14/07/2023 2 Minute Read

USA Baseball reveals IX Women's Baseball World Cup final roster

The roster includes five rookies and 15 players who helped the US win the 2022 friendship series with Canada. Veteran Anna Kimbrell will represent her country internationally for the 11th time.

USA Baseball announced the final 20-player roster of the National Team competing in the IX WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup.

"We are beyond thrilled with the players chosen for this year's roster," said Women's National Team Program Director Ann Claire Roberson. "Each of the athletes selected impressed mightily during the identification process, and we are confident that every one of them will represent the US well both on and off the field."

Fifteen of the 20 players selected by manager Veronica Alvarez contributed to winning the 2022 friendship series against Canada.

Sarah Edwards, Beth Greenwood, Valerie Perez, Naomi Ryan, and London Studer – will be making their first appearance on a Women's National Team this year. Greenwood, Perez, and Ryan all participated in either a Women's National Team Development Program or a Women's National Team Training Camp in previous years. At the same time, Edwards and Studer earned their roster spots in their first experience with the Women's National Team program.

Anna Kimbrell is the team's veteran and will make the team for the 11th time. Kelsie Whitmore and Jade Gortarez will play for their eighth time each, and Meggie Meidlinger will play for her seventh.

Beyond them, Alex Hugo, Kylee Lahners, and Ashton Lansdell will don the stars and stripes for the fourth different time, while Denae Benites will be suiting up for her third. Seven players – Jillian Albayati, Jamie Baum, Elise Berger, Niki Eckert, Alana Martinez, Olivia Pichardo, and Remi Schaber – earned a spot on the roster for their second time each.

The rest of the coaching staff includes pitching coach Reynol Mendoza and assistant coaches Alex Oglesby and Malaika Underwood.

The US Women's National Team will train at Beyer Stadium – the former home of the Rockford Peaches – in Rockford, Illinois, on August 3, at Simmons Field – former home of the Kenosha Comets – in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on August 4, and at Siebert Field in St. Paul, Minnesota, on August 6.

World No. 4 USA will compete in Group A of the first stage of the IX WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup from 8 to 13 August in Thunder Bay, Canada. They will face No. 3 Canada, No. 8 Australia, No. 10 Korea, No. 11 Hong Kong and No. 12 Mexico.