FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
CARY, North Carolina — USA Baseball (USAB) has announced a group of 34 players who will be considered for inclusion on its 2008 18U National Team for international competition. The 34 players, along with 13 alternates, were selected from those who participated this week in the 16th Annual Tournament of Stars, presented by Major League Baseball, at USAB’s National Training Complex.
“We have selected a tremendous group of young men who have outstanding talent and who have great respect for the game of baseball,” said Mark Elkins, Head Coach of the 2008 18U National Team. Elkins has been the head baseball coach the past 10 years at Harrison High School in Kennesaw, Ga.
“I think we have several strong candidates on the mound and have a lot of team speed that will prove very valuable both offensively and defensively,” Elkins added. “Since we will be playing with wood bats (at this age level), we will have to be a team that manufactures runs, pitches well and plays quality defense. Most importantly, we must be a team with great chemistry. That is not always easy to accomplish when you are only together as a group for a short time.”
Following the announcement of the 32 invitees and alternates, the athletes will return to their respective homes. The group will reassemble in Phoenix, Ariz., on July 10. Player evaluation then will continue via practices, intrasquad scrimmages and exhibition games. Following an evaluation period, a final 18-player 18U National Team roster will be selected the evening of July 16. On July 20, the team will depart for Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, where the squad will compete July 25–Aug. 3 in the International BAseball Federation (IBAF) “AAA” World Junior Championships. The 18U National Team competes in two major events in bi-yearly cycles — the IBAF World Junior Championships and the COPABE “AAA” Pan American Junior Championships. The Pan Am Championships serve as a qualifier for the ensuing year’s World Championships.
The USA Baseball 18U National Team is a perennial power on the international baseball scene. Only once in the 23-year history of the IBAF World Junior Championships has the United States failed to capture a medal. During this time, the program has earned five gold medals, 10 silver medals and seven bronze medals.
Elkins was as an assistant coach on the 2007 USA Baseball 18U National Team that claimed a bronze medal at the Pan Am Championships in Ixtapa, Mexico. His other previous USA Baseball experience has included serving as a Task Force member as well as head coach of the USA Stars squad at the USA Baseball Tournament of Stars.
Joining Elkins on the 2008 18U National Team coaching staff will be assistants Mark McKenzie, Tommy Pharr and Mike Power. McKenzie just finished his ninth year as head coach at Concordia University, St. Paul in St. Paul, Minn. McKenzie was an assistant coach on the inaugural USA Baseball 16U National Team in 1997 that competed in the IBAF “AA” World Youth Championships in Taipei, Taiwan. A year later as head coach, he guided the 16U Team to the program’s first gold medal by winning the World Championships played in Fairview Heights, Ill. Pharr has served as head coach at Farragut High School in Knoxville, Tenn., for 11 years. He will be involved in his initial USA Baseball national team coaching assignment after having had previous experience at other USA Baseball levels. Power, head coach at Roswell (Ga.) High School the last five years, was an assistant on the 2007 18U National Team after serving in the same capacity for the 2003 18U National Team that claimed a silver medal in the Pan Am Championships.
USA Baseball is the National Governing Body of amateur baseball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. The organization selects and trains the United States Olympic Baseball Team (and all other USA Baseball professional teams), the USA Baseball National Team (collegiate); the USA Baseball 18U, 16U, and 14U National Teams; and the USA Baseball Women’s National Team, all of which participate in various international competitions each year.
