry and dynamic in order to do it.”

Selecting a national team is an intricate process. With such a large pool of talented players to choose from that can compete at a high level, the few who are selected must be able to not only fill the roles needed but also have the intangibles. The things that can’t be taught on a ball field.

“Everyone's pretty much in agreement on who the first 10 to 12 players are, but it's those last few pieces for the roles that we need that you can't miss on because those are what's really going to determine your success,” said 2022 12U National Team Manager R.J. Farrell, who guided the squad to an 8-0 record and a gold medal at the WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup. “It’s tough at any age group once you get the top players to Training Camp. They all can play the game, and they all bring something that's really, really good.

“When you start getting to where you're going to make the selection of who's going to actually make the national team, it comes down to who fits what piece that we feel we need. It’s a really difficult process, and there’s a lot of conversation involved. But at the end of the day, it's what we have to do.”

Most national teams have a primary identification event where the national team staff and a group of Task Force members carefully evaluate every player in the event. However, the selection process varies between each national team program.

For the 12U and 15U teams, the process for selecting players starts at USA Baseball’s identification events: The Futures Invitational, the National Team Championships in Arizona and North Carolina, and the National Team Identification Series.

The primary identification event for the 18U National Team is the Prospective Development Pipeline (PDP) League, which features 100 of the top eligible players for the following year’s draft. Meanwhile, the Women’s National Team process begins with the Women’s National Open, a three-day event for players around the country to compete for a Team USA roster spot.

In addition to the Women’s National Open, a large chunk of the identification for the Women’s National Team comes from various joint events that USA Baseball hosts alongside Major League Baseball throughout the calendar year. With women’s baseball still on the rise, these events give staff members and players a unique chance to build relationships while honing in on the development aspect of the game.

From these identification events, the coaching staff determines a Training Camp roster of 36-72 players to advance to the next step towards deciding who will wear U-S-A across their chest.

With the Collegiate National Team, the best 48-56 non-draft eligible players are selected for a Training Camp as the initial step towards identifying its national team each year. With the short time window from the end of the college season to when the team preps for its event, the players are evaluated throughout their season, giving USA Baseball a chance to recognize the best of college baseball.

“It's great for USA Baseball to put together its very best collegiate players to play international competition year in and year out,” said Professional and Collegiate National Teams General Manager Eric Campbell. “But the segment where college players play peer to peer during our annual Stars and Stripes series in which we pick our final team is an exceptional week and a lifetime baseball experience that no one will forget, regardless of if they make the final national team or not.”

Likewise, with the Professional National Teams, those squads are composed of the top Minor League Baseball and Major League Baseball players who are evaluated based on current and past performances at the professional level.

“It's exciting when MLB designates a pool of players that are available for a Professional National Team event,” added Campbell. “Those guys are playing for their club and are reaching for the pinnacle of the game, but it's exciting for everyone at USA Baseball when we can put our nation's uniform on those professional players. They've earned it based on their performance in any given year.”

For the national teams that select their roster from Training Camp, that stage could be considered the toughest part of the entire process. It is an intense three to four days and with a lot of conversation involved. Each night, the coaching staffs hold a meeting to evaluate the talent in front of them and determine who will represent Team USA. Because so many factors go into deciding that 18-20 player roster, the conversations can take hours.

“The difficulty during Training Camp to figure out that final roster is unlike anything else you experience,” said former 12U and 15U National Team Program Director Will Schworer. “Being in that room where they're talking about phenomenal athletes and how one might carry himself better off the field, or how one has a better bat but another player might be better defensively, is intense. The conversations can last hours, and it’s not an easy process.

“Just getting to the Training Camp roster is difficult, but once you’re looking for those final 18-20 guys, you really have to consider the intangibles on top of the talent. A lot of deep conversation goes into that selection process, and it’s not an easy one.”

SELECTION DAY

Once a national team is selected, several different emotions surface for all involved. There’s the slight relief that the selection process has been completed, so much excitement that the best possible roster has been put together, and anticipation to really begin the journey to win gold.

“Selection Day is an interesting day because not only am I telling 20 players that they have made the national team, but I am also releasing 20 players and letting them know they didn’t make the team,” said USA Baseball alum and two-time Women’s National Team Manager Veronica Alvarez. “It’s a mix of emotions because I very much empathize with those players who I have to release knowing how hard they have worked to get to that stage, but it’s also exciting to present the news to the 20 who make it and let them know they are representing USA Baseball.

“By selecting someone to the Women's National Team, it means that not only have they excelled on the field, but that they encompass everything that it means to represent the game and represent women within the game.”

Alvarez is a four-time Women’s National Team alum and served as manager in 2019 and 2022, so having the experience as a player and a manager has given her a deeper appreciation for what it truly means to wear the U-S-A letters across your chest.

“Having been a player on the Women’s National Team, I have a love and passion for what it means to represent Team USA. I have really high expectations for the women who follow because I want them to be successful and understand what that looks like. But now, being on the coaching side, I’ve moved away from having a personal goal or accomplishment, and I now understand what it means to help somebody else accomplish a goal. I wear the uniform with pride and very much feel this responsibility to uphold the standards of USA Baseball and what it means to be a woman within the game.”

The journey to pursuing gold is extensive, but it is one that provides so much reward to all involved. It’s a gratifying experience for those staff members and coaches who get to see all of the months of hard work finally come to fruition when Team USA competes on the international stage. Therefore, no matter what capacity you are serving in, it’s a badge of honor to be able to represent the red, white, and blue through America’s Pastime.

CARY, N.C. – USA Baseball announced today that 156 alumni kicked off the 2023 Major League Baseball season on Opening Day rosters. In addition, all 30 Major League Clubs feature at least two former USA Baseball national team members to begin the season.

The New York Mets lead all clubs with 11 former Team USA members, while the Philadelphia Phillies have the second-most on their roster with nine. The Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners, and St. Louis Cardinals have eight each on their roster, and seven alums are with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Angels, Milwaukee Brewers, and San Diego Padres.

In total, 23 of the 30 Clubs feature four or more players who suited up for the red, white, and blue in international competition.

Three alums were named as the Opening Day starting pitchers for their respective clubs: Miles Mikolas (St. Louis Cardinals), Max Scherzer (New York Mets), and Marcus Stroman (Chicago Cubs). Mikolas most recently won a silver medal with Team USA at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where he surrendered one earned run in a combined six innings out of the bullpen.

Brice Turang (Milwaukee Brewers) and Blake Sabol (San Francisco Giants) debuted on an MLB roster to begin the 2023 season; meanwhile, reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander is in his 18th season in the big leagues and reigning NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt began his 11th season in the MLB on Friday.

Eight alums are managing around the league, including Aaron Boone (New York Yankees), Terry Francona (Cleveland Guardians), Joe Girardi (Philadelphia Phillies), AJ Hinch (Detroit Tigers), Mark Kotsay (Oakland Athletics), Dave Roberts (Los Angeles Dodgers), David Ross (Chicago Cubs), and Scott Servais (Seattle Mariners). Francona is the only alum managing an MLB team that has played and coached for a USA Baseball national team.

