USA Baseball Finalizes 18U National Team Roster; Top Prospect Grady Emerson Headlines Lineup

Team begins World Cup play against Panama on Sept. 4 in Okinawa

Argyle's Grady Emerson, a top 2026 prospect, has been named to the 2025 USA Baseball 18U National Team. The squad will begin World Cup play against Panama on Sept. 4 in Okinawa, Japan. / Annie Rice/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

USA Baseball has officially set its 20-player roster for the 2025 18U National Team, which will defend its title at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup in Okinawa, Japan, Sept. 5–14.

The announcement comes on the heels of Training Camp Phase 2 (Aug. 24–27) at the USA Baseball National Training Complex, where 42 players battled for final spots after an initial field of 88 from July’s Phase 1. Both phases featured intrasquad games, Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) athletic testing and on-field evaluations.

“Since mid-July at our first camp phase, the talent has been off the charts,” manager Rick Eckstein said. “It’s never easy to cut the roster, but we believe these 20 players are ready to chase gold in Japan.”

Experienced Core, Deep Talent

Five players return with previous USA Baseball experience:

Grady Emerson, embarking on his fourth straight summer on a national team and making history as the first to compete on two 15U and two 18U rosters. The Argyle, Texas native now plays for Fort Worth Christian School.

Carson Bolemon and Andrew Costello are fellow 2022 15U National Team alumni.

Jorvorskie Lane Jr. returns after appearing on the 2023 15U team.

Jared Grindlinger started with USA Baseball at 12U (2021) and again at 15U (2024).

Ten of the rostered athletes participated in USA Baseball’s development programs, including ADP and NTDP across the 13U through 17U age groups.

Roster Snapshot

Here are select standouts with their high school programs:

Grady Emerson, SS – Argyle, Texas (Fort Worth Christian)

Brody Crane, RHP/OF – Neosho (Mo.)

Trey Rangel, RHP/SS – The Colony (Texas)

Other roster members include:

Southside Christian High junior Carson Bolemon (6) pitches to Oceanside Collegiate Academy during the top of the second inning of the 2025 SCHSL Class AAA Baseball State Championship game at Southside Christian Academy in Simpsonville, S.C. Wednesday, May 28, 2025. / Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Carson Bolemon – Southside Christian (Greenville, S.C.)

Coleman Borthwick – South Walton (Freeport, Fla.)

Will Brick – Christian Brothers (Memphis, Tenn.)

James Clark – St. John Bosco (Santa Ana, Calif.)

Andrew Costello – Cathedral Prep (Erie, Pa.)

Jared Grindlinger – Huntington Beach (Calif.)

Jaden Jackson – St. John Bosco (Redondo Beach, Calif.)

Cole Koeninger – Keller (Texas)

Jorvorskie Lane Jr. – Grapevine (Texas)

Jacob Lombard – Gulliver Schools (Miami, Fla.)

Anthony Murphy – Corona (Calif.)

Stoneman Douglas left-hander Gio Rojas struck out 16 in the Class 7A state semifinals, and the 2026 Class Miami commit topped our High School on SI Top 50 players in South Florida in Classes 5-7A. / Joe Frisaro

Giovanni Rojas – Stoneman Douglas (Coral Springs, Fla.)

Aiden Ruiz – The Stony Brook School (Queens, N.Y.)

C.J. Sampson – Tomball (Texas)

Brody Schumaker – Santa Margarita Catholic (Ladera Ranch, Calif.)

Matthew Sharman – Etowah (Woodstock, Ga.)

Kaden Waechter – Tampa Jesuit (St. Petersburg, Fla.)

Coaching and Camp