FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 14, 2012

USA BASEBALL ANNOUNCES 2012 NTIS SELECTIONS

36 players named to 2013 National Team Trials events and programming

DURHAM, N.C. -- USA Baseball announced its 36 2012 National Team Identification Series (NTIS) selections Friday via a live selection show on USABaseball.com. The 16U/17U NTIS was held Aug. 23-26, at the USA Baseball National Training Complex (NTC) and the Durham Athletic Park, while the 14U/Women's (16U) event was held Sept. 6-9, at the NTC and Thomas Brooks Park.

The NTIS concluded with a total of 75 games played, featuring 894 players from the four different groups of players (14U, 16U, 17U, Women's [16U]), and 16 teams per age group representing regions from across the country. Using the NTIS as the identification vehicle, USA Baseball named eight (8) players to the 2013 18U National Team Trials, eight (8) players to the 2013 17U National Team Development Program (NTDP), 16 players to 2013 15U National Team Trials and four (4) players to the 2013 Women's National Team Trials.

"The growth of the NTIS has been very beneficial to USA Baseball," said Rick Riccobono, USA Baseball Director of Development. "It allows us to increase the pool of players from which we choose our trials teams, as well as see players from different regions that we previously might not have been aware of. It really gives us a jump on the identification process of the next generation of potential Team USA athletes."

For the fourth year in a row the announcement was made via an online selection show, which streamed live on USABaseball.com. Scores, recaps and rosters from the 2012 NTIS can also be found at the online home of USA Baseball.

The 2012 NTIS selections for the 2013 USA Baseball 18U/15U/Women's National Team Trials events and the 17U NTDP are as follows:



2012 14U NTIS/2013 15U National Team Trials

Name, Position, Hometown

Nick Allen, IF, El Cajon, Calif.
Tucker Bradley, LHP/OF, Chickamauga, Ga.
Gian-Luca Dalatri , RHP/IF, Well, N.J.
Eli Davis, LHP, Edmond, Okla.
Jonathan Gettys, LHP, Gainesville, Fla.
Shannon Glover, C, Columbia, S.C.
Isaak Gutierrez, IF/RHP, Cypress, Calif.
Kevin Milam, RHP/IF, Brentwood, Calif.
Brandon Moore, RHP/IF, Whittier, Calif.
Ben Ramirez, IF/RHP, Chula Vista, Calif.
D.J. Roberts, RHP/IF, Jacksonville, Fla.
Chris Rodriguez, IF/OF, Manalapan, N.J.
Ethan Routzahn, RHP, Crystal Lake, Ill.
Blake Sabol, OF/C, Aliso Viejo, Calif.
Russell Smith, LHP, Midlothian, Texas
Chase Strumpf, IF, Ladera Ranch, Calif.



2012 16U NTIS/2013 17U National Team Development Program

Spencer Adams, RHP, Cleveland, Ga.
Soloman Bates, RHP, Victorville, Calif.
Cole Daily, IF, Chicago, Ill.
Cre Finfrock, RHP, Jensen Beach, Fla.
Michael Hickman, C, Fountain Valley, Calif.
Julian Infante, IF, Coral Gables, Fla.
Kyle Molnar, RHP, Aliso Viejo, Calif.
Cole Tucker, IF, Phoenix, Ariz.



2012 17U NTIS/2013 18U National Team Trials

Quinn Brodey, LHP/OF, Los Angeles, Calif.
Zachary Carter, RHP/OF, Arlington, Texas
Ryan Castellani, RHP, Phoenix, Ariz.
Mac Marshall, LHP, Parkview, Ga.
Luis Ortiz, RHP, Fresno, Calif.
Mason Smith, OF/RHP, Meridian, Idaho
Chris Viall, RHP, Santa Cruz, Calif.
Logan Warmoth, IF/OF, Longwood, Fla.