Additionally, five USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award winners find themselves on an opening day roster, including a pair of Chicago White Sox teammates in Andrew Benintendi and Andrew Vaughn, as well as Kris Bryant (Colorado Rockies), Kyle Lewis(Seattle Mariners), and Adley Rutschman (Baltimore Orioles).

The complete list of USA Baseball alumni on Opening Day rosters is as follows:

Arizona Diamondbacks

• Corbin Carroll – 2018 18U
• Zach Davies – 2007 14U
• Merrill Kelly – 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Evan Longoria – 2007 Professional; 2009 World Baseball Classic
• Jake McCarthy – 2017 Collegiate
• Scott McGough – 2010 Collegiate; 2021 Olympics
• Alek Thomas – 2017 18U

Atlanta Braves

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

Baltimore Orioles

• Adam Frazier - 2012 Collegiate; 2015 Professional
• Kyle Gibson - 2008 Collegiate
• Cole Irvin - 2011 18U
• Cedric Mullins - 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Adley Rutschman - 2018 Collegiate

Boston Red Sox

• Triston Casas - 2015 15U; 2016 & 2017 18U; 2021 Olympics
• Tanner Houck - 2015 & 2016 Collegiate; 2019 Professional
• Reese McGuire - 2012 18U
• Robert Refsnyder - 2007 16U

Chicago Cubs

• Nico Hoerner - 2011 14U; 2012 15U
• Eric Hosmer - 2007 18U; 2010 Professional; 2013 & 2017 World Baseball Classic
• Nick Madrigal - 2011 14U; 2012 15U; 2014 18U; 2017 Collegiate
• Drew Smyly – 2011 Professional; 2017 World Baseball Classic
• Marcus Stroman - 2011 Collegiate; 2017 World Baseball Classic
• Dansby Swanson - 2014 Collegiate
• Jameson Taillon - 2009 18U
• Keegan Thompson - 2011 16U; 2012 18U

Chicago White Sox

• Tim Anderson - 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Yasmani Grandal - 2009 Collegiate
• Kendall Graveman - 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Joe Kelly - 2007 Collegiate
• Lance Lynn - 2007 Collegiate; 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Andrew Vaughn - 2013 15U; 2017 & 2018 Collegiate; 2019 Professional

Cincinnati Reds - 3

• Will Benson - 2015 18U
• TJ Friedl - 2016 Collegiate
• Hunter Greene - 2014 15U; 2015 & 2016 18U

Cleveland Guardians

• Hunter Gaddis - 2017 Collegiate
• Cam Gallagher - 2015 Professional

Colorado Rockies

• Daniel Bard - 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Kris Bryant - 2012 Collegiate
• Kyle Freeland - 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Mike Moustakas - 2006 18U; 2010 Professional

Detroit Tigers

• Riley Greene - 2017 18U
• Alex Lange - 2016 Collegiate
• Austin Meadows - 2011 16U
• Spencer Torkelson - 2018 & 2019 Collegiate

Houston Astros

• Alex Bregman - 2010 16U; 2011 18U; 2013 & 2014 Collegiate; 2017 World Baseball Classic
• Ryan Pressly - 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Ryne Stanek - 2011 & 2012 Collegiate
• Kyle Tucker - 2012 15U; 2023 World Baseball Classic

Kansas City Royals

• Jackie Bradley Jr. - 2010 Collegiate
• MJ Melendez - 2016 18U
• Brady Singer - 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Bobby Witt Jr. - 2018 18U; 2023 World Baseball Classic

Los Angeles Angels

• Tyler Anderson - 2010 Collegiate
• Reid Detmers - 2019 Collegiate
• Brett Phillips - 2015 Professional
• Anthony Rendon - 2010 Collegiate
• Matt Thaiss - 2015 Collegiate
• Mike Trout - 2010 Professional; 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Taylor Ward - 2014 Collegiate

Los Angeles Dodgers

• Mookie Betts - 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Freddie Freeman - 2005 16U; 2006 18U
• Clayton Kershaw - 2005 18U
• Will Smith - 2023 World Baseball Classic

Miami Marlins

• Braxton Garrett - 2015 18U
• A.J. Puk - 2015 Collegiate

Milwaukee Brewers

• Matt Bush - 2002 16U; 2003 18U
• Hoby Milner - 2011 Collegiate
• Garrett Mitchell - 2019 Collegiate
• Brice Turang - 2014 15U; 2016 & 2017 18U
• Devin Williams - 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Jesse Winker - 2011 18U
• Christian Yelich - 2017 World Baseball Classic

Minnesota Twins

• Kyle Farmer - 2012 Collegiate
• Joey Gallo - 2011 18U
• Sonny Gray - 2009 & 2010 Collegiate
• Joe Ryan - 2021 Olympics
• Cole Sands - 2012 15U; 2016 Collegiate
• Caleb Thielbar - 2019 Professional

New York Mets

• Pete Alonso - 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Tommy Hunter - 2006 Collegiate
• Francisco Lindor - 2009 16U; 2010 18U
• Jeff McNeil - 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Stephen Nogosek - 2009 14U; 2015 Collegiate
• Adam Ottavino - 2023 World Baseball Classic
• David Peterson - 2016 Collegiate
• Brooks Raley - 2023 World Baseball Classic
• David Robertson - 2017 World Baseball Classic; 2021 Olympics
• Max Scherzer - 2005 Collegiate
• Justin Verlander - 2003 Collegiate

New York Yankees

• Kyle Higashioka - 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Giancarlo Stanton – 2013 & 2017 World Baseball Classic
• Jose Trevino - 2012 Collegiate
• Anthony Volpe - 2013 12U; 2016 15U; 2018 18U

Oakland Athletics

• Nick Allen - 2013 15U; 2016 18U; 2021 Olympics
• Zach Jackson - 2015 Collegiate
• Shea Langeliers - 2018 Collegiate
• Brent Rooker - 2019 Professional

Philadelphia Phillies

• Alec Bohm - 2019 Professional
• Nick Castellanos - 2009 18U
• Dalton Guthrie - 2016 Collegiate
• Josh Harrison - 2017 World Baseball Classic
• Craig Kimbrel - 2013 World Baseball Classic
• JT Realmuto - 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Kyle Schwarber - 2013 Collegiate; 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Bryson Stott - 2018 Collegiate
• Trea Turner - 2012 & 2013 Collegiate; 2023 World Baseball Classic

Pittsburgh Pirates

• David Bednar - 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Chase De Jong - 2011 18U
• Ke'Bryan Hayes - 2014 18U
• Andrew McCutchen - 2004 18U; 2017 World Baseball Classic
• Bryan Reynolds - 2014 Collegiate

San Diego Padres

• Jake Cronenworth - 2019 Professional
• David Dahl - 2011! 18U
• Trenton Grisham - 2014! 18U
• Josh Hader - 2015 Professional
• Nick Martinez - 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Michael Wacha - 2011 Collegiate
• Ryan Weathers - 2017! 18U

San Francisco Giants

• Michael Conforto - 2012 & 2013 Collegiate
• Brandon Crawford - 2006 Collegiate; 2017 World Baseball Classic
• Blake Sabol - 2013 15U

