by Baseball Australia
Baseball Australia has announced the Team Australia roster that will vie for back-to-back titles against the World All-Stars at the third annual ABL All-Star Game in Melbourne on Wednesday 18 December at 7:35pm local time.
The national team roster features our best talent when it comes to the ABL, with thirteen Major League Baseball clubs represented on the list. Three key Australian Major Leaguers return, with fan favourites Brad Harman (Jet Couriers Melbourne Aces), Justin Huber (Jet Couriers Melbourne Aces) and Luke Hughes (Alcohol. Think Again Perth Heat) all named for the mid-week showdown.
As Team Australia begin preparations for their two games against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks next March in Sydney, the All-Star Game roster has made way for five players to make their national team debut, in an opportunity for the young guys to show what they’ve got.
On debut for the national team will be Australia’s most talked about up-and-coming pitcher, Minnesota Twins and Aces left-hander Lewis Thorpe. In less than eighteen months since signing as an international free agent, Thorpe was named seventh in the US Gulf Coast League’s 2013 top-20 prospect list and the second-ranked pitcher overall. The 17-year-old is charged with a 93 mph (149km/h) fastball and is one to watch in the All-Star Game and years to come.
Also on debut, Team Australia rookies Ben Lodge (Adelaide Bite) and Logan Wade (Brisbane Bandits) sit third and seventh respectively in the current ABL leaders for batting average. They bolster an already talented offensive squad, joining the likes of brothers Tim and Matt Kennelly (Perth), Mitch Dening (Sydney Blue Sox) and Darryl George (Melbourne) who backed himself on debut at the Australia Series last year, proving to be a force for Australia.
Taking his place at first base is dynamic infielder Stefan Welch (Adelaide Bite/Boston Red Sox), who has fast built himself a reputation as a pivotal part of the Australian side. At this year’s World Baseball Classic, Welch claimed Australia’s only home run for the tournament on top of two doubles. With the All-Star Game title currently sitting at one apiece through its first two instalments, Team Australia will look to talent like Welch to remain reigning champs on home turf.
The World All-Stars roster, announced on Tuesday, boasts the ABL’s best-performing international players this season from four baseball nations, including the United States, Canada, Taiwan and Korea. Twelve Major League Baseball clubs will be represented as well as Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and the Korean Baseball Organisation (KBO)
For the first time, the ABL will let its supporters decide which import player will fill the World All-Star team’s final roster spot via an All-Star game fan ballot of twelve nominees on the ABL’s official Facebook page.
All-Star Game tickets are now available at www.TheABL.com.au/ASG2013.
