06-28-2009

Matt Boyd Selected to USA Baseball 18U National Team Trials

USA Stars Head Coach Sammy Serano w/Matt Boyd

Courtesy: Mudville Sports Information

Cary, NC - Long-time Mudville Pinnacle veteran, Eastside Catholic High School graduate and Oregon State University-bound baseball player has moved one step closer to USA Baseball 18U National Team selection. Members of the 20-player contingent will represent the USA at the 2009 COPABE Pan Am "AAA" (18U) Championships in Barquisimeto, Venezuela in early October.

Boyd was selected in May by USA Baseball to attend the weeklong competition known as the Tournament of Stars (TOS). The TOS is made up of 144 of the nation's best ballplayers that are international age-eligible (born in 1991 or 1992). They are invited by 8 youth baseball groups (AABC, American Legion, Babe Ruth, Dixie, PONY, NABF, RBI, and USA Baseball) and compete on 8 teams under the same names. The seven youth groups select their players first, then USA Baseball selects an "at-large" team from the players not selected by the seven youth groups.

Boyd Delivers to a Legion Hitter During Gold Semi-Final

Courtesy: Mudville Sports Information

The Stars finished the event in fourth place with a 3-0 Pod ‘A’ play beating Babe Ruth, Dixie and PONY in round robin play. The Stars lost the semi-final game Saturday 6/27/09, to American Legion and then lost the Bronze Medal game to AABC on Sunday. Babe Ruth won the 2009 TOS with a 8-7 come from behind victory, scoring four runs in the top of the ninth. Ten of the USA Baseball Stars were selected to the final 34 players and 10 player alternate list. Matt was the only northwest region player selected to move to the US 18U Trials which will be held in mid-September in Cary, NC at the National Training Complex.

USAB announces 18U Trials invitees
34 players will reconvene in Durham on September 12

CARY, N.C. - USA Baseball (USAB) has announced a group of 34 players who will be considered for inclusion on its 2009 18U National Team for international competition. The 34 players, along with 10 alternates, were selected from those who participated this week in the 17th Annual Tournament of Stars, presented by Major League Baseball, at USAB's National Training Complex in Cary.

"I think we have an excellent blend of very talented ballplayers each of whom have outstanding character," said Gary LaFevers, Head Coach of the 2009 18U National Team. LaFevers was the associate head baseball coach this past year and a former head coach at Buckeye Union High School in Buckeye, Ariz. He will be the pitching coach at Phoenix (Ariz.) College next spring.

"The players selected have a high knowledge of baseball and a good aptitude about how the game is played," LaFevers added. "This will make the coaches' jobs easier once we get to the Trials as far as getting everyone on the same page with what we want to do. Going into the Trials, we have more overall team speed than what I expected to find. We have selected 34 outstanding players who will compete and push each other to the next level. "

Following the announcement of the 34 invitees and alternates, the athletes will return to their respective homes. The group will reassemble in Cary on Sept. 12. Player evaluation then will continue via practices, intrasquad scrimmages and exhibition games. Following evaluation during the Trials, a final 20-player 18U National Team roster will be selected Sept. 17. After a Training period, the team will depart Sept. 24 for Barquisimeto, Venezuela, where Team USA will compete Sept. 25-Oct. 4 in the COPABE "AAA" Pan American Junior Championships. The 18U National Team competes in two major events in bi-yearly cycles - the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) World Junior Championships and the COPABE Pan American Junior Championships. The Pan Am Championships serve as a qualifier for the ensuing year's World Championships.

The USA Baseball 18U National Team is a perennial power on the international baseball scene. Only once in the 24-year history of the IBAF World Junior Championships has the United States failed to capture a medal. During this time, the program has earned five gold medals, 11 silver medals and seven bronze medals.

LaFevers will be a member of his fifth USA Baseball coaching staff. He served as an assistant coach for the 16U National Team in 2004 and 2005. As head coach of the 2006 and 2008 16U squads, he guided Team USA to back-to-back gold medals at the IBAF "AA" World Junior Championships in Barquisimeto (2006) and in Veracruz, Mexico (2008).

Joining LaFevers on the 2009 18U National Team coaching staff will be assistants Bill Krejci, Willie Romay, Matt White and auxiliary coach Robert Craven. Like LaFevers, Krejci will be making his fifth appearance on a USA Baseball coaching staff. He was head coach of the 16U National Team in 1999 and directed the 18U squad to a silver medal at the 2000 World Junior Championships in Edmonton, Canada. Romay, making his Team USA coaching debut, is a former professional player and now a scout for the Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau. White, who also will be in his first USA Baseball coaching assignment, played for Team USA on 18U National Teams in 1995 and 1996. Craven, former coach at LaQuinta (Calif.) High School, will be in his third stint as an auxiliary coach for USA Baseball.