Seattle Mariners

• JP Crawford - 2009 14U
• Marco Gonzales - 2012 Collegiate
• Jarred Kelenic - 2016 & 2017 18U
• Penn Murfee - 2019 Professional
• AJ Pollock - 2011 Professional
• Robbie Ray - 2009 18U
• Paul Sewald - 2015 Professional
• Kolten Wong - 2009 Collegiate

St. Louis Cardinals

• Nolan Arenado - 2017 & 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Alec Burleson - 2019 Collegiate
• Jack Flaherty - 2013 18U
• Paul Goldschmidt - 2017 & 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Nolan Gorman - 2017 18U
• Miles Mikolas - 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Andre Pallante - 2018 Collegiate
• Zack Thompson - 2018 Collegiate

Tampa Bay Rays

• Jason Adam - 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Zach Eflin - 2015 Professional
• Taylor Walls - 2016 Collegiate

Texas Rangers

• Robbie Grossman - 2007 18U
• Travis Jankowski - 2015 Professional
• Josh Jung - 2018 Collegiate
• Ian Kennedy - 2002 18U; 2004 & 2005 Collegiate
• Brad Miller - 2009 & 2010 Collegiate
• Corey Seager - 2010 16U

Toronto Blue Jays

• Cavan Biggio - 2012 18U
• Matt Chapman - 2013 Collegiate
• Kevin Gausman - 2009 18U; 2011 Collegiate
• George Springer - 2010 Collegiate
• Dalton Varsho - 2019 Professional

Washington Nationals

• CJ Abrams - 2018 18U
• Mason Thompson - 2013 15U
• Trevor Williams - 2012 Collegiate

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
USA	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	9	0
Japan	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	x	3	5	0

BOX SCORE - PLAYS - CUMULATIVE

MIAMI, Fla. – Team USA fell to Japan, 3-2, in front of a sold-out crowd in the title game of the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday night at loanDepot Park. The U.S. finished the tournament with a 5-2 record in the fifth edition of the event.

After the U.S. grabbed an early lead, Japan (7-0) jumped in front in the bottom of the second and held the lead for most of the game. Team USA threatened throughout the game, outhitting Japan 9-5 and getting within a run entering the ninth inning, but was unable to scratch the tying run across.

Trea Turner continued his record-breaking performance in the World Baseball Classic by getting the scoring started for the U.S. on Tuesday. With one out and nobody on in the bottom of the second inning, Turner launched his fourth home run in the past three games to give Team USA a 1-0 lead. The 406-foot blast to left, which was Turner’s fifth, tied him for the most home runs in a single World Baseball Classic (Seung Youp Lee, 2006), and broke the U.S. record for RBIs in a single tournament with 11.

Japan tacked on two runs in the bottom of the second, but U.S. reliever Aaron Loup entered the game with the bases loaded and was able to limit the damage to keep the game within striking distance at 2-1.

The stars and stripes squandered a scoring chance in the top of the third, drawing a pair of walks to put two on with two out for their hottest hitter in Turner. But he was unable to deliver this time, striking out to strand the baserunners.

Japan tacked on another run in the bottom of the fourth on a solo homer to take a 3-1 lead, and Team USA threatened again in the fifth and seventh innings. Singles by Mookie Betts and Nolan Arenado got the U.S. crowd on its feet in the top of the fifth, but an inning-ending fly out halted the rally and kept the U.S. deficit at two. Pinch-hitter Jeff McNeil led off the top of the seventh inning with a four-pitch walk and Betts singled to put two on with no outs, but a fly out and double play ended the threat.

Kyle Schwarber got the U.S. back within a run in the bottom of the eighth. The lefty fouled off six consecutive pitches before smoking the 10th pitch of the at-bat into the upper deck in right field for his second home run of the tournament to cut Team USA’s deficit to one.

McNeil drew a walk to lead off the top of the ninth against Shohei Ohtani, but a double play ball from Betts and a Trout strikeout ended Team USA’s tournament with a silver medal.

Betts (2-for-5) and Turner (2-for-4, HR, RBI) paced the offense with multi-hit games, while Schwarber’s (1-for-3, HR, RBI) homer provided the only other run. Trout (1-for-5) picked up a hit for the sixth consecutive game and reached base in all seven games of the tournament, the only U.S. player to do so.

Starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (0-1) lasted 1.1 innings and surrendered two runs on three hits to suffer the loss. The stars and stripes got solid work out of the bullpen, which allowed just one run over the final 6.2 innings pitched. Kyle Freeland provided the bulk of the work in relief, turning in three innings of one-run baseball. Jason Adam, David Bednar, and Devin Williams all pitched scoreless innings.

Trout and Turner both represented Team USA on the All-Tournament Team for their standout performances. Trout batted .296 with a homer and seven RBIs for the stars and stripes, reaching base at a .406 clip throughout tournament play. Turner hit a tournament-leading and record-tying five homers and drove in a team record-setting 11 runs, batting .391 and leading the team with a 1.483 slugging percentage.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cuba	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	2	12	0
USA	2	1	2	2	2	4	0	1	x	14	14	1

BOX SCORE - PLAYS - CUMULATIVE STATS

MIAMI, Fla. – Trea Turner continued his World Baseball Classic tear with two home runs, and the U.S. hit a team-record four blasts to lift Team USA to a 14-2 win over Cuba in the semifinals on Sunday night at loanDepot Park. With the win, the U.S. clinches its spot in Tuesday’s title game and will aim to defend its world title against the winner of the second semifinal between Japan and Mexico.

The United States will appear in the World Baseball Classic championship game for the second straight tournament after beating Puerto Rico in the 2017 title game.

After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first inning, the U.S. offense wasted no time taking a lead it would not relinquish on the night. The stars and stripes scored in each of the game’s first six innings and seven of their eight turns at bat overall, marking the first time in Team USA’s history that it scored in six straight innings at the World Baseball Classic.

Paul Goldschmidt started the scoring for Team USA in the first with a two-run shot to go up 2-1. The 112 mph-home run drove in the 13th and 14th first-inning runs for the stars and stripes in the tournament, giving them the second-most all-time in a single World Baseball Classic (Korea, 19 in 2009).

The U.S. left the yard again in the second inning, this time off the bat of Turner. After hitting a go-ahead grand slam in Saturday’s quarterfinal, Turner stayed hot and crushed another no-doubter, a 428-foot solo shot to left, to increase Team USA’s lead to 3-1. Turner became only the second U.S. player in history to hit home runs in back-to-back World Baseball Classic plate appearances, joining his U.S. hitting coach, Ken Griffey Jr. (2006 vs. South Africa).

Nolan Arenado singled in the bottom of the third before a hit-by-pitch and a walk loaded the bases for Pete Alonso, who roped an RBI-single to left to plate Team USA’s fourth run. The lead grew to 5-1 on a sacrifice fly by Tim Anderson, bringing Kyle Schwarber home for the second run of the inning.

Cuba added a run in the fifth, but Team USA’s offense continued to pour it on in the middle innings, scoring another two runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to take a commanding 9-2 lead. St. Louis Cardinals teammates Arenado and Goldschmidt were in the middle of the scoring, as Goldschmidt drew a walk and came around to score on Arenado’s RBI-triple down the right field line in the fourth. Arenado–whose triple gave the U.S. a tournament-leading six three-baggers–later scored on a wild pitch before Goldschmidt smoked a two-run single in the fifth for the seven-run advantage.

