Softball New Zealand have announced their U-18 National Team preliminary roster looking toward the 2022 WBSC U-18 Men's Softball World Cup, with newly appointed head coach Jarrad Martin at the helm.
“We have selected these 27 athletes based on past merits and are looking forward to seeing them in action this summer," said Martin. "Our plan would be to extend our squad to about 40-50 players once we have seen them play in their respective regional tournaments. Players who aren’t in the squad are not excluded from future selection as we want to give every athlete of age the opportunity to achieve their dream. The Junior Black Sox selectors will be present at Softball NZ Regional 18 tournaments, scouting talent next January.
New Zealand, currently ranked third in the WBSC Men's Softball World Rankings, finished in fifth place in the inaugural WBSC U-18 Men's Softball World Cup on home soil earlier this year.
“We are excited to be able to work with the next group of young men over the next 24 months,” the skipper said.
New Zealand Junior Black Sox Training Squad 2020:
Cassidy Brown (North Harbour), Shiloh Rice, Logan Carr, Kristian Masters, Nathan Singleton, Campbell Puaha, Te Rua Withers (Auckland), Haimona Maruera (Manawatu), Bonham Edwards (Hawkes Bay), Josh Kennedy, Jacob Laban, (Hutt Valley) Ciaran Bolger, Kyan Mill-Cameron, Trevon Hall-Taputu, Joseph Simpson-Smith, Luca Mollison (Wellington), Matt Lowe (Nelson), Dane Gill (Marlborough), Josh Forrester (Otago), Jacob Neale, Hunter Simpson, Max Sargent, Fletcher Due, Connor Stanley (Canterbury), Regan Cross (Southland), Brandon Bristowe, Ashton Tauariki (Queensland).
