2023 NTIS Champions Cup | Official Event Program

OFFICIAL EVENT PROGRAM

AS SEEN ON THE MEDAL STAND

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A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO

On behalf of the national governing body for baseball in the United States, I am honored and privileged to welcome you to the 2023 USA Baseball National Team Identification Series Champions Cup!

2022 was a ‘Golden Year’ for USA Baseball, as our 12U, 15U, and 18U National Teams won gold on the international stage at their respective World Cups. It was the first time the U.S. has ever won gold at all three youth world championships in a single year. After such a momentous year for our organization, we are excited to build upon that success this summer, and that starts with the National Team Identification Series Champions Cup.

The opportunity that the National Team Identification Series brings to athletes across the nation is unlike any other. It not only provides the opportunity for athletes from every corner of the country to compete with the nation’s best players, but also the chance to represent the United States in international competition as part of our national teams or national team development programs.

This event has transformed since its inception, providing more and more opportunities for young athletes to compete against the best players in the country. More importantly, they will have the opportunity to earn an invitation to play for Team USA. The National Team Identification Series feeds directly into every national team or national team development program we offer. No other event in the country offers the opportunities the National Team Identification Series does, and we hope you are all proud to have been invited to this event.

As you enter the National Training Complex, you will notice the latest investment in developing young baseball talent in our country is under construction. Last year we broke ground on our new offices and indoor high-performance training center as the organization continues to transform and grow, matching our goals to our commitment to baseball players in the United States. We cannot wait to show you the finished product by the end of this year. However, in the meantime, we ask you to pardon the mess and feel free to learn more by visiting USABaseball.com/About/ Build-For-Glory.

We are committed to bringing first-class competition to the field, so we wish you all good luck as you strive to win a championship, but also look to earn an invitation to a USA Baseball national team or development program. The experiences the athletes, coaches, and families will go through during this tournament will create memories and present numerous challenges and opportunities that could remain with you for an entire lifetime. It is an incredible byproduct of being an elite athlete.

Once again, welcome to the 2023 USA Baseball National Team Identification Series Champions Cup! On behalf of our staff, we cannot wait for you to get here and show us what you've got.

Yours in baseball,

Paul V. Seiler

Executive Director/CEO USA Baseball

The NTIS Champions Cup is proud to be a FULL COMPLIANCE Pitch Smart event.

For more information, visit PitchSmart.org

SATURDAY, AUGUST 26

SUNDAY, AUGUST 27

13U SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, AUGUST 24

FRIDAY, AUGUST 25

SATURDAY, AUGUST 26

SUNDAY, AUGUST 27

USE

SEE

10 THINGS TO KNOW

ABOUT

THE 2023 NTIS CHAMPIONS CUP

What is NTIS? The National Team Identification Series is USA Baseball’s most comprehensive player identification program and includes six age groups ranging from 11U-16U. Under the direction of USA Baseball Regional Directors, tryouts are held in every region of the country to be identified and selected for their regional teams, and invited to the NTIS Champions Cup in Cary, North Carolina.

Set yourself apart. The best athletes are defined –and strengthened – by more than just what they can do in-game. All participants at the NTIS Champions Cup will undergo Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) Performance Assessment testing to assess their baseball and athletic skills with state-of-the-art technology so they know exactly where they stand and where they can improve.

Represent your region. The NTIS utilizes a six-region system for the initial player identification process. The six regions consist of the Midwest, Northeast, Northwest, South, Southeast, and Southwest.

Who’s next? Following the completion of the 2022 NTIS Champions Cup, 72 athletes were selected from the event for USA Baseball’s 2023 national team programming with the most coming from the South’s 19 selections.

Play for USA. For many athletes, their journey to represent USA on a global scale started with the NTIS. Most recently, the 2022 12U National Team rostered four individuals identified from the NTIS to contribute towards a gold medal victory at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-12 Baseball World Cup.

Path to the pros. Many big leaguers have come out of the NTIS selection process and represented the red, white, and blue along the way. Albert Almora Jr., Alex Bregman, and Mickey Moniak started at the NTIS, moved on to national teams, and are now playing in major league baseball.

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Check your swing. The 2023 NTIS Champions Cup is a USABat-certified event, and all participants must use an approved bat. Bats that are not USABat-certified are prohibited. Additional information on USABat specifications can be found here.

Say “cheese!” You can purchase exclusive action and portrait photography from the 2023 NTIS Champions Cup. Visit USABaseballPhotos.com and use the password ntis (case sensitive) to unlock your photos!

Watch from anywhere. Fans can watch every game of the NTIS Champions Cup two ways: 1) Tune into USABaseball. TV and create a free account. 2) Download YouTube onto all your devices and follow @USABaseballTV. Want to watch games from your couch? Make sure the YouTube app is on your Smart TV, Apple TV, Fire TV Stick, or Roku, and check out the @USABaseballTV channel.

Stay connected. To keep up with all things NTIS Champions Cup, follow along on Twitter (@USABaseballNTIS) and Instagram (@USABEvents). To stay up-to-date on all things USA Baseball, follow @USABaseball on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

THE ROAD TO PLAY

PLAY FOR TEAM USA

2024 NATIONAL TEAM SELECTION PROCESS

PLAY FOR TEAM USA

2024

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TEAM SELECTION PROCESS

FOR

INFORMATION ON HOW TO PLAY FOR THE WNT, EMAIL ANNCLAIREROBERSON@USABASEBALL.COM

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THE GOLD STANDARD

A LOOK BACK AT TEAM USA’S 12U AND 15U WORLD CUP TITLES IN 2022

At USA Baseball there is a mantra of ‘The Gold Standard.’ Simply put, it is the mindset to win gold on one of the biggest stages of the sport.

This standard is most certainly lived out, as Team USA has 110 gold medals to its name since the organization became the national governing body for baseball in 1978. Its 12U and 15U National Teams were two of three U.S. squads to win gold at its respective World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Baseball World Cup last summer, joining the 18U program in accomplishing the feat. It was the first time that Team USA has ever won a gold medal at all three youth World Cups in a single year.

“The gold standard sounds a little aggressive sometimes, but it's more about a pursuit of excellence and a pursuit of perfection,” said USA Baseball Chief Executive Officer Paul Seiler. “Achieving perfection is a relative term, but it’s hard to do. If you look at what our responsibility is, as an organization, specific to international competition and an athletic representation, it's the sport of baseball wrapped in the American flag.

“When you take those two tenants of our identity, at least on the field, there’s a very high expectation in this country, and it’s one that we embrace of performing well at the highest level while competing for gold medals.”

Winning gold is not as easy as Team USA may make it seem, though. There is so much more that goes into ‘The Gold Standard’ than just coming out on top. What was an incredible run for the U.S. on the international stage could not have been done without the buy-in and commitment from players, coaches, and staff members.

