18 Baseball Factory Players Part of 20-Man Roster For 2017 USA Baseball 18U National Team
The 20-man roster for this year’s USA Baseball 18U National Team is set and 18 Baseball Factory players have been selected to compete in the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup, held in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, beginning September 1st through September 10th.
Here they are! pic.twitter.com/5D6Vc6bTVx
— USA Baseball 18U (@USABaseball18U) August 25, 2017
Of the 18 Factory players, 14 of them played in this year’s exciting Under Armour All-America Game, won by the American team, 2-1 in 11 innings.
The American team featured Will Banfield, Mason Denaburg, Nolan Gorman, starting pitcher Ethan Hankins, Jarred Kelenic, Matthew Liberatore and Alek Thomas while the National team featured two-time All-American, Triston Casas, Ray Delgado, starting pitcher Kumar Rocker, Michael Siani and Ryan Weathers.
In addition to the All-Americans, Baseball Factory is proud to announce that four more Baseball Factory players are part of this talented roster, having played in events ranging from Team One Showcase events to the Under Armour All-America Pre-Season Tournament.
RHP/IF, Brandon Dieter, a Stanford University commit, attended the 2016 Under Armour Southwest Championships, Baseball Factory’s Futures West event in September, 2016 and in January of this year, the Under Armour All-America Pre-Season Tournament. In June at Baseball Factory’s National West event, Dieter had the highest raw velocity across the diamond at shortstop (93 mph) and the fourth-highest exit velocity (95 mph).
C, Anthony Seigler, an Auburn University commit, is from Cartersville, GA and attended two Team One Showcase events in his home state, starting with Baseball Factory’s Futures South event in October of 2016 and the National South event in June where he recorded the third-lowest pop time at 1.81.
LHP, Joseph Menefee, a Texas A&M commit, participated in June’s National Texas event and turned in the third-highest fastball velocity of the event, clocking in at 92 mph.
IF, Brice Turang, an LSU commit, participated in the 2015 Under Armour SoCal Classic.
“We offer our congratulations to the twenty players selected to represent the United States of America on the 18U National Team, fourteen of whom participated in last month’s Under Armour All-America Game,” said Steve Bernhardt, Executive Vice President of Baseball Factory and Chairman of the Under Armour All-America Game selection committee. “Matt Blood does an outstanding job as Director of the National Team, and we wish him, along with all the players and coaches good luck in Thunder Bay as they look to bring home their fourth straight World Cup victory.”
Team USA looks to claim their fourth-consecutive World Cup championship, while looking to become just the second country to win four-straight gold medals in this prestigious tournament.
2017 USA Baseball 18U National Team Roster:
Will Banfield, C/RHP, Brookwood HS, Snellville, Ga.
Triston Casas, 1B/RHP, American Heritage, Plantation, Fla.
Raynel Delgado, IF, Mater Academy, Hialeah Gardens, Fla.
Mason Denaburg, RHP/C, Merritt Island (Fla.) HS
Brandon Dieter, RHP/IF, South Hills HS, West Covina, Calif.
J.T. Ginn, RHP/IF, Brandon (Miss.) High
Nolan Gorman, IF, O’Connor HS, Phoenix, AZ
Ethan Hankins, RHP, Forsyth Central HS, Cumming, Ga.
Jarred Kelenic, OF/LHP; Waukesha (Wisc.) West HS
Matthew Liberatore, LHP, Mountain Ridge HS, Peoria, Ariz.
Landon Marceaux, RHP, Destrehan (La.) HS
Anthony Seigler, C/RLHP, Cartersville (Ga.) HS
Joseph Menefee, LHP, George Ranch HS, Richmond, Tex.
Kumar Rocker, RHP, North Oconee HS, Bogart, Ga.
Michael Siani, OF/LHP, Penn Charter HS, Philadelphia
Alek Thomas, OF, Mt. Carmel HS, Chicago
Brice Turang, IF, Santiago HS, Corona, Calif.
Ryan Weathers, LHP, Loretto (Tenn.) HS
Cole Wilcox, RHP, Heritage HS, Ringgold, Ga.
Carter Young, C/Util, Selah (Wash.) HS