USA Baseball announced that MLB veteran coach Rick Eckstein will manage the 2024 U-18 National Team. He will take over from Michael Cuddyer, who led the US to fourth place in the XXXI WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup. Eckstein will debut in the WBSC Americas U-18 Baseball World Cup Qualifier later this year.
“We are extremely fortunate to have Rick serve as our manager in 2024,” said Brett Curll, USA Baseball’s U-18 National Team Program Director. “His extensive experience coaching at both the professional and amateur levels will be instrumental to our players and coaching staff. We look forward to competing for a gold medal with Rick at the helm this summer.”
Eckstein was on the coaching staff for the Professional National Team five times from 2005 to 2008. He served as the third-base coach under manager Davey Johnson when the US won the 2007 Baseball World Cup and was on the staff of the bronze medal team at the Beijing 2008 Olympics.
Eckstein started coaching in 1997 at the University of Florida at the end of his playing career. He coached the University of Georgia in 2002 and 2003 and the University of Kentucky from 2014 to 2016.
He started his Major League Baseball career as a bullpen coach for the Tampa Bay Rays. He also worked for the Minnesota Twins. He became the Washington National hitting coach in 2008 and served through the 2013 season. He later worked for the Los Angeles Angels, the Minnesota Twins and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Eckstein has been involved in USA Baseball's development programmes and was named the 2023 USA Baseball Coach Educator of the Year award.
"I am extremely honoured to be named manager of USA Baseball's U-18 National Team," said Eckstein. "Wearing the USA jersey is a privilege I do not take lightly. Being entrusted with the responsibility to lead these talented young men and compete internationally for a gold medal is one that I will embrace. I would also like to thank everyone associated with USA Baseball for this very special opportunity."