“It truly takes a village to put the summer together from a behind-the-scenes standpoint, and for us to come out on top is extremely special. Three World Cups in one summer just never happens, and it was an unbelievable experience for our organization,” said former 12U and 15U National Team Program Director Will Schworer.

“We had comebacks, we had losses, we dealt with adversity off the field from the normal challenges involved when traveling for a competition, but we controlled what we were able to control and at the end of the day, we were able to truly come together. Everybody involved just has so much willingness to do what it takes in the pursuit to win gold, and it speaks volumes to the drive behind USA Baseball.”

12U NATIONAL TEAM

While traveling to an international competition can be experience of a lifetime, a lot of challenges can be faced. For the 12U National Team, who traveled to Tainan, Taiwan, for its World Cup, it was forced to quarantine on a single floor of a hotel for nearly a week before they could step foot on a field. For what manager RJ Farrell initially saw as a

setback, his perspective quickly changed once the team lived it. Looking back, he sees that time as a valuable piece to the squad winning gold.

“At first, I was super nervous about it,” said Farrell. “I didn’t know what we were going to do with a team of 11and 12-year-olds who are confined to one floor of a hotel for days. We had to find ways to get them moving every day but looking back I think that time helped us a lot. As pessimistic as I was, my optimism turned fast. Since we didn’t have to compete right away, we got to adjust to the time, but also the players were forced to become friends because they had nowhere else to go. I think it ultimately helped us on the field when it came time to compete; it was unexpectedly a big time positive for us.”

The chemistry certainly showed on the field, as the team went undefeated with an 8-0 record and outscored its opponents 99-25. Just looking at the results, though, doesn’t quite tell the story of this team. Even though it did not endure a loss during the stretch of the tournament, the team found themselves at times in tough spots against opponents but managed to find a way to win every time.

“What was special about this group is that they all put their egos aside,” said Farrell. “They all had the mentality that they were going to do whatever is going to help the team. I think for a group of young men, they did exceptionally well in putting the team first. They knew that if we called on them, it was going to be an important situation and that we were going to need them to do their thing.”

In its second game of the pool play against Japan, Team USA led by just one run heading into the final inning before exploding for 14 runs, which included a pinch-hit grand slam by Colin Anderson, to come away with a 21-6 win. What could have been a narrow win for the stars and stripes turned into a dominant performance at the plate and a glimpse into what potential this team had.

Fast forward to its first two Super Round games against Mexico and Chinese Taipei, the U.S. trailed at one point in both of those must-win matchups but came up clutch in the final frames. Whether it was the walk-off single by Anthony Ramon against Mexico or the go-ahead grand slam by Anthony Frausto in the fourth inning against Chinese Taipei, those moments led to the ultimate test of defeating a talented Venezuela team in its final two games of the tournament.

The first game between the squads was tightly contested with Team USA earning a 12-7 win; it was a back-and-forth battle between the top two offensive teams as there were a combined 19 hits and seven home runs in the game. In the gold medal game, Venezuela held

a 2-1 lead through the first two-and-a-half innings, but the U.S. scored nine unanswered runs in combination with James Stout III’s 4.2 strong innings in relief en route to winning gold for the fourth time in the last five World Cups.

“I think on paper or if you're looking from the outside in, you don't feel the nervousness that some of the players did or excitement on coming back from games that they were battling through, but this team never let up,” said Schworer. “They were taught to keep going and keep hitting the gas for the entire six innings, and all the credit to the kids because it was it was an impressive feat that they pulled off.”

For Farrell, making his managerial debut and leading the squad with a world title this summer was a full circle moment as it was something he had been eagerly waiting to do for nearly three years. A member of the 2019 12U National Team staff that went to Taiwan, Farrell had been asked shortly after that event to be the manager in 2020, but due to challenges and setbacks from COVID-19, he was never able to fully assume the position until this past summer.

“Since coming back from the 2019 World Cup in Taiwan, I had thought a lot about the couple of losses that we had and how we didn’t medal,” said Farrell. “It was in my head a lot. Fortunately, we made the run that we did this past summer and came away with a gold medal. It almost felt like redemption. A lot of us had put a lot of time and effort into this team, and to finally be able to see it through and bring the gold back home was truly special not just for me, but for everyone involved in the 12U program.”

15U NATIONAL TEAM

While being a part of a national team is a great honor, there comes a responsibility when chosen to represent Team USA. A large component of that responsibility is a level of maturity.

As a teenager there are a lot of highs and lows emotionally, and trying to navigate through the growing pains of life can be a tough task. For this year’s 15U National Team though, their identity was that they were a steadfast team. They managed to show maturity beyond their years when it came to how they handled tough situations, and it served as a large factor for ultimately defending its World Cup title.

“It’s a credit to those young players, who they are and how they studied themselves in a challenging environment,” said 15U National Team Manager Drew Briese. “We had a large group of guys who were just super steady and even keel. They never got too high or too low. It was really a credit to the young people

that we had and how they went about their business. It was one of the reasons that I really, really loved that team. I loved coaching them because of the mentality that they had.”

One of the hardest situations that the 15U team faced the entire time in Hermosillo, Mexico, was the hostile environment that they played in. The environment not only created intense situations in games, but it also created incredible memories for this team as their story unfolded.

“The moment was never too big for those young people,” said Briese. “When you get into a situation where you're in a foreign country, and most of the stadium of several thousand people are against you, you worry a bit about what the what the response is going to be, but they answered. The moments of those young men playing under pressure, and the way that the team performed will always stick out as great memories.”

In its second game of the tournament the U.S. had to face Venezuela after a wild 29-0 win over South Africa the day before. The team trailed 5-1 heading into the final frame but scored four runs, impressively all while down to its final out, to earn a 5-4 walk-off victory.

Likewise, in its Super Round game against Panama it managed to earn another walk-off victory. This game was crucial in the pursuit of gold, as it was coming off a 12-6 setback to Japan and therefore could not endure another loss. The squad faced a 5-4 deficit heading into the bottom of the seventh, and just as it looked as though Panama might have been able to put the U.S. away, Coy James homered to tie the game and force extra innings. In the eighth, Alex Harrington’s sacrifice fly brought the game-winning run across.

“The Venezuela and Panama games were probably my favorite memories from the tournament,” said James, who earned Most Valuable Player honors at the event. “I’ll tell those stories forever. In the Venezuela game we were down 4-1 in the bottom of the seventh, and I remember leading with a hit to get us going and eventually scored after a couple of walks to make it 4-2 with two outs. With how intense the crowd was, we really didn’t know if we were going to be able to pull it out, but we managed to create some runs with a couple more hits to win the game.

“When we played Panama, we were down late again, but I homered in the seventh to tie the game up and go to extras. It was a great feeling when I ran around the

bases back to my teammates, and we ended up winning that game too. We were all going crazy at the end, and it was just a really cool environment to be in.”