The U.S. outburst continued into the bottom of the sixth after Will Smith began the inning with a double and Jeff McNeil drew a walk to bring Turner to the plate. He continued his dominant two-game stretch, demolishing a three-run blast to left to extend the lead to 12-2.

Mookie Betts and Mike Trout combined to score another run for Team USA in the sixth, as Betts singled and scored on a line-drive double from Trout. After entering as a pinch runner in the seventh inning, Cedric Mullins put the finishing touches on the victory with a solo homer on the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the eighth for the team’s fourth longball of the night to make it 14-2.

Adam Wainwright (2-0) got the start for the United States and withstood a stressful first inning before settling down to toss four frames of one-run ball. Wainwright, who now owns a 2.25 ERA in tournament play, scattered five hits and struck out one batter to earn the win. Miles Mikolas followed Wainwright and pitched four solid innings of relief, allowing just one run and striking out three before Aaron Loup got the final three outs in the top of the ninth to advance Team USA to the finals.

The stars and stripes tallied 14 hits for the second night in a row. Betts (3-for-6) and Turner (3-for-5, 2 HR, 4 RBI) combined for almost half of the knocks, while Arenado (2-for-3, RBI) and Goldschmidt (2-for-5, HR, 4 RBI) also contributed multi-hit games. Mullins (1-for-1, HR, RBI) homered in his only at-bat, becoming the seventh U.S. player to homer in tournament play.

Including Saturday’s quarterfinal win over Venezuela, the U.S. scored 23 runs on 28 hits over the past two games.

Following Turner’s two-homer night on Sunday, he now owns the U.S. record for most home runs in a single World Baseball Classic (4) and is tied with Griffey Jr. and David Wright for the most RBIs in a single tournament (10). He is also the tournament leader in homers and is tied for the most RBIs.

Team USA returns to action on Tuesday night for the World Baseball Classic title game against the winner of Mexico vs. Japan. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. ET at loanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, and the game will be televised on Fox Sports 1.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
USA	3	0	0	1	1	0	0	4	0	9	14	0
Venezuela	2	0	0	0	4	0	1	0	0	7	8	3

BOX SCORE - PLAYS - CUMULATIVE STATS

MIAMI, Fla. – Trea Turner launched a go-ahead grand slam in the top of the eighth inning to lift Team USA to a 9-7 quarterfinal win over Venezuela on Saturday night at loanDepot Park. The U.S. secured its spot in the World Baseball Classic semifinal round with the win.

It will be Team USA’s second-consecutive trip to the World Baseball Classic semifinal round and its third overall.

Trailing by two runs in the top of the eighth, the United States (4-1) put together a furious rally capped by Turner’s grand slam to take the lead. Tim Anderson drew a leadoff walk, Pete Alonso hit a pinch-hit bloop single, and J.T. Realmuto was hit by a pitch to load the bases with nobody out for Turner. After a pitching change, Turner fell behind 0-2 before crushing a grand slam deep over the left-field wall to put Team USA in front for good, 9-7.

Turner’s grand slam was the third in Team USA’s history at the World Baseball Classic and the first since David Wright’s slam against Italy in 2013.

The U.S. kicked the game off with five consecutive hits in the top of the first to take an immediate 3-0 lead in the quarterfinal matchup. Mookie Betts led off the game with an infield single and came around to score when Mike Trout blooped a single to center field and Venezuela’s Ronald Acuña Jr. made a throwing error to advance the runners. Trout was then plated on an RBI-knock by Paul Goldschmidt, and–after a Nolan Arenado single put runners on the corners–Kyle Tucker singled up the middle to bring home Goldschmidt.

It was the first time the U.S. had five consecutive hits without recording an out in a World Baseball Classic game since 2006 against South Africa.

Venezuela (4-1) responded by scoring twice in the bottom of the first to trim its deficit to one. Then, the stars and stripes put a leadoff batter on for the third time in the first four innings in the top of the fourth to kick off another run-scoring frame. Kyle Schwarber pulled a base hit past the shift into right field and advanced to third on a throwing error before scoring on a Betts sacrifice fly, making it 4-2 in favor of Team USA.

With two outs and nobody on, Tucker added to the red, white, and blue’s lead in the top of the fifth. The lefty launched a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right to give the U.S. a 5-2 advantage, becoming the fifth different player to homer for Team USA in the tournament.

Venezuela capitalized on wild U.S. pitching and timely hitting to take a 6-5 lead, scoring four runs in the bottom of the fifth and taking the lead for the first time in the game. The lead grew to 7-5 on a solo shot in the bottom of the seventh before Turner’s heroics capped Team USA’s four-run eighth inning.

Lance Lynn started on the mound for the United States and pitched four solid frames in a no-decision, allowing just two runs in the bottom of the first. Lynn finished his night by striking out the potential game-tying run in the bottom of the fourth for one of his two punch-outs on the night. David Bednar (1-0) earned the win after allowing a run in an otherwise uneventful seventh. Adam Ottavino and Devin Williams each recorded two strikeouts in scoreless innings, and Ryan Pressly (2) turned in a perfect ninth to earn his second consecutive save.

Team USA’s offense showed up on Saturday night and pieced together 15 hits, a tournament high for the stars and stripes. All nine players in the starting lineup collected a hit in the win, including Tucker (3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI). Arenado (2-for-5), Goldschmidt (2-for-5, RBI), and Realmuto (2-for-3) also had multi-hit games for the United States. Turner (1-for-3, 4 RBI) and Tucker both had multiple-RBI games for the red, white, and blue, who had four extra-base hits.

Team USA is back in action on Sunday night against Cuba (3-2) in the World Baseball Classic semifinal round. The first pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. ET at loanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, and the game will be televised nationally on Fox Sports 1.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
USA	0	0	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	3	7	0
Colombia	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	6	0

BOX SCORE - PLAYS - CUMULATIVE STATS

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Mike Trout hit the go-ahead single in the top of the fifth and the bullpen combined to toss six innings of scoreless relief as Team USA beat Colombia, 3-2, on Wednesday night at Chase Field. With the win, the U.S. advances to the World Baseball Classic quarterfinal round on Saturday night in Miami, Florida.

The U.S. has now advanced out of pool play in all five editions of the World Baseball Classic, joining Japan and Puerto Rico as the only nations to accomplish the feat.

Trailing by a run in the top of the fifth, the U.S. (3-1) used heads-up baserunning and clutch hitting to retake the lead. Will Smith drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch before Mookie Betts singled and took second on the throw to put two in scoring position for Trout with one out. Just as he did on Monday night, Trout delivered, roping a two-run single to left to put Team USA in front 3-2. It was one of three hits for Trout on the night, who went 4-for-6 with six RBIs and two walks over the last two games.

The U.S. bullpen held Colombia (1-3) scoreless over the final six innings to secure the stars and stripes’ spot in the quarterfinals. Colombia mustered just two hits off Team USA’s relievers, who struck out nine batters. All seven relief pitchers recorded at least one strikeout, including Jason Adam, who struck out the side in the seventh. Ryan Pressly (1) entered in the ninth and worked around a two-out infield single to record the save.