2012 Women's (16U) NTIS/2013 Women's National Team Trials

Chelsea Baker, RHP/IF, Plant City, Fla.
Isabella Berthel, C/RHP, Zwingle, Iowa
Lauren Frost, IF/RHP, Eagle River, Ark.
Sarah Hudek, LHP/OF, Sugar Land, Texas



About USA Baseball

USA Baseball is the national governing body for the sport of baseball in the United States and is a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the International Baseball Federation (IBAF). The organization selects and trains the World Baseball Classic, World Cup and Pan American teams (and all other USA Baseball professional teams); and the Collegiate, 18U, 15U, and Women’s National Teams, all of which participate in various domestic and international competitions each year. USA Baseball also presents the Golden Spikes Award annually to the top amateur baseball player in the country. For more information, please visit USABaseball.com and GoldenSpikesAward.com.

The USA Baseball NTIS Tournament in Cary, NC saw the Great Lakes Regional Team win their final of three games this past Saturday with a 6-4 final score over the South Texas Regional team. The Great Lakes Regional squad dropped their first two games to the USA Baseball 14u NTIS Stars and the Mid-Atlantic Regional team; both opponents were very impressive with the bats and had quality pitching throughout. EBA Director, Darin Everson coached the Great Lakes Regional team over the weekend and was impressed with the size of the young men and the abilities they brought to the field. Our Great Lakes Regional team had two young men with power arms with one pitcher topping at 81 MPH and another topping at 86 MPH. USA Baseball ran a great tournament, dodging some of the heavy rains to successfully get the games in on Saturday. All of the players were able to showcase their skills in front of the USA National Staff through an infield/outfield session, batting practice in the cages along with the three 9-inning games. Congratulations to all the players and staff members. Everson was very proud to be a part of the USA Baseball NTIS Tournament.

Elite Baseball Academy Owner/Director has been named a coach for the Great Lakes Region 14u baseball team. Everson is currently in Cary, NC working with some of the best 14u baseball players in the United States in the NTIS National Tournament. After working with USA Baseball as the NTIS Wisconsin Director, Everson was honored to be placed on the coaching staff for the Great Lake Region. Check back to our website for updates from the USA Baseball Complex in the first week of September. Good luck to Coach Everson and the entire Great Lakes Region players!

USA Baseball is proud to present the Great Lakes region of the National Team Identification Series (NTIS). Players from across your region will participate in selection events and tryouts with the aim of being named to the Great Lakes 14U, 16U and 17U teams. The three teams will then compete in their respective age groups against 14 other regions from across the country in the NTIS, August 24-26 and September 7-9, 2012, at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. From the NTIS, USA Baseball will invite a minimum of 32 players to future National Team Trials and National Team Development Program opportunities with the ultimate goal of being selected to represent our country as part of Team USA. For more information on the Great Lakes Region team selection process, please see the "view details" link found on the NTIS URL below.

CLICK HERE (or copy & paste link below) FOR MORE NTIS INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER: http://collegebaseballcamps.com/calendar.cfm?ID=416&CFID=52071&CFTOKEN=92556648

E.B.A. Director, Darin Everson is a Wisconsin Director for the Great Lakes NTIS and will be conducting the evaluation workouts in the upcoming weeks in two locations in Wisconsin. Both events will be one-day events and you MUST REGISTER ONLINE in advance through the USA Baseball Great Lakes Region Online Registration. Below are the dates and locations:


Oregon High School Baseball Field - Oregon, WI (Madison, WI area)
Wednesday, July 18, 2012 - Starts: 9:00am / Ends: 2:00pm

"The Pit" Viking Field (Holmen High School Field) - Holmen, WI (La Crosse, WI area)
Wednesday, July 25, 2012 - Starts: 9:00am / Ends: 2:00pm


This will be a complete skill evaluation with running, fielding and fundamentals of baseball. Morning will be testing on quickness, strength, agility, bat speed and game situations. Afternoon simulated game. Pitchers will be limited to number of pitches.

We look forward to seeing you at one of the upcoming workouts – DON’T DELAY, REGISTER TODAY!