– Players/alternates for 18U National Team consideration, along with 2008 coaching staff and other support personnel follows –
USA BASEBALL
2008 18U NATIONAL TEAM TRIALS INVITEES July 10-17 Phoenix, Arizona
Name Pos. B-T Ht. Wt. DOB High School Hometown Class
Andrew Aplin OF / LHP L-L 6-0 190 3/21/1991 Vanden Suisun City, CA 2009
Jake Barrett RHP / IF R-R 6-4 235 7/22/1991 Desert Ridge Mesa, AZ 2009
Trevor Bauer RHP R-R 6-1 175 1/17/1991 Hart Valencia, CA 2009
Bobby Borchering IF / RHP B-R 6-4 195 10/25/1990 Bishop Verot Alva, FL 2009
Colton Cain LHP / IF L-L 6-3 225 2/5/1991 Waxahachie Waxahachie, TX 2009
Ryan Curl OF / RHP R-R 6-2 195 8/4/1990 St. Francis De Sales Gahanna, OH 2008
Nolan Fontana IF / RHP L-R 5-10 175 6/6/1991 West Orange Winter Garden, FL 2009
Nick Franklin IF / RHP B-R 6-1 170 3/2/1991 Lake Brantley Longwood, FL 2009
Cameron Garfield C R-R 6-1 195 5/23/1991 Murrieta Valley Murrieta, CA 2009
Garrett Gould RHP / OF R-R 6-4 190 7/19/1991 Maize Wichita, KS 2009
Randal Grichuk OF / IF R-R 6-1 195 8/13/1991 Lamar Rosenberg, TX 2009
Wes Hatton RHP / OF R-R 5-10 165 12/28/1990 Norco Norco, CA 2009
Louis Head RHP R-R 6-0 170 4/23/1990 Seven Lakes Katy, TX 2008
Matt Helm IF R-R 6-2 190 9/1/1990 Hamilton Queencreek, AZ 2009
Chad James LHP L-L 6-3 185 1/23/1991 Yukon Yukon, OK 2009
Zach Lee RHP / IF R-R 6-4 190 9/13/1991 McKinney McKinney, TX 2010
Tom Lemke RHP R-R 6-7 205 11/5/1990 Northwest Christian Phoenix, AZ 2009
Austin Maddox C / RHP R-R 6-2 220 5/13/1991 Eagle’s View Acad. Jacksonville, FL 2009
Jeff Malm IF / LHP L-L 6-3 225 10/31/1990 Bishop Gorman Las Vegas, NV 2009
Jacob Marisnick OF R-R 6-4 200 3/30/1991 Riverside Poly Riverside, CA 2009
Tyler Matzek LHP / UT L-L 6-3 185 10/19/1990 Capistrano Valley Mission Viejo, CA 2009
Jonathan Meyer IF / RHP B-R 6-1 195 11/1/1990 Simi Valley Simi Valley, CA 2009
Jiovanni Mier IF / RHP R-R 6-2 170 8/26/1990 Bonita Pomona, CA 2009
Marlon Mitchell C / UT L-R 6-1 180 9/30/1990 Hillsborough Riverview, FL 2009
Matthew Moynihan OF L-R 6-2 205 8/18/1990 Cathedral Catholic San Diego, CA 2009
David Nick IF R-R 6-2 175 2/3/1990 Cypress Cypress, CA 2009
Matthew Purke LHP / IF L-L 6-3 180 7/17/1990 Klein Spring, TX 2009
Max Stassi C / UT R-R 5-10 190 3/15/1991 Yuba City Yuba City, CA 2009
Cecil Tanner RHP R-R 6-6 200 4/23/1990 Ware County Waycross, GA 2008
Donavan Tate OF R-R 6-3 200 9/27/1990 Cartersville Cartersville, GA 2009
Mike Trout IF / RHP R-R 6-1 190 8/7/1991 Millville Millville, NJ 2009
Josh Turley LHP / OF L-L 6-0 185 8/26/1990 Texarkana Texarkana, TX 2009
Jacob Turner RHP R-R 6-4 205 5/21/1991 Westminster Christ. Acad. St. Charles, MO 2009
LeVon Washington IF / OF L-R 5-10 170 7/26/1991 Buchholz Gainesville, FL 2009
ALTERNATES
Name Pos. B-T Ht. Wt. DOB High School Hometown Class
Justin Charles IF L-R 5-11 165 6/18/1991 Elk Grove Galt, CA 2009
Clay Dalton RHP / IF R-R 6-3 190 12/27/1991 North Cobb Kennesaw, GA 2009
Zach Dotson LHP / OF L-L 6-3 185 10/30/1990 Effington County Springfield, GA 2009
Reed Gragnani IF B-R 5-11 180 9/5/1990 Mills Godwin Richmond, VA 2009
Dane Phillips C / OF L-R 6-1 195 12/18/1990 Nacogdoches Central Nacogdoches, TX 2009
Adam Plutko RHP / OF R-R 6-3 175 10/3/1991 Glendora Upland, CA 2010
Robert Refsnyder OF / IF R-R 6-1 190 3/26/1991 Laguna Hills Laguna Hills, CA 2009
Ronnie Richardson OF / RHP B-R 5-8 170 5/5/1990 Lake Region Eagle Lake, FL 2009
Jameson Taillon RHP R-R 6-5 230 11/18/1991 The Woodlands The Woodlands, TX 2010
Anthony Tzamtzis IF / RHP R-R 6-0 185 11/4/1990 LaSalle Coconut Grove, FL 2009
Adrian Williams IF / OF B-R 5-11 170 1/3/1991 Canyon Springs Moreno Valley, CA 2008
Jake Williams UT / LHP B-L 6-1 190 1/2/1991 Brophy College Prep Scottsdale, AZ 2009
Zach Wilson IF R-R 6-1 195 8/6/1990 Wilson Long Beach, CA 2008
Head Coach: Mark Elkins, Harrison High School (Kennesaw, Ga.)
Assistant Coaches: Mark McKenzie, Concordia University, St. Paul (St. Paul, Minn.)
Tommy Pharr, Farragut High School (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Mike Power, Roswell High School (Roswell, Ga.)
18U National Team Director: Ray Darwin, USA Baseball (Raleigh, N.C.)
18U National Team Press Officer: Duane DaPron (Broken Arrow, Okla.)