After a shutout victory over Chinese Taipei in its second Super Round game, its final test of the tournament was Cuba. The squad had to beat Cuba in back-to-back games on the path to its world title, but the challenge wasn’t anything new for this team. Just like several of its previous games, there were several thousand fans in the stands and nearly all of them were cheering against the United States.

In the preview of the gold medal game, it was as though the crowd added fuel to the fire as the U.S. easily handed Cuba with an 11-1 result. It was a complete performance by the stars and stripes as it tallied 12 hits at the plate and held the opposition to one hit with seven strikeouts.

The gold medal game was a much different story though, as the teams were tied at 3-3 after the first three innings. Ethan Holliday’s RBI fielder’s choice in the fifth inning plated what proved to be the game-winning run, and that moment combined with four shutout innings in relief by Zane Burns and Ryan Harwood gave the U.S. just what it needed to complete the task of bringing home gold and winning a second straight world championship.

“I vividly remember the end of that gold medal game when it was 4-3 in the top of the seventh and Cuba had runners at the corners with one out,” said Schworer. “Zane Burns had an unbelievable outing, but Ryan Harwood took over and only need eight pitches to strike out the final two batters. There were about 3,500 people in the stands chanting ‘Sí, se puede’ in that moment, rooting for Cuba and against the United States. Credit to the guys on the field for coming together as a cohesive unit and playing for each other. It was it was an unreal experience and phenomenal to watch come to fruition.”

Once a player is immersed in the Team USA experience and understands what it means to uphold the gold standard, it becomes something they are forever a part of. Only a select group of players get to know what the pursuit of gold is like; what it means to never give up, how to have a steadfast approach to any situation, and how it feels to reach their ultimate goal. But, more importantly,

the off-field aspects become just as intrinsic for players and coaches alike. The importance of individual success fades into the background when one is a part of USA Baseball and gives way to continuing to build upon the foundation they stand upon, aiming to make it better for those who are to follow. USA Baseball becomes a part of one’s makeup, and is something they carry with them everywhere they go.

“I think success breeds success,” said Seiler. “I believe there are so many of our athletes and coaches who desire to maintain the excellence that those before them have achieved.

“I feel like as we've grown as an organization and our pipeline of opportunity has expanded, that's it’s created different avenues and opportunities to have more and more players and their families connected to what it means to be involved with USA Baseball. As soon as you get close to the epicenter of being on a USA Baseball national team, I think it’s easy to understand what you’re playing for.”

And what they’re playing for, of course, is this gold standard that was created in 1978 which ultimately led to a record-breaking summer for Team USA.

BEHIND THE UNIFORM: WHAT IT TAKES TO PUT TOGETHER A TEAM USA ROSTER

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 nondraft 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.

JAPAN 2

CANADA 1

VENEZUELA 1

BRAZIL 1

2023 PREVIEW

12U NATIONAL TEAM, 15U NATIONAL TEAM, 18U NATIONAL TEAM, COLLEGIATE NATIONAL TEAM, WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM, ADP, AND NTDP

The schedule for Team USA in 2023 is full of competition, opportunity, and excitement. After an incredible 2022 season for the organization that featured three youth World Cup titles, USA Baseball looks forward to putting its 12U, 15U, 18U, Collegiate, and Women’s National Teams back on the international front in pursuit of winning gold. The path to playing for Team USA includes key identification events such as the Futures Invitational and National Team Championships in Arizona and North Carolina, while providing a unique developmental experience to some the nation’s top talent at the 13U/14U Athlete Development Program (ADP) and the 16U/17U National Team Development Program (NTDP) will also prove crucial to future gold medals.

USA Baseball’s history is rich with excellence and has showcased a proven ability to provide players with the best development opportunities possible. Whether it’s

on or off the field, there is no better experience than representing the red, white, and blue.

12U NATIONAL TEAM

The 11U Futures Invitational will once again serve as the primary event to identify talent for the 2023 12U National Team. The elite youth championship event features the best 11U teams showcasing their abilities for USA Baseball’s Task Force at Thomas Brooks Park in Cary, North Carolina, from June 22-25. Thirty-six players will be identified from the 11U Futures Invitational to compete at the 12U National Team Training Camp from June 26-30 in Cary, where the final 18-man roster will be determined to represent Team USA on the international front.

In May, USA Baseball assembled a 12U National Team to compete in the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-12 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier in Aguascalientes, Mexico, and came away with a gold medal

thanks to a 29-28 extra-inning thriller over Venezuela. By securing a gold medal, the U.S. qualified for the WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup in Tainan, Taiwan, from July 28-August 6. The U.S. – which owns four wold titles –will return as the defending champion after defeating Venezuela, 10-2, in the 2022 title game.

Chapparal High School (Scottsdale, Ariz.) head coach Troy Gerlach will make his managerial debut with the 2023 12U National Team. This will be his third time on a USA Baseball coaching staff after serving as an assistant coach for the 2022 12U National team and 2018 15U National Team. Joining Gerlach on staff will be pitching coach Seth Kenny and assistant coaches Bryan Madsen and Erick Quesada.

13U/14U ADP

USA Baseball’s Athlete Development Program (ADP) provides the opportunity for 50 of the top 13U and 14U players to head to the National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina, for a highly developed fourday on-and off-field national team-level instruction and education program from August 3-6. Players will primarily be identified from the 2023 13U and 14U National Team Championships in North Carolina and 2023 14U National Team Championships in Arizona, and they will join 24 players selected from last year's USA Baseball National Team Identification Series (NTIS) Champions Cup. Additionally, players will be selected through recommendations from scouts, coaches, and the amateur baseball community.

Each day at the ADP will feature advanced on-field skills development with positional and team fundamental drills, and ongoing evaluation by USA Baseball national team coaches. Over the course of the program, athletes will be placed on a Stars or Stripes team and face-off in intrasquad games to implement the instruction provided during training. The athletes will also participate in off-field educational seminars while gaining additional exposure to professional scouts and college recruiters.

15U NATIONAL TEAM

For players looking to earn a spot on the 15U National Team, there is no better opportunity to do so than at the National Team Championships. The elite championshipstyle events held in Arizona and North Carolina give the USA Baseball Task Force the best opportunity to lay their eyes on some of the most talented players across the nation who are fighting for a chance to wear the U-S-A letters across their chests. The stars and stripes are the reigning world champions at the U-15 level after defeating

Cuba, 4-3, in the gold medal game of the 2022 WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup in Hermosillo, Mexico.

Rob Shabansky, head coach at Gateway Community College, will make his eighth appearance on a USA Baseball coaching staff in 2023. This will be his second time serving as manager as he led the U.S. to a 7-1 overall record and a COPABE Pan Am "AA" Championships gold medal during his managerial debut in 2017. In 2015, 2016, and 2022, he served as the pitching coach for all three squads and helped Team USA win gold at the 2015 COPABE Pan Am “AA” Championships, bronze at the 2016 WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup, and gold at last year’s U-15 WBSC Baseball World Cup. He also served as an assistant for the 2011 16U National Team and was the 15U National Team pitching coach in 2019 and 2021. Shabansky is joined by pitching coach Casey Scott and assistant coaches Derek Simmons and John Weber, as all three assistant coaches will make their 15U National Team debuts this summer.