Both sides exchanged zeroes over the first two innings on Wednesday. The U.S. threatened immediately in the top of the first when Trout hit a one-out triple and Paul Goldschmidt walked, but Colombia starter Luis De Avila induced an inning-ending double play to get out of the jam.

Team USA starter Merrill Kelly tossed a perfect opening frame before escaping trouble in the second. A single and two walks loaded the bases with one out for Colombia, but Kelly got the next two batters to pop out and ground out to get out of the inning unscathed.

The U.S. cracked the scoreboard in the top of the third, picking up back-to-back hits with two outs. Betts started the rally, working a six-pitch at-bat before singling to right field and advancing to second on a wild pitch. Trout then continued his tear by finding an open space in the shift for a single to plate Betts and give the U.S. a 1-0 lead.

Colombia responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third, and both teams went down quietly in the fourth inning before Trout’s two-run knock put the red, white, and blue in front by a run in the fifth. Trout’s single gave him three RBIs for the second consecutive game, making him the first U.S. player to drive in three or more runs in back-to-back World Baseball Classic games.

The top of the order paced the U.S. offense on Wednesday. Betts (2-for-4, 2 R) and Trout (3-for-4, 3 RBIs) set the tone for the stars and stripes, accounting for more than half of the team’s hits. Nolan Arenado (1-for-4) and Trea Turner (1-for-3) were the only other players to register a hit for Team USA.

Kelly got the start for the United States, tossing three innings and allowing a pair of runs. The bullpen was nearly perfect over the final six frames, combining for nine strikeouts. Kendall Graveman (1-0) entered in the fourth and pitched a scoreless inning to earn the win. Adam struck out the side in the seventh, while Devin Williams punched out a pair in his perfect eighth. Daniel Bard and David Bednar also turned in scoreless frames in relief before Pressly entered in the ninth to seal the victory.

Team USA will take on Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinal round on Saturday at loanDepot Park in Miami, Florida. The game will be nationally televised on FOX, with first pitch set for 7:00 p.m. ET.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Canada	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	5	0
USA	9	3	0	0	0	0	0	12	9	0

BOX SCORE - PLAYS - CUMULATIVE STATS

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Capped by a three-run homer from Mike Trout, Team USA put up a tournament-record-tying nine runs in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back en route to a 12-1 run-rule victory over Canada in seven innings on Monday night at Chase Field. The U.S. now sits atop the Pool C standings with a 2-1 record.

The United States is now one win away from clinching its spot in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinal round.

The nine-run first was the most runs the U.S. has ever scored in a single inning at the World Baseball Classic and tied the tournament’s overall record. The stars and stripes got to work immediately as Mookie Betts led off with a base hit, and the U.S. quickly loaded the bases thanks to a pair of walks. Nolan Arenado then ripped his team-leading third double to left field to drive in a pair and open the scoring. Kyle Tucker followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Paul Goldschmidt, and J.T. Realmuto hit an RBI-single up the middle to increase the lead to four.

After Trea Turner drove in the fifth run of the inning on an RBI-fielder’s choice, Cedric Mullins brought him home by smacking the first pitch he saw for an RBI-triple to the wall in right field. Then, Trout put the finishing touches on the record-tying frame with a three-run blast to left-center, giving the stars and stripes a 9-0 lead. In total, the U.S. sent 12 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first, with both Betts and Trout reaching base twice in the inning.

Canada cracked the scoreboard with a run in the top of the second before Team USA’s bats got back to work in the home half of the inning. After a leadoff walk to Arenado, Tim Anderson split the gap in right-center field for an RBI-triple, the second three-bagger of the night for the United States. Anderson quickly came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Realmuto, andTurner followed with a mammoth shot to left field to extend the stars and stripes’ lead to 12-1. Turner’s 409-foot blast was the fourth of the tournament for Team USA, giving them the most home runs in Pool C.

While the U.S. offense dominated, the pitching followed suit. Starting pitcher Lance Lynn (1-0) set the tone for the red, white, and blue, turning in five innings of two-hit baseball, allowing just one run. Lynn punched out six and did not walk a batter in the win. Miles Mikolas entered in relief and delivered a similarly strong performance on the mound, pitching two scoreless innings with two strikeouts to lock down the win.

Arenado (1-for-3, 2 RBIs), Realmuto (2-for-2, 2 RBIs), Trout (1-for-2, 3 RBIs), and Turner (1-for-4, 2 RBIs) all drove in multiple runs in the victory. Eight of the nine batters in the starting lineup registered at least one hit for the U.S., which collected six extra-base hits. Anderson (2-for-3, RBI) and Mullins (1-for-3, RBI) both had a triple to give Team USA a tournament-leading three. Additionally, six different U.S. players scored multiple runs on Monday night.

Team USA returns to action Wednesday night for its pool play finale against Colombia (1-1). The game will be televised nationally on Fox Sports 1, with first pitch set for 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. MT. The U.S. would clinch its spot in the quarterfinal round with a win.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Mexico	2	0	1	4	0	0	0	4	0	11	15	0
USA	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	3	0	5	8	0

BOX SCORE - PLAYS - CUMULATIVE STATS

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Trailing 11-2 heading in the bottom of the eighth inning, Team USA attempted to rally but ultimately fell short in an 11-5 loss to Mexico in front of a lively sold-out crowd on Sunday night at Chase Field. The U.S. fell to 1-1 in Pool C with the loss and currently sits in a three-way tie for second place with Canada and Mexico.

Mexico took a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning courtesy of a two-run homer. The stars and stripes responded in the bottom of the second thanks to a one-out triple from Kyle Tucker and an RBI-single by Tim Anderson, but Mexico would get that run back in the top of the third with a pair of infield singles and a blooper to right.

Mexico tacked on another four runs with two outs in the top of the fourth inning against reliever Brady Singer to take a commanding 7-1 lead. Will Smith hit a solo homer in the bottom of the seventh to cut into the deficit, but Mexico added four more runs in the top half of the eighth to extend its lead to 11-2.

The red, white, and blue attempted to rally in the bottom of the eighth, sending eight batters to the plate and scoring three runs. Bobby Witt Jr. drove in the first run of the inning with a pinch-hit RBI-double to right-center before Anderson picked up his second run-scoring hit of the night, smacking a two-run double down the left field line to plate two more runs to bring the score to 11-5. Jeff McNeil led off the bottom of the ninth with a single to left field but that would be all the stars and stripes could muster in the final frame.

Starting pitcher Nick Martinez (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing three earned runs in 2.2 innings. Aaron Loup, Adam Ottavino, and Ryan Pressly all turned in scoreless innings of relief for the U.S., which used eight total pitchers in the defeat. Singer and Bard both surrendered four runs in their relief appearances.

Anderson paced the U.S. offense on the night, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs, while Mike Trout (1-for-2) reached base three times, singling and drawing a pair of walks. Half of the U.S. hits were for extra bases on Sunday, with doubles from Anderson and Witt Jr. (1-for-1, RBI), a triple from Tucker (1-for-3), and Smith’s (1-for-4, RBI) home run.

