USA fills roster with rising stars for WBSC Premier12

USA Baseball announced a roster loaded with highly touted prospects to represent the country in the Premier12 2019, the most important international baseball event of the year. USA aims to win the tournament after a silver medal performance in 2015, and earn a spot in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

The 2009 MLB World Series-winning manager Joe Girardi will lead USA in the Premier12. The skipper will manage a roster with some of the best prospects in all of baseball, supported by a group of veteran pitchers with Major League Baseball (MLB) experience, like Bryan Flinn, Brooks Pounders, Clayton Richard and Caleb Thielbar.

Pounders is the only veteran of the Premier12 inaugural edition roster. In 2015 he pitched 7.1 innings in three games, including a relief appearance in the final against Korea. Six months after that game, the right-handed pitcher made his debut in the MLB with the Kansas City Royals.

Beyond excited to rejoin @USABaseball and #TeamUSA for the @Premier12 again this year. Unfinished business begins now.

— Brooks Pounders (@BrooksPounders) October 10, 2019

Some of the prospects included in the 28-man roster are expected to make an impact with their MLB teams as soon as the 2020 season. It’s the case of players like the top prospect in the Angels organization center fielder Jo Adell; Red Sox third baseman Bobby Dalbec; or Braves outfielder Drew Waters.

Also on the list are stellar prospects Andrew Vaughn (INF, Chicago White Sox), Alec Bohm (INF, Philadelphia Phillies), Xavier Edwards (INF, San Diego Padres), Spencer Howard (RHP, Philadelphia Phillies) and Daulton Varsho (C, Arizona Diamondbacks).

The team will train in Surprise, Arizona, from October 21-28 at the Kansas City Royals Spring Training facility before travelling to Mexico for the opening round of the Premier12™.

USA will play the Group A of the global competition in Guadalajara, Mexico, facing the Dominican Republic, the Netherlands and host team Mexico.

USA Baseball Premier12™ Roster

(Name; Position; Hometown; 2019 Organization)

Jo Adell; OF; Louisville, Ky.; Los Angeles Angels

Clayton Andrews; LHP; Petaluma, Calif.; Milwaukee Brewers

Alec Bohm; INF; Omaha, Neb.; Philadelphia Phillies

C.J. Chatham; INF; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Boston Red Sox

Jake Cronenworth; INF; St. Clair, Mich.; Tampa Bay Rays

Bobby Dalbec; INF; Seattle, Wash.; Boston Red Sox

Brandon Dickson; RHP; Montgomery, Ala.; Orix Buffaloes

Parker Dunshee; RHP; Zionsville, Ind.; Oakland Athletics

Xavier Edwards; INF; Mineola, N.Y.; San Diego Padres

J.P Feyereisen; RHP; River Falls, Wis.; Milwaukee Brewers

Brian Flynn; LHP; Tulsa, Okla.; Kansas City Royals

Taylor Gushue; C; Boca Raton, Fla.; Washington Nationals

Tanner Houck; RHP; Collinsville, Ill.; Boston Red Sox

Spencer Howard; RHP; San Luis Obispo, Calif.; Philadelphia Phillies

Tyler Johnson; RHP; Midlothian, Va.; Chicago White Sox

Erik Kratz; C; Telford, Pa.; New York Yankees

Wyatt Mills; RHP; Spokane, Wash.; Seattle Mariners

Mark Payton; OF; Orland Park, Ill.; Oakland Athletics

Brooks Pounders; RHP; Riverside, Calif.; New York Mets

Clayton Richard; LHP; Lafayette, Ind.; Toronto Blue Jays

Brent Rooker; OF; Germantown, Tenn.; Minnesota Twins

Connor Seabold; RHP; Laguna Hills, Calif.; Philadelphia Phillies

Noah Song; RHP; Pomona, Calif.; Boston Red Sox

Caleb Thielbar; LHP; Northfield, Minn.; Atlanta Braves

Daniel Tillo; LHP; Sioux City, Iowa; Kansas City Royals

Daulton Varsho; C/OF; Chili, Wisc.; Arizona Diamondbacks

Andrew Vaughn; IF; Santa Rosa, Calif.; Chicago White Sox

Drew Waters; OF; Woodstock, Ga.; Atlanta Braves