16U/17U NTDP

The National Team Championships in Arizona and North Carolina are also the sites to get identified as one of 80 players by the USA Baseball staff and Task Force to participate in the 16U/17U National Team Development Program (NTDP). The NTDP roster will feature players identified from the National Team Championships in Arizona and North Carolina, as well as 24 players

who were selected from last year’s 15U and 16U NTIS Champions Cup.

The 16U/17U NTDP will be held at the National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina, from July 2629, and players will participate in four days of individual and team skill development sessions, workouts, and various off-field educational seminars, and exposure to professional scouts, college recruiters, USA Baseball staff, and national team coaches. Players will also be assessed and evaluated by the coaching staff for possible future participation in USA Baseball national team programming.

18U NATIONAL TEAM

The 2023 Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) League will once again serve as the primary identification event for the 18U National Team. The PDP League is an invitationbased development and assessment opportunity for high school players eligible for the following year’s MLB Draft. It provides athletes with an unprecedented amateur experience, including competitive gameplay, player development sessions, educational seminars, and other programming to prepare players for a professional baseball career.

The 2023 PDP League will take place from June 26-July 3 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. Forty players will be identified from the PDP League for the 18U National Team Training Camp

on August 21-25, and from there a 20-man roster will be assembled for world cup competition.

The 18U National Team will compete for its sixth world championship since 2012 at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup from September 1-10 in Tainan, Taiwan. The U.S. is the reigning champion after defeating Chinese Taipei in the gold medal game in 2022. Most recently, the stars and stripes earned the gold medal at the 2022 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier in La Paz, Mexico, in November with a 11-1 victory over Panama to qualify for this year’s World Cup.

Michael Cuddyer brings major league experience to his new role as the manager of the 18U National Team. A two-time MLB All-Star and 15-year MLB veteran, Cuddyer made his USA Baseball coaching debut serving as an assistant coach for the 2021 18U National Team. He also held the role of hitting coordinator at the 2021 PDP League and was a coach at the 2022 18U National Team Training Camp. Joining Cuddyer will be fellow MLB veteran and Cuddyer’s former Minnesota Twins teammate LaTroy Hawkins along with veteran coaches Butch Chaffin and Jason Maxwell to complete the 2023 18U National Team staff.

COLLEGIATE NATIONAL TEAM

Fifty-six of the premier non-draft eligible college baseball players in the country will meet at the National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina, for the Collegiate National Team Training Camp beginning on June 23. The athletes will battle in a four-game Stars vs. Stripes intrasquad series before the staff will name a final 26-man roster on June 30. Team USA will then compete in the 20th USA vs. Chinese Taipei International Friendship Series from June 30-July 4 and the 44th USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Championship Series from July 7-12. Currently, 12 of the 14 games will take place in North Carolina, with games in Cary, Durham, Kannapolis, and Fayetteville.

Cal Poly’s Larry Lee will make his Team USA managerial debut. He returns to the red, white, and blue after serving as an assistant coach for the 2017 Collegiate National Team that went 15-5 with friendship series victories over Chinese Taipei, Cuba, and Japan. Lee is the winningest head coach in Big West Conference history and has amassed 635 wins with Cal Poly and 1,095 overall for his career.

WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM

If a player is looking for an opportunity to represent Team USA as a member of the Women’s National Team, the Women’s National Open is where the journey begins. The identification event will take place from July 7-9 in Mesa, Arizona, and players from around the country will be divided into teams and compete in games and workout sessions. A minimum of 35 players will be chosen by the national team coaching staff to move on to the Women’s National Team Training Camp, which will be held July 1013 in Mesa. Eventually, 20 players will be awarded a spot on the 2023 Women’s National Team.

Team USA recently received a wild card bid into the IX WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup. The event will span two years and begins with the group stage, where the U.S. will participate in Group A from August 8-13 in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The top three teams from both groups will advance to the IX WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Finals in 2024, which is also set to take place in Thunder Bay. The Women’s National Team has medaled in six of the eight WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cups since the

tournament’s inception in 2004, most recently earning a first-place finish at the 2019 COPABE Women’s PanAmerican Championships.

2019 Rod Dedeaux Coach of the Year and five-time Team USA player Veronica Alvarez will make her fourth appearance as manager and fifth on a coaching staff after holding the position in 2019, 2020, and 2022. She currently serves as the Coordinator of Player Development in Latin America for the Oakland A’s, and has helped grow the game of women’s baseball through programs created from the collaboration between Major League Baseball and USA Baseball. Alvarez has been a coach at the Trailblazer Series since 2017, the Girls Baseball Breakthrough Series Showcase & Development Camp since 2018, and the Girls Baseball Elite Development Invitational from 2020-2022. Reynol Mendoza and Alex Oglesby will return to their roles as pitching coach and assistant coach, respectively, and 11-time Team USA player Malaika Underwood will make her coaching debut as an assistant coach to round out the staff.

RECAP: 2022 NTIS CHAMPIONS CUP

11U: NORTHEAST STRIPES

The Northeast region picked up its first 2022 NTIS Champions Cup gold medal at the 11U edition with a 10-6 victory over the Northwest Stars after scoring nine runs across the final three frames.

Northwest Stars took an early lead after Uriyeh Marguth came to the plate in the bottom of the first inning and laced a two-RBI triple to the right-field fence to put the home team ahead 2-0 in the opening frame. Colton Byrnes then singled through the left side of the infield

to score Marguth from third base to extend Northwest Stars’ lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the first.

Asher Fontaine scored the first run of the game for the Northeast Stripes in the top of the third inning on a bases-loaded wild pitch after leading off the inning with a single and moving to third courtesy of a hit-by-pitch and a Henry Bogle bunt single.

Northwest Stars tacked on another run in the bottom of the third with a Jaylen O’Bannon sacrifice fly to center, scoring Byrnes to take a 4-1 lead. Marguth then tallied his third RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly in the bottom

of the fourth inning to extend the Northwest Stars lead to 5-1.

Trailing in the top of the fifth inning, the Northeast Stripes kicked its offense into gear with two outs. Jaydon Alemany walked, Isaac Shulman singled to center, and William Holly walked to load the bases for Grady Wright, who walked in the first run of the inning. Then Jaden Godette followed with a basesclearing triple over the centerfielder’s head before coming around on an error to take a 6-5 lead.

Northwest Stars tied the game in the bottom half of the inning on a Jedrek Elliott single and a fielding error, but Northeast Stripes rallied again in the final frame.