Team USA continues pool play against Canada (1-0) on Monday night at Chase Field. The game will be televised nationally on Fox Sports 1, with first pitch set for 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. MT.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Great Britain	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	8	2
USA	0	0	2	3	0	1	0	0	X	6	9	0

BOX SCORE – PLAYS – CUMULATIVE STATS

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Nolan Arenado had three hits and Kyle Schwarber delivered a clutch three-run homer to lift Team USA to a 6-2 win over Great Britain in the first game of its World Baseball Classic title defense on Saturday night at Chase Field.

The win is the first of manager Mark DeRosa’s coaching career and puts the U.S. atop the Pool C standings alongside Colombia at 1-0.

Despite the final score, Great Britain put early pressure on Team USA early after getting the scoring started on Saturday. With one out in the top of the first, Trayce Thompson hit a solo home run to give the British a 1-0 lead. Great Britain continued to put runners on base in the following two frames, but U.S. starter Adam Wainwright was able to dance around trouble in the second and third to keep Team USA within a run.

As Wainwright kept the British offense in check, the U.S. offense put runners on base in both the first and second innings but couldn’t capitalize. AnArenado single sandwiched between a pair of walks loaded the bases with two outs for Team USA in the opening frame, but Great Britain starter Vance Worley induced an inning-ending groundout to escape the threat. J.T. Realmuto then doubled in the second and reached third base on a groundout, but Worley got Mookie Betts to pop out to keep the British in front by a run heading into the third.

The stars and stripes got back to work in the third inning, and Worley could not keep them off the scoreboard this time. After Paul Goldschmidt reached on an error with one out in the frame, fellow St. Louis Cardinals teammate Arenado drove him home with an RBI-double down the left-field line. Then, with two outs and runners on the corners, Kyle Tucker lined an RBI-single up the middle to plate Arenado and give Team USA a 2-1 advantage.

The U.S. offense kept its foot on the gas in the bottom of the inning, putting a pair on via a walk and hit-by-pitch and bringing Schwarber to the plate. Then, he delivered the biggest swing of the night, belting a three-run homer over the right-field wall to put Team USA in front, 5-1. Schwarber’s blast was the first homer for Team USA in a World Baseball Classic opening game since 2009, when Adam Dunn, Brian McCann, and Kevin Youkilis all went yard against Canada.

The U.S. pitchers continued to post zeroes on defense, and the bats stayed hot in the bottom of the sixth, and, again, it was Arenado and Goldschmidt in the middle of the action. Goldschmidt snuck a leadoff single through the left side and came around to score just two pitches later when Arenado roped another double down the left-field line to put the stars and stripes up 6-1.

Wainwright (1-0) earned the win after pitching four innings of one-run ball, finishing with four strikeouts. He turned it over to the bullpen in the fifth, and the relievers combined to pitch five innings, giving up a single run in the top of the seventh. Jason Adam was the first pitcher out of the U.S. pen, tossing a perfect fifth before Kyle Freeland took over in the sixth. The southpaw punched out three batters in his three innings of work, giving up a run on an RBI-groundout in the seventh.

David Bednar entered in the ninth and was dominant, working around an infield single and striking out three to secure the opening game victory.

The U.S. offense tallied nine hits in the win, with seven different players picking up at least one knock. Arenado (3-for-5, 2 RBIs) finished the night with three hits, becoming the first U.S. player with three hits in a World Baseball Classic game since Ben Zobrist did it against Canada in 2013. Goldschmidt reached base four times, going 1-for-3 with a walk, a hit-by-pitch, and reaching on an error.

Nick Martinez will take the mound for Team USA (1-0) on Sunday against Mexico as it looks to improve to 2-0 in Pool C. First pitch is set for 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m MT at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. The game will be televised nationally on Fox Sports 1.

DIRECTV is sponsoring the US Baseball Team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

All of the jerseys that USA Baseball wears in games at the 2023 World Baseball Classic will be adorned exclusively with a DIRECTV patch on the left sleeve, the national governing body and the Nation’s Leader in Satellite Television announced today. The project was also outlined in a recent Sports Business Journal piece

The jersey patch is just one part of DIRECTV’s sponsorship of the U.S. in the World Baseball Classic. Other elements of the sponsorship include in-stadium signage. 

“We are excited for the upcoming World Baseball Classic and to take the field as the defending world champions,” said USA Baseball Executive Director and CEO Paul Seiler. “This is a truly unique event that showcases international baseball at the highest level, and we are thrilled to have great partners like DIRECTV showing their support for USA Baseball.”

"DIRECTV is proud to be a part of USA Baseball as they play for a prestigious world championship,” said Vince Torres, DIRECTV Chief Marketing Officer. “We can’t think of a better way to show support for America’s favorite pastime than to get behind the National Team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic."

This is the first time DIRECTV, long the nation’s leader in local Major League Baseball programming, thanks to unsurpassed availability of Regional Sports Networks, has sponsored a team in the WBC.

The Stars and Stripes Open Play in the 2023 World Baseball Classic on March 11 Against Great Britain at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona – All U.s. Games in the 2023 Wbc Be Televised on Fox and Fs1, Available on Both Directv and Directv Stream.

CARY, N.C. – USA Baseball and USA Baseball Sports Properties within LEARFIELD today announced an exclusive multi-year relationship with Chinook Seedery to become the Official Sunflower Seed Supplier for the organization. Through this relationship, Chinook Seedery will supply sunflower seeds for all USA Baseball national team and national team development programs.

Additionally, Chinook Seedery will also supply promotional items to USA Baseball for its foul ball program. Beginning in 2023, fans will receive a complimentary pack of sunflower seeds when they return a foul ball during USA Baseball events at the National Training Complex.

"USA Baseball is pleased to name Chinook Seedery the Official Sunflower Seed Supplier for the organization,” said USA Baseball Chief Operating Officer David Perkins. “Chinook Seedery produces a flavorful variety of healthy snacks that will help fuel USA Baseball national team and national team development program athletes. We appreciate their support and look forward to collaborating with them to develop future sunflower seed flavors.”

"Few things are more Americana than baseball and sunflower seeds. Chinook's partnership with USA Baseball is a natural fit that is only bolstered by our recent flavor collaboration with Team USA alum Bobby Witt Jr. We could not be more excited to bring the 'best seeds ever' to the best ballplayers in our great country," said Chinook Seedery Founder Mark Pettyjohn.

Launched in 2020, USA Baseball Sports Properties within LEARFIELD is dedicated to representing USA Baseball by developing and managing sponsor relationships with brands looking to align with USA Baseball and its events and programming.

About Chinook Seedery

Based in Austin, Texas, Chinook Seedery is the country's fastest-growing sunflower seed brand, providing a "better-for-you option" that is lower in sodium, non-GMO certified, gluten-free, and Keto friendly. Chinook combines a unique small-batch process with the largest, most premium seeds grown in the US, resulting in the "best seeds ever.” For more information or to try the product, visit http://www.chinookseedery.com, or follow us on Instagram (@chinookseedery), Facebook (@chinookseedery), and Twitter (@chinookseedery).