USA BASEBALL
2009 18U NATIONAL TEAM TRIALS INVITEES

September 12-17 Cary, North Carolina

Name Pos. B-T Ht. Wt. DOB High School Hometown Class

Jesse Biddle LHP L-L 6-5 220 10/22/1991 Germantown Friends Philadelphia, PA 2010
Matt Boyd LHP L-L 6-3 225 2/2/1991 Eastside Catholic Mercer Island, WA 2009
Cody Buckel RHP R-R 6-1 170 6/18/1992 Royal Simi Valley, CA 2010
Nick Castellanos IF R-R 6-4 200 3/4/1992 Archbishop McCarthy Davie, FL 2010
Garin Cecchini IF L-R 6-3 200 4/21/1991 Barbe Lake Charles, LA 2010
Drew Cisco RHP L-R 6-2 190 7/29/1991 Wando Mt. Pleasant, SC 2010
Sean Coyle IF R-R 5-9 175 1/17/1992 Germantown Academy Chalfont, PA 2010
Nick Delmonico IF L-R 6-3 195 7/12/1992 Farragut Knoxville, TN 2011
Logan Ehlers LHP L-L 6-1 190 10/30/1991 Nebraska City Nebraska City, NE 2010
Gabriel Encinas RHP R-R 6-4 200 12/21/1991 St. Paul Whittier, CA 2010
Kevin Gausman RHP L-R 6-4 185 1/6/1991 Grandview Aurora Centennial, CO 2010
Cory Hahn OF L-L 5-10 155 12/11/1991 Mater Dei Corona, CA 2010
Bryce Harper C L-R 6-3 206 10/16/1992 Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV 2011
Keenan Kish RHP L-R 6-3 180 11/29/1991 Germantown Academy Worcester, PA 2010
Matthew Lipka RHP R-R 6-1 190 4/15/1992 McKinney Frisco, TX 2010
Marcus Littlewood IF B-R 6-3 190 3/18/1992 Pineview Saint George, UT 2010
Christian Lopes IF R-R 6-0 185 10/1/1992 Valencia Canyon Country, CA 2011
Manny Machado IF R-R 6-3 190 7/6/1992 Brito Miami Private Hialeah, FL 2010
Connor Mason RHP R-R 6-2 190 5/26/1992 Homeschool Suwanee, GA 2010
Ladson Montgomery C L-R 5-9 170 3/2/1992 Creekside Jacksonville, FL 2010
Taylor Morton RHP R-R 6-3 200 12/18/1991 Bartlett Bartlett, TN 2010
Justin O’Connor IF R-R 6-1 190 3/31/1991 Cowan Muncie, IN 2010
Phillip Pfeifer III LHP L-L 6-0 190 7/15/1992 Farragut Knoxville, TN 2011
Brian Ragira OF R-R 6-2 185 1/22/1992 Martin Arlington, TX 2010
Robbie Ray LHP L-L 6-3 175 10/1/1991 Brentwood Brentwood, TN 2010
Drake Roberts OF R-R 5-8 155 1/6/1992 Brenham Old Washington, TX 2011
Jake Rodriguez IF R-R 5-10 185 1/24/1992 Elk Grove Elk Grove, CA 2010
Kyle Ryan LHP L-L 6-3 170 9/25/1991 Auburndale Auburndale, FL 2010
Stefan Sabol C R-R 6-2 203 2/2/1992 Aliso Niguel Aliso Viejo, CA 2010
Eric Snyder OF L-R 5-11 165 7/6/1992 Edison Huntington Beach, CA 2011
Jameson Taillon RHP R-R 6-6 225 11/18/1991 The Woodlands The Woodlands, TX 2010
AJ Vanegas RHP R-R 6-3 200 8/16/1992 Redwood Christian Alameda, CA 2010
Karsten Whitson RHP R-R 6-3 185 8/25/1991 Chipley Bartow, FL 2010
Tony Wolters IF L-R 5-10 165 6/9/1992 Rancho Buena Vista Vista, CA 2010

ALTERNATES

Name Pos. B-T Ht. Wt. DOB High School Hometown Class

Daniel Camarena LHP L-L 6-0 195 11/9/1992 Cathedral Catholic Bonita, CA 2011
D.K. Carey OF R-R 6-2 170 11/14/1991 Wheeler Atlanta, GA 2010
Daniel Child RHP R-R 6-5 233 7/24/1992 Jesuit Carmichael, CA 2010
Matt Duffy IF R-R 6-2 170 1/15/1991 Lakewood Long Beach, CA 2009
Travis Harrison OF R-R 6-2 215 10/17/1992 Tustin Aliso Viejo, CA 2011
Max Homick LHP L-L 6-3 190 6/10/1992 Rancho Bernardo San Diego, CA 2011
Jeff Jackson C R-R 6-3 200 12/9/1991 Wauconda Wauconda, IL 2010
Kavin Keyes IF B-R 5-10 175 4/25/1992 Alta Sandy, UT 2011
Chad Lewis IF R-R 6-3 195 12/10/1991 Marina Huntington Beach, CA 2010
Griffin Murphy LHP R-L 6-3 195 1/16/1991 Redlands East Valley San Bernadino, CA 2010

Head Coach: Gary LaFevers (Buckeye, Ariz.)
Assistant Coaches: Bill Krejci (Creston, Iowa), Willie Romay (Miami, Fla.), Matt White (Milton, Ga.)
Auxiliary Coach: Robert Craven (LaQuinta, Calif.)
18U National Team Director: Rick Riccobono (Raleigh, N.C.)
18U National Team Trainer: Nick Medina (Bowling Green, Ky.)
18U National Team Press Officer: Duane DaPron (Broken Arrow, Okla.)