With runners on second and third with one out, Jimenez launched an RBI-double to left center to go ahead 7-6. Two fielding errors by Northwest Stars plated three more runs in the top half of the inning as Northeast Stripes closed out the 10-6 victory.

Ryan Lemm was stellar in relief for Northeast Stripes. Coming on in the fifth inning, he gave up just one hit and struck out five batters over the final three innings of the game to get the win on the mound.

Northwest Stars’ Benjamin Medford led all hitters offensively on the day, going 3-for-4 with a run scored. Byrnes (2-for-3, RBI) produced multiple hits on the day for Northwest Stars, while 10 different Northeast Stripes batters tallied a base knock.

12U: MIDWEST STRIPES

The three-peat of the 12U edition of the 2022 NTIS Champions Cup was secured in an extra-inning pitchers’ duel by Midwest Stripes with a 2-1 defeat of Southwest Stripes in the gold medal game.

After pitchers Josiah Park and Kip Allen exchanged zeroes over seven innings to send the game to extras, Southwest Stripes grabbed a 1-0 lead when Alexander Savov hit a hard grounder to third base to plate the run. Midwest’s defense stopped the bleeding after that, turning a double play to retire the side and keep within striking distance.

Trailing by a run in the bottom of the eighth, Midwest Stripes got to work quickly to score its first run of the game. Tristan Castelar opened the inning with an RBI single to right field to plate Logan Woodbury, who started the inning on second base due to international tiebreaker rules. Then, after Southwest Stripes turned a crucial double play to keep the game tied, an error on a hard grounder off the bat of Drake Foxen gave Midwest Stripes a walk-off 2-1 win.

Kip Allen started for Midwest Stripes and turned in six shutout frames, scattering five hits and striking out five. He turned the ball over to Chase Johnson, who finished the game with two strong innings.

Castelar had two of the Midwest Stripes’ three hits in the victory, while also driving in a run. The other hit for the gold medal winners came from Chase Johnson. For Southwest Stripes, Aiden Vargas had a game-high two hits. The squad also got one hit from each of its top four hitters in the lineup.

13U: SOUTHWEST STARS

The 2022 13U NTIS Champions Cup gold medal belonged to Southwest Stars after it scored runs in four of the first five innings to shut out South Stripes, 7-0.

Southwest Stars quickly took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on four hits. Andrew Jiminez and Scott Yuan laced a double and single, respectively, to get into scoring position, and Joel Vargas drove in the first run of the game on an infield single. Owen Mescall then stepped up

to the plate and produced a run batted in with a fielder’s choice to the shortstop to double the lead.

Southwest Stars added to its lead in the second inning with two more runs to make it 4-0. At first and third with two outs, Lucas Alfaro-Chuan and Jason Taylor pulled off the double steal to plate the first run of the frame. Andrew Jiminez then delivered with a single up the middle to drive home Alfaro-Chuan.

Southwest Stars tacked on a run in the fourth inning to extend its lead to 5-0. Orion Gonzalez started the side with a single through the right side, and after stealing second and third he came home on Alfaro-Chuan’s RBI single to center field.

In the fifth inning, Southwest Stars plated two more runs to take a 7-0 lead. Mescall and Trevor Rivas started the frame with outfield singles and stolen bases, and then an RBI groundout by Brogan Witcher followed by a wild pitch brought the runners across home plate.

Jiminez was stellar on the mound for Southwest Stars, as he tossed 5.2 shutout innings with seven strikeouts to earn the win. Gonzalez closed out the game on the bump as he threw 1.1 hitless innings in relief.

14U: SOUTHEAST STARS

Southwest Stars completed its run at the 2022 14U NTIS Champions Cup as gold medalists after defeating Northwest Stars, 3-1.

Brandon Washington led the game off for Southeast Stars with a double, but Northwest Stars’ Braeden Butler eliminated the early threat with an unassisted double play by snagging a liner and diving into the second-base bag for the double play.

The defense carried into the bottom of the first inning as Southeast Stars’ Leo Lupienski made an incredible backwards diving catch at the warning track in left field to end the inning.

After withstanding a weather delay following the first inning of the finale, Southeast Stars put the pressure on Northwest Stars immediately. The first run scored

on a bases-loaded wild pitch, and Joshua Wilhide and Lupienski followed with RBIs in the infield to put their team ahead 3-0.

That score would hold thanks to stellar pitching from Washington and tremendous defense that seemingly kept Northwest Stars one hit away from getting back into the game.

Northwest Stars would finally tally a run in the bottom of the sixth thanks to a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to Chase Johnson, but it was all the offense they could muster on the day as Southeast Stars claimed a 3-1 victory.

Southeast Stars starting pitcher Washington earned the victory on the mound, pitching five innings of shutout baseball and striking out six batters. Wilhide then struck out two batters over the final 1.2 innings to earn the save for Southeast Stars.

Despite the loss, Northwest Stars outhit Southeast Stars 5-3, with hits from Adam Plascencia, Makai Plaza, Seddrick Henderson III, Sam Lakey, and Wyatt Plyler.

15U: SOUTHWEST STARS

The Southwest region notched its second gold medal at the 2022 NTIS Champions Cup thanks to Southwest Stars’ undefeated week and 12-1 victory over Northwest Stars at the 15U edition.

Southwest Stars got on the board quickly in the top of the first, scratching two runs across. The first run was plated when Kenneth Park scored on an RBI groundout by Nathan Chavez, and the Southwest lead grew to 2-0 when Jack Boucher scored on a wild pitch.

Kenneth Park tripled and scored on a two-out double by Jack Boucher as Southwest Stars extended its lead to 3-0 in the third.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the fifth, Stephen Crater delivered a bases-clearing double to deep left field to extend the Southwest Stars lead to 6-0. Chavez stole third base and scored on an errant throw, giving Southwest Stars a 7-0 advantage in the top of the sixth.

NTIS CHAMPIONS CUP PAST CHAMPIONS

Northwest Stars got on the board in the bottom of the sixth when Tait Reynolds drove in Ethan Sullivan with an RBI single back up the middle.

Southwest Stars rallied for five more runs in the seventh to put the game away. Chavez and Crater each had RBI singles in the inning, while two runs scored on an error and another was plated on a wild pitch to give Southwest Stars a 12-1 lead it would go on to win by.

Gavin Kramer took the mound in relief in the third inning and allowed just one run over the final five innings to earn the win for Southwest Stars. Kramer only ran into trouble in the bottom of the sixth, and after allowing a run he escaped a jam with a clutch strikeout.

16U: SOUTH STRIPES

South Stripes were crowned champions of the 2022 16U NTIS Champions Cup after defeating defending champion Northeast Stars, 8-2, in the gold medal game.

South Stripes struck first with a run in the third inning when Ty Powell scored on Landon Schaefer's RBI single to left field after leading off the side with a double to right field.