CARY, N.C. – USA Baseball today announced organizational changes and a series of promotions and title changes, including the appointment of Ashley Bratcher as General Manager of National Teams and Eric Campbell as the General Manager of Collegiate and Professional National Teams.

Bratcher has served multiple critical roles in the organization since 2009 and will now oversee and support all three youth national team programs, the Women's National Team program, national team and athlete development programs, and national team identification events. Additionally, Campbell will continue to lead the Collegiate and Professional National Team programs.

"USA Baseball has grown tremendously over the past few years, and we are happy to announce several changes and promotions within our organization," said USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO Paul Seiler. "The changes showcase the organization's growth as the national governing body for baseball in the United States. Notably, we are thrilled to elevate Ashley Bratcher to General Manager of National Teams. Ashley's outstanding leadership and wealth of experience will continue to impact our organization and the amateur baseball landscape significantly and profoundly."

USA Baseball also announced three additional promotions in the Baseball Operations department. First, Brett Curll will lead the defending world champion 18U National Team Program after serving in a support role with both gold-medal-winning 18U National Teams in 2022. Curll joined the organization in 2018 after spending seven years working in amateur baseball following his collegiate baseball career at the University of Maryland and Liberty University.

Ben Kelley is taking over the two-time defending world champion 15U National Team Program. Kelley joined the organization in 2017 and has helped manage facility operations at the USA Baseball National Training Complex and run the National Team Championships in Arizona over the last five years. In addition, he oversaw the 13U/14U Athlete Development Program and supported several youth national team programs. Cole Beeker joined USA Baseball full-time in the fall and will serve as the program director for the defending world champion 12U National Team. Beeker was an intern for the 18U National Team in 2021 and, most recently, was an amateur scouting assistant for the Detroit Tigers.

An additional change made within the Baseball Operations department is Director of Player Development Jim Koerner will now be responsible for guiding the 13U/14U Athlete Development Program (ADP) and 16U/17U National Team Development Program (NTDP). Koerner, who spent 20 years coaching at the collegiate level, joined USA Baseball full-time in 2021 and will simultaneously continue on as the Field Coordinator for the MLB/USA Baseball Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) League as well.

The organization also made several changes within the Communications–formerly Media Relations–and Creative Services teams. Josh Spitz, who joined the organization in 2021 following four years working in the Athletic Communications office at Stony Brook University, was promoted to Assistant Director of Communications. Additionally, Mark Jenkins is the newest Director of Creative Services, and Kevin Jones currently serves as the Director of Brand for the organization. Jenkins joined USA Baseball in 2021 following stops working in creative services for Memphis, Southern Methodist (SMU), and UL Lafayette football programs. Jones has been with USA Baseball since 2012, serving as both a video producer and graphic designer, and spent the last five years as the Director of Creative Services. In his new role, Jones will oversee and develop the identity of USA Baseball in an expanding digital landscape.

Lastly, Lisa Braxton will continue to oversee BASE (Baseball Athlete Safety Education) in her new role as Director of Athlete Safety, in addition to holding expanded responsibility with the entire USA Baseball athlete safety program. Braxton spent nearly a decade at soccer.com, managing team sales, marketing, and institutional and club business before joining the organization in 2021. She also worked for two years for the NCAA.

CARY, N.C. – USA Baseball today announced the coaching staff who will join Team USA Manager Mark DeRosa for the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC). DeRosa, who will be making his professional coaching debut, will manage a staff that includes a first-ballot Hall of Famer, 139 combined years of Major League playing and coaching experience, and 10 World Series titles.

Team USA will be led by DeRosa, bench coach Jerry Manuel, pitching coach Andy Pettitte, hitting coach Ken Griffey Jr., first base coach Lou Collier, third base coach Dino Ebel, and bullpen coach Dave Righetti.

“I couldn’t be more excited to get in the fight with this group of men,” said DeRosa. “The wealth of knowledge, experience, and character that these guys will bring to our clubhouse will be vital to our success. March can’t come fast enough.” 

“The wealth of baseball knowledge on this coaching staff is second to none,” said Team USA General Manager Tony Reagins. “Jerry will bring a lifetime of baseball experience to the dugout to assist Mark as his bench coach while former All-Stars Dave Righetti and Andy Pettitte will handle the pitching staff. Dino & Lou who have spent a lifetime in baseball coaching and developing players will handle the first and third base coaching duties while Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. will be an invaluable asset as our teams hitting coach. I’d like to welcome all of these guys to our team.”

“Our goal is to defend our World Baseball Classic title and the coaching staff we have assembled is an incredible first step in making that goal a reality,” said USA Baseball Executive Director and CEO Paul Seiler. “Every member of this staff is a respected figure in the game of baseball and boasts remarkable accolades from their respective playing and coaching careers. We are excited to work with these coaches as we collectively aim to lead Team USA to a second consecutive world title.”

The U.S. is looking to win its second World Baseball Classic title after capping the 2017 event with a dominant 8-0 victory over Puerto Rico in the championship game at Dodgers Stadium.

The fifth installment of the Classic will take place from March 8-21, 2023. loanDepot park in Miami will also host the semifinals and finals of the tournament from March 19-21.

Team USA will begin its title defense as part of Pool C at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, from March 11-15, facing Canada, Colombia, Mexico, and a to-be-determined qualifying team. The Pool C winner and runner-up will advance to the quarterfinals in Miami, Florida, from March 17-18, and match-up against the winner and runner-up of Pool D.

2023 World Baseball Classic Team USA Coaching Staff:

• Manager: Mark DeRosa
• Bench Coach: Jerry Manuel
• Pitching Coach: Andy Pettitte
• Hitting Coach: Ken Griffey Jr.
• First Base Coach: Lou Collier
• Third Base Coach: Dino Ebel
• Bullpen Coach: Dave Righetti

Nine-year Major League manager Manuel will serve as the bench coach for the stars and stripes in 2023. He began his coaching career assuming roles with the Chicago White Sox, the Montréal Expos, and the Florida Marlins, where he helped Team USA’s 2017 World Baseball Classic champion manager Jim Leyland win a World Series. “The Sage” was named the manager of the White Sox in 1998 and would go on to amass 500 wins over the next six seasons. Manuel was named the 2000 AL Manager of the Year after leading Chicago to the AL Central title. In 2005, he joined long-time USA Baseball coach Willie Randolph on his coaching staff for the New York Mets before being named the interim manager in 2008 and taking over the role full-time from 2009 to 2010. Manuel finished his managerial career with a 704-684 (.507) record. He currently runs the Jerry Manuel Foundation, which educates young African American men with charter school standards while training them in the fundamentals of baseball. Manuel currently serves as a consultant for Major League Baseball.

Team USA will turn to Major League Baseball’s all-time postseason wins leader Pettitte to lead the pitching staff. Throughout his 18-year career in the Bigs, Pettitte won five World Series titles with the New York Yankees and was a three-time All-Star. He made his debut for the Yankees in 1995 and won four world championships in five years from 1996 to 2000, and earned ALCS MVP honors in 2001. Pettitte also won a World Series with the Yanks in 2009 and finished his postseason career with 19 wins, including five in World Series games. He finished his career with 256 victories and a 3.85 ERA, and his No. 46 jersey was retired by the New York Yankees on August 23, 2015. In 2019, Pettitte earned the USA Baseball Volunteer Coach of the Year award after serving as a pitching coach in the inaugural Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) League.

