US-bound baseballers suddenly have spring in their step

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Updated: March 2, 2016

AS FURTHER recognition of the emerging baseball talent in this country, Baseball Australia has announced 26 promising young ball players are one step closer to chasing their big league dream, having been invited by MLB to attend Spring Training in the US this March.

With over 20 Australian’s currently affiliated with MLB organistations this is a great opportunity for our best talent between 15-18 years old to perform under the gaze of scouts from the Majors.

The squad was selected following wide consultation across the baseball fraternity, with over a dozen locally based scouts voting on the final list, with players also needing to meet specific criteria set out for participants by MLB as part of this initiative.

The training camp and exhibition matches are funded by MLB, and will provide our young elite baseballers a great opportunity for exposure.

Baseball Australia’s Head of High Performance Glenn Williams said he was delighted to announce the initiative, which further strengthens the relationship between MLB and Australian Baseball.

“The training camps are hopefully the first of many such trips, which will allow Australian’s next generation of ball players to not only experience what Spring Training is all about, but also showcase their talent on the biggest stage,” Williams said.

“To have an opportunity to pit their skills against some of the best in the world, in this unique format, will be a great accelerator in our National High Performance program.”

Many of the Australian squad who will attend the 12-day spring training program in St Petersburg, Florida, have already committed to baseball programs next autumn (Northern Hemisphere) at various Junior Colleges in the US.

The tour will also provide an opportunity for former Major Leaguers and current senior members of the National Team, the Southern Thunder, to assist in the development of Australia’s next generation of baseball talent.

Luke Hughes (manager) and Trent Oeltjen (assist coach), fresh from their victory over South Africa in the recent World Baseball Classic Qualifier, will be joined by Jason Pospishil (assist coach), Australian Baseball Hall of Famers Graeme Lloyd (pitching coach) and Glenn Williams (executive officer) and Todd Hutcheson (trainer) as the coaching staff for the tour.

The Australian squad, which will depart March 15, will come up against some of the best talent in the US, and also play in exhibition games against the European Academy and Canada.

SQUAD NAMES

Last name	First name	State	Pos	Age @3/15/16)
Amos	Jacob	NSW	C / OF	16
Barrett	Max	VIC	RHP	18
Bedggood	Joshua	QLD	LHP	17
Bojarski	Ulrich	WA	C / 1B	17
Callil	George	VIC	SS	18
Cooper-Vassalakis	Brodie	ACT	RHP	15
Dale	Jarryd	VIC	SS	15
Deeble	Jye	QLD	LHP	18
Dunn	Oliver	VIC	RHP / INF	17
Frew	Dean	NSW	2B / SS	18
Fullerton	Harrison	NSW	RHP / INF	17
Hendrickson	Joshua	WA	LHP	18
Holding	Mitchell	VIC	C	18
Jones	Samuel	QLD	RHP	18
Mcardle	Jordan	SA	C	15
McCallum	James	NSW	1B / OF	18
Neunborn	Mitchell	WA	RHP / INF	18
O’Loughlin	Jack	SA	LHP	16
Percival	James	NSW	OF	18
Pickard	Mason	SA	OF	18
Power	Jordan	WA	RHP	17
Rawlinson	Joshua	WA	RHP / INF	17
Robins	Joshua	NSW	RHP	17
Seignior	Brody	QLD	LHP	18
Tsui	Benjamin	NSW	OF	17
Vankan	Nathanael	QLD	OF	17