Northeast Stars answered in the fourth inning with a pair of runs to take a 2-1 lead when Brayden Hy scored on an RBI groundout to second and Anthony Savino crossed home plate on a runscoring single by Ryan Brown through the left side.

South Stripes took its lead back in the bottom half of the fourth at 3-2 when Victor Coronado and Jackson Morris led off the inning with back-to-back base hits, and then a pair of errors allowed both runners to cross home plate.

South Stars then extended its lead to 8-2 in the fifth, scoring five runs on four hits and an error. The inning was highlighted by an RBI single by Ed Small, back-to-back sacrifice flies Schaefer and Kaden McCoy, and an RBI double by Masa Chilcut.

Northeast Stars starting pitcher Matthew Vanostenbridge tallied seven strikeouts while Gary Perone fanned three batters for a combined 10 on the day for their squad. Vanostenbridge was saddled with the loss as he surrendered five earned runs in 4.2 innings.

Cooper Rummel tossed four innings to pick up the win on the mound for South Stripes, allowing two earned runs on two hits with a pair of strikeouts. Mark Brissey and Caleb Hines combined to toss three shutout innings in relief and fanned six batters for the squad.

NORTHEAST STARS

Arnold Trey RHP/IF R/R 5'2" 116 1/6/12 2030 West Jessamine Nicholasville, KY Bates Hank IF/RHP R/R 5'0" 79 1/11/12 2030 St. Benedict Cathedral Evansville, IN Boesen Duncan IF/RHP L/R 5'1" 105 6/17/12 2030 Sacred Heart Des Moines, IA Bollman Ryland IF/C R/R 4'8" 75 1/12/12 2030 Norwalk Norwalk, IA Burke Gavin IF/C R/R 4'11" 86 10/10/12 2030 LCS Pinckney, MI Busch Caden RHP/C R/R 4'11" 92 6/1/12 2030 Nequa valley Naperville, IL Diaz Julian OF/C L/L 4'10" 84 7/24/12 2030 OHIO VIRTUAL ACADEMY toronto, OH Dones David IF/C R/R 5'0" 100 1/9/12 2030 St. Patric High Chicago, IL Fountain Noah IF/OF R/R 5'2" 125 3/21/12 2030 Burr Ridge Willowbrook, IL Hall Beckett IF/C R/R 5'0" 80 4/1/12 2030 Brother Rice Birmingham, MI Hedberg Mason IF/RHP R/R 4'11" 86 3/1/12 2030 Stagg Palos Park, IL Kirby Landon C/RHP R/R 4'10" 92 11/12/12 2030 JOHN GLENN New concord, OH Markle Luca LHP/OF R/L 4'8" 90 10/29/12 2030 Memorial Evansville, IN Matthews Joshua IF/RHP R/R 5'0" 110 8/31/12 2030 Donelson Christian Academy Madison, TN San Roman Ayden C/IF R/R 4'11" 110 4/9/12 2030 Churchville Stone Park, IL

MIDWEST STARS LAST FIRST POS. B/T HT. WT. DOB GRAD. SCHOOL HOMETOWN

Brown Nathan IF/RHP R/R 5'5" 115 1/25/12 2030 St Jude Cincinnati, OH Brumfield Brantley LHP/IF R/L 5'0" 90 6/14/12 2030 Stewarts Creek Murfreesboro, TN Buss Hudson IF/IF R/R 4'11" 80 5/25/12 2030 Liberty Powell, OH Davis Dylan IF/RHP L/R 4'10" 87 8/20/13 2030 Calvin Christian South Holland, IL Garrison Rocco IF/RHP R/R 4'11" 83 4/2/12 2030 Rutherford B Hayes Delaware, OH Gutzman Wyatt IF/RHP L/R 5'3" 130 4/19/12 2030 Faithful Shepherd Catholic Grove Heights, MN Hale Ahmi C/OF R/R 4'10" 97 8/29/12 2030 Chatham Springfield, IL McKenney Kian IF/RHP R/R 5'0" 85 5/10/12 2030 Shelbyville Shelbyville, IN Merry Tucker IF/RHP R/R 5'0" 85 9/19/12 2030 John Glenn Norwich, OH Romejko Davis LHP/IF L/L 5'2" 100 2/22/13 2030 Munhall St. Charles, IL Rummage Rush IF/RHP L/R 5'1" 110 10/11/12 2030 St. Xavier Coxs Creek, KY Ruppelt Maxwell C/IF R/R 4'11" 90 4/7/12 2030 LUOA Menomonee Falls, WI Tepavchevich Hank IF/C R/R 5'0" 80 7/11/12 2030 Hadley Lockport, IL Vansickler Haiden IF/C R/R 4'11" 90 8/26/12 2030 Williamston Perry, MI Weast Owen IF/RHP R/R 5'2" 110 3/12/12 2030 Rapid Run Cincinnati, OH

LAST FIRST POS. B/T HT. WT. DOB GRAD. SCHOOL HOMETOWN Burkhart Logan C/IF S/R 4'10" 88 10/15/12 2030 Exeter Reading, PA Cronauer Emmitt RHP/IF R/R 4'9" 82 8/27/12 2030 Marsh Creek Downingtown, PA Ellingwood Rylan IF/RHP L/R 5'0" 89 3/21/12 2030 Center Ellington, CT Elshazli Chase IF/RHP L/R 4'11" 93 4/4/12 2030 Ellicott Mills Ellicott City, MD Gamble Jack IF/RHP R/R 5'5" 140 7/30/12 2030 Marsh Creek Downingtown, PA Good Liam C/IF R/R 5'1" 120 12/19/12 2030 Reiffton Reading, PA Hoppes Nathanael IF/RHP R/R 5'1" 81 7/2/12 2030 Burgundy Farm Country Day Washington DC, DC Maerz Brycen IF/RHP R/R 4'10" 80 6/11/12 2030 Jarrettsville Forest Hill, MD Mercado Jake OF/C R/R 5'3" 105 1/12/12 2030 Lyndhurst Lyndhurst, NJ Moylan Jameson C/IF R/R 5'1" 97.5 4/6/12 2030 Mater Dei Bethesda, MD Nelson Brayden IF/RHP L/R 5'3" 115 9/20/12 2030 Dynard Abell, MD prisco Zander C/OF R/R 5'2" 100 1/2/12 2030 Medway middle Medway, MA Reyes aydenn IF/RHP R/L 4'11" 90 6/6/12 2030 Hope highland, cranston ri Providence, RI Rose Evan OF/IF R/R 4'6" 76 6/27/12 2030 Sweet Home Amherst, NY Vasquez Shane RHP/OF R/R 5'0" 88 8/9/12 2030 Central Brooklyn Ascend Brooklyn, NY

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EVENT RULES

The National Team Identification Series Champions Cup will follow the National Federation of State High School Associations’ (NFHS) baseball rules. The following rules and guidelines are provided in addition to, in substitution of, or in place of the rules provided in the NFHS Baseball Rule Book.

ELIGIBILITY

▪ To be eligible for the National Team Identification Series Champions Cup, players must be born on or after January 1, 2012 (11U); January 1, 2011 (12U); January 1, 2010 (13U); January 1, 2009 (14U); January 1, 2008 (15U); January 1, 2007 OR born on or after January 1, 2006 with an anticipated 2025 grad year (16U).

▪ PENALTY: If physical evidence is presented to USA Baseball, or a team admits to using an illegal player, all games in which the illegal player participated shall be forfeited.

FACILITY GUIDELINES

USA Baseball tournaments utilize the following field dimensions:

▪ 10U: 46’ mound, 65’ bases

▪ 11U and 12U: 51’ mound, 75’ bases

▪ 13U+: 60.6’ mound, 90’ bases

TOURNAMENT FORMAT

▪ The 11U, 12U, 13U, 14U, 15U, and 16U tournaments will feature 12 teams.

▪ The first day of the tournament for each age group will feature registration and the Opening Ceremony

▪ The second and third day of the tournament will feature USA Baseball’s Testing assessments, an opportunity for athletes to participate in Prospect Development Pipeline Performance Assessments and on-field athletic assessments for the Task Force, their region coaches, and teammates followed by one game each day.

▪ Every team will be placed into a pool of four (4) teams and will compete in round robin play in its pool, playing one game each day of the event.

▪ The three (3) pool winners and next best record will be seeded following pool play using the “Standings Tie-Breakers” rules below.

▫ Teams seeded #1–#4 will begin a single-elimination bracket-style playoff.

▫ The remaining teams will play in one consolation game on the final day of the tournament.

▪ The semifinals, third place, and championship games will be played on the final day of the tournament (Sunday).

GAME PLAY

GENERAL RULES

▪ All team rosters must have a minimum of 15 (11U-12U)/18 (13U-16U) players and 2 coaches. Rosters should not exceed 15 (11U-12U)/18 (13U-16U) players.

▪ A “mandatory play” rule will not be enforced at the National Team Identification Series Champions Cup. However, it is encouraged that all healthy players on the roster participate in the tournament.

▫ In an effort for fair play and competitive balance, USA Baseball recommends that each athlete participate in a minimum of eight (8) innings or five (5) at-bats for position players, and/or a minimum of three (innings) or nine (9) batters-faced for pitchers throughout the event.

▪ The USA Baseball Tournament Director will predetermine all home and away team assignments in all pool play games. The higher seed will serve as the home team throughout all bracket-round and consolation match-ups (E.g., #6 vs. #1; #1 is the home team).

▪ USA Baseball reserves the right to “roll” an inning, regardless of outs, runners on base, or score, etc.

LINEUPS

▪ A maximum of 10 players are allowed in a lineup.

▪ A tenth hitter, or extra hitter, hereby known as the “EH,” may be utilized by any team. The use of an “EH” is optional. If one team elects to use an “EH,” the opposing team is not required to do so as well. The extra hitter must be indicated in the line-up as the “EH.” The “EH” will be treated as any other starter and cannot be eliminated during the course of the game. The “EH” can exchange positions with other defensive players in the lineup. The starting batting order must be followed in order; the changing of the “starting batting order” once the game begins is strictly prohibited.

EXTRA-INNINGS/TIE-BREAKERS

▪ All pool-play, consolation, and third-place games at the National Team Identification Series Champions Cup shall be seven (7) innings or two hours and fifteen minutes (2:15). No new inning can begin after time has expired.

▪ If a pool-play, consolation, or third-place game is tied after seven (7) innings and time permits, teams shall continue the game using the international tie-breaker rule until a winner is decided or time has expired. If a game that exceeds the time limit ends in a stalemate, the gave will be recorded as a tie.

▪ A time limit will not be enforced in quarterfinal, semifinal, and championship games.

INTERNATIONAL TIE-BREAKER RULES

▪ The international tie-breaker rule dictates that a runner will be placed on first and second base with no outs to begin the inning. The batter must be the player deemed next-up in the batting order following the previous inning and the two players preceding the batter will be placed on first and second base, respectively.

FORFEITS

▪ In the event a team must forfeit a game, a 7-0 loss will be assigned to a team’s record.

STANDINGS TIE-BREAKERS

If, at the end of pool play (if applicable), two or more teams finish with identical records, the following

procedures will be used to break standings ties for bracket-play seeding:

1. Pool play overall record

2. Head-to-head result; provided all tied teams have played each other

3. Fewest runs allowed (overall)

4. Overall run differential

5. Coin flip

EJECTIONS/SUSPENSIONS

▪ Any ejection of a participant (player, coach, or fan) during a game will receive an automatic one-game suspension. The incident will then be reviewed by the USA Baseball Technical Committee, consisting of the Tournament Director, Umpire-in-Chief (if available), Site Supervisor, and a member of the USA Baseball Task Force. The Technical Committee will assess the ejection and then determine an additional penalty, if any, for the participant.

▪ Penalties may include suspension for a subsequent game(s), suspension from the tournament, or a team forfeiture resulting in a 7-0 loss.

▪ Any participant who is ejected from a game a second time during the event shall receive an immediate suspension for the remainder of the tournament.

INCLEMENT WEATHER

▪ In the event inclement occurs during the tournament, the bracket-round games will be given priority in rescheduling. USA Baseball will do its best to ensure that all teams participating in consolation games will play in an even number of games; however, cannot guarantee an even number of games for all participating teams.

▪ Games rescheduled due to inclement weather may be played at an off-site facility at the discretion of USA Baseball.

UNIFORMS & SAFETY

▪ Coaches must wear a helmet in order to be on the field. A hard helmet is required; no flap, single flap, and double flap helmets are permitted, while “skullies” and cap inserts are strictly prohibited.

BAT GUIDELINES

▪ All teams are required to adhere to the USA Baseball Bat Guidelines below (Bat Guidelines can be found at USABaseball.com/Bats/Guidelines).

▪ 11U, 12U tournaments bat requirements:

▫ There are no specified weight/length ratio limits for bats in the tournament.

▫ Bats may not exceed 32” in length and barrel diameters may not exceed 2 5/8.

▫ Non-wood and multi-piece wood bats must be USABat certified in order to be used in the tournament. *

▪ 13U tournaments require bats to be any wood or metal BBCOR (-3) bat OR an approved USABat.

▪ 14U and 15U tournaments require bats to be any wood or metal BBCOR (-3) bat.

▪ 16U and 17U tournaments require bats to be any solid (one-piece) wood bat or an NFHS approved BBCOR wood barrel baseball bat.

▪ *USABat certifications are reflected in the Washington State University Sports Science Lab and the NCAA and NFHS BBCOR approved baseball bats list.

PITCHING RULES

▪ In accordance with USA Baseball’s assimilation of Pitch Smart guidelines, the National Team Identification Series Champions Cup will use a hard pitch count as the standard for setting pitcher-use limitations for the tournament. The 2023 Pitch Smart guidelines can be found on page 2 of the rules document.

▪ Pitchers may not pitch three consecutive days regardless of their pitch counts in the two previous days (e.g., if a pitcher throws 10 pitches on day one and 15 pitches on day two, they are still ineligible to pitch on day three)

▪ If a pitcher exceeds a pitch count threshold in a single game that requires a mandatory rest day, they are ineligible to pitch in an additional game in the same day regardless of their daily pitch count total.

PENALTY FOR VIOLATION OF PITCHER USE LIMITATION RULES

▪ If a pitcher is found to have exceeded their allowed numbers of pitches during a game, the illegal pitching situation will be rectified immediately and the incoming pitcher will be permitted as many warm up pitches as the umpire deems necessary prior to resuming the game. The Technical Committee will review the infraction and reserves the right to suspend the manager for the next game if the infraction is deemed a purposeful breach of the rules. The Technical Committee will be comprised of the Tournament Director(s), Umpire-in-Chief, Site Supervisor, and a member of the USA Baseball Task Force.

▪ If a pitcher is found to have exceeded their allowed pitches for a game after the game is completed, the manager may be suspended for the next tournament game. The Technical Committee will review the infraction and reserves the right to suspend the manager for the next tournament game plus one additional game if the infraction is deemed a purposeful breach of the rules.

▪ In either case, the pitcher in question will not receive any direct penalty, but will be made to adhere to the prescribed days of rest based on the number of pitches at the time of the infraction. The team in question will not receive any direct penalty (beyond penalization of the manager), but will continue to be required to adhere to the prescribed pitch count rules for the remainder of the event.

TOURNAMENT PITCHER USE LIMITATION RULES

▪ If a pitcher reaches the daily max pitches in a game threshold (75 [10U]/85 [11U-12U]/95 [13U-16U]/105 [17U-18U]) while facing a batter, the pitcher may continue to pitch until any one of the following events

occur: 1. That batter reaches base; 2. That batter is retired; 3. The third out is made to complete the halfinning.

▪ A pitcher’s required rest is based off a hard pitch count of actual pitches thrown and does not reset to the pitch count tallied at the beginning of the last batter faced. If a player has thrown 29 pitches and, after facing the last batter of the inning, has thrown 34, then that pitcher’s pitch count for the day is 34 (not 29) and they are required to take one day of rest.

REPORTING

▪ USA Baseball official scorers will be responsible for the official pitch count at each field.

▪ An aggregate pitch count report for all teams in the tournament will be distributed electronically at the completion of each day’s games to the team contact on record. The pitch count is monitored and kept in the tower, and is the only official pitch count that will be used. Managers or coaches pitch counts are NOT official, but they are welcome to periodically check with the official scorer to ensure their count is correct. The official scorekeeper will communicate the pitch count at the beginning of each inning or as needed.

▪ Should a pitch count be protested, the protesting team must present an official score book or digital score keeping application to the Site Supervisor and Tournament Director(s).

▪ The pitch count kept by the tower can be overturned if both the Site Supervisor and Tournament Director conclude that a mistake was made on behalf of USA Baseball’s scorekeeper. The new pitch count will be recorded and reflected in the following day’s pitch count report.

SUSPENDED GAMES (PITCHING)

▪ For purposes of applying the pitcher-use limitations in the event a team plays twice on a single day (because a prior game was either postponed or suspended), the following rules apply:

▫ A pitcher’s per-game total pitch maximums (but not mandatory rest) shall be deemed to be “reset” in a resumed game. However, pitchers are still restricted to per-game and daily pitch maximums set forth by the Pitch Smart Guidelines prior to and after suspended and resumed games.

▫ The pitcher of record at the time a game is suspended becomes subject to a mandatory rest day if they exceed a pitch count threshold (20+ [10U-14U]/30+ [15U+]) and will not be eligible to pitch in the resumed game if it takes place during their required rest time, including a resumed game occurring at a later time on the same day.

▫ A pitcher who is required to rest for a day must rest for all games on that day (I.e., resting during the resumption of a postponed or suspended game shall not satisfy a mandatory rest day, even if there is a subsequent game on that same day).

DOUBLEHEADERS

▪ The second game of a scheduled doubleheader will not serve as a rest day for pitchers having thrown in the first game of the day (E.g., a pitcher who has

thrown 20 [10U-14U] / 30 [15U+] or more pitches in the first game of the day may not pitch in any subsequent game that day and is subject to the appropriate number of rest days based on the total pitches thrown).

▪ A pitcher who has thrown 1-20 (10U-14U)/1-30 (15U+) pitches is eligible to throw in any subsequent game that day; however, they will still be limited to the daily max of 75 (10U)/85 (11U-12U)/95 (13U-16U)/105 (17U-18U) pitches for the day.

▪ Due to the nature of the tournament format, the USA Baseball Operations Staff will provide each coach with an updated pitch count sheet as soon as possible prior to the start of their second game of the day on days where a doubleheader is scheduled.

2023 PITCH SMART GUIDELINES

Many players were limited in how much baseball they could play over the last year due to COVID-19. As players return in 2023, they should make sure to do so safely by following all applicable COVID-19 guidelines and the following return-to-sport recommendations:

1. Because many players missed seasons, they should be careful to ramp up slowly to avoid injury; we know players are excited to get out there and compete, but it’s important to gradually increase the intensity and frequency of your playing to avoid injury.

2. Players should ramp up their strength and conditioning program in advance of resumption of throwing.

3. As much as possible, players should aim to lengthen and not shorten their standard pre-competition throwing progression timelines. An example throwing program is shown here (link).

4. Pitchers should account for all types of throws when systematically building up in preparation for game competition. The stress on the throwing arm from any long-toss, flat ground throws, weighted ball exercises, and bullpen pitches should be considered. Weighted ball programs should not be used to accelerate pre-season throwing progression.

5. Players with reduced workloads last year should consider gradually building up their pitch counts, more rest between outings, and a lower overall workload this year.

6. Proper nutrition and sleep go a long way in maximizing baseball performance and reducing injury risk.

7. As always, it is important that players avoid pitching with arm fatigue or injuries to other body regions; being proactive about your health will help keep you healthy for the long-term.

8. It’s beneficial for amateur athletes to take time off from baseball each year and play multiple sports to further athletic development.

9. Many baseball players have showcase opportunities to enhance their recruitment into collegiate and professional baseball. Players should only participate in showcases when they are healthy and have had appropriate time to build up their throwing and strength and conditioning.

Suggested Annual Workload: For players with reduced workloads in 2022

Suggested Pitch Counts Daily Max (Pitches in Game): For players with reduced workloads in 2022

Pitch Counts and Required Rest Recommendations: For all players