A member of Team USA's inaugural World Baseball Classic Team in 2006, Griffey Jr. will return to Team USA in 2023 as the team's hitting coach. It will mark his professional coaching debut after a 22-year career with the Seattle Mariners, Cincinnati Reds, and the Chicago White Sox, where he was a 13-time All-Star, a 10-time Gold Glove Award winner, a seven-time Silver Slugger, and the 1997 AL MVP. "The Kid" ended his career boasting a lifetime .284 batting average, 2,781 hits, 1,836 RBIs, and 630 home runs–good enough for seventh all-time. Griffey Jr. is a first-ballot Hall of Famer and a member of the MLB All-Century Team and became the first player in Seattle Mariners history to have their jersey retired. He is no stranger to the World Baseball Classic, playing for the red, white, and blue in the inaugural event in 2006. Griffey Jr. led the team in eight statistical categories, including batting average (.524), at-bats (21), hits (11), doubles (2), home runs (3), RBIs (10), on-base percentage (.583), and OPS (1.631).

Collier will assume the role of first base coach for the team in 2023. He spent eight years playing in the Major Leagues for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Milwaukee Brewers, Montréal Expos, Boston Red Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies, and two years in the KBO League in South Korea. Following his playing career, he started the Lou Collier Baseball Association in Chicago, a program dedicated to developing inner city youth and spreading the love of baseball while teaching them life skills. Collier spent time as a coach for the Illinois Tech Scarlet Hawks and currently serves as a scout for the Kansas City Royals. His son, Cam, was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the first round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft.

Current Los Angeles Dodgers third base coach Ebel will hold the same position with Team USA in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He returned to the Dodgers organization in 2019 and has helped lead them to two NL West titles and the 2020 World Series title. Ebel signed with the Dodgers as a free agent in 1988 after winning the Division II baseball championship with Florida Southern College. He spent eight years in their farm system, where he began his coaching career as a "player-coach" for Bakersfield from 1991 to 1994 and then with San Bernadino in 1995. Ebel spent eight years as a manager in the Rookie-level, Single-A, and Double-A ranks for the Dodgers before joining the Los Angeles Angels organization in 2005 as the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees manager. The Angels elevated him to the Bigs as the bench coach in 2005, a position he would hold again from 2015 to 2017. He served as the Halos' third base coach from 2006 to 2014 and again in 2018. Ebel spent 14 seasons working with Mike Scioscia, who led Team USA to a silver medal in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Ebel’s son, Brady, was just named to the USA Baseball 15U National Team and will compete in the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-15 Baseball World Cup in Mexico.

Rounding out the coaching staff is bullpen coach Righetti, who achieved incredible success as a player and coach in the Majors. Righetti spent 16 years pitching for the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, Oakland A's, Toronto Blue Jays, and Chicago White Sox as a starting pitcher before moving to the bullpen in 1984. He began his career in The Bronx in 1981 and was named the AL Rookie of the Year. Righetti threw a no-hitter on July 4, 1983–the first by a Yankees left-hander in nearly 70 years–and led the AL with 46 saves in 1986. He finished his playing career as a two-time All-Star, held a 3.46 lifetime ERA, went 82-79, and recorded 252 saves. Righetti was named the pitching coach for the Giants in 2000 and held that position for 18 seasons. During his time in San Francisco, he helped lead the team to a 2002 NL pennant, World Series titles in 2010, 2012, and 2014, 22 All-Star Game selections by their pitchers, and coached Tim Lincecum to back-to-back Cy Young Awards in 2008 and 2009.

CARY, N.C. – Twenty-two USA Baseball alumni were selected for the 2022 MLB All-Star Game, which will take place at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles tonight, Tuesday, July 19, at 8:00 p.m. ET.

The National League roster features 14 alums, and eight American League players also have experience with USA Baseball.

Seven alumni were selected to the starting lineup, including five for the NL and two for the AL. Paul Goldschmidt (St. Louis Cardinals), Bryce Harper (Philadelphia Phillies), Clayton Kershaw (Los Angeles Dodgers), Manny Machado (San Diego Padres), and Trea Turner (Los Angeles Dodgers) were all named to the NL starting lineup for Tuesday night. Giancarlo Stanton (New York Yankees) and Mike Trout (Los Angeles Angels) were voted into the starting lineup for the AL. Due to injury, however, Harper and Trout will not participate in the Mid-Summer Classic.

Seven 2022 All-Stars have won a gold medal with the U.S. The roster features representatives from five different gold medal-winning teams, including three members of the 2017 World Baseball Classic team that won the organization’s first-ever championship at the event. The stars and stripes will look to defend their title in 2023 after Trout announced he will play in the World Baseball Classic next year and be the captain for Team USA.

In total, nine players competed for the Collegiate National Team, four played for the Professional National Team, four suited up for the 18U National Team, three were members of the former 16U National Team, and one appeared on the 15U National Team.

The complete list of USA Baseball alumni named 2022 MLB All-Star Game rosters is as follows:

Name; MLB Team; USA Baseball National Team Program(s):

• Tyler Anderson; Los Angeles Dodgers; 2010 Collegiate National Team
• *Nolan Arenado; St. Louis Cardinals; 2017 World Baseball Classic Team
• Gerrit Cole; New York Yankees; 2009 & 2010 Collegiate National Teams
• Jake Cronenworth; San Diego Padres; 2019 Professional National Team
• Travis d’Arnaud; Atlanta Braves; 2011 Professional National Team
• Freddie Freeman; Los Angeles Dodgers; 2005 16U & 2006 18U National Teams
• Paul Goldschmidt; St. Louis Cardinals; 2017 World Baseball Classic Team
• *Josh Hader; Milwaukee Brewers; 2015 Professional National Team
• *Bryce Harper; Philadelphia Phillies; 2008 16U & 2009 18U National Teams
• Clayton Kershaw; Los Angeles Dodgers; 2005 18U National Team
• Manny Machado; San Diego Padres; 2009 18U National Team
• *Carlos Rodon; San Francisco Giants; 2012 & 2013 Collegiate National Teams
• Kyle Schwarber; Philadelphia Phillies; 2013 Collegiate National Team
• Corey Seager; Texas Rangers; 2010 16U National Team
• *George Springer; Toronto Blue Jays; 2010 Collegiate National Team
• Giancarlo Stanton; New York Yankees; 2013 & 2017 World Baseball Classic Teams
• Dansby Swanson; Atlanta Braves; 2014 Collegiate National Team
• Jose Trevino; New York Yankees; 2012 Collegiate National Team
• *Mike Trout; Los Angeles Angels; 2010 Professional National Team
• Kyle Tucker; Houston Astros; 2012 15U National Team
• Trea Turner; Los Angeles Dodgers; 2012 & 2013 Collegiate National Teams
• *Justin Verlander; Houston Astros; 2003 Collegiate National Team

*Denotes All-Stars who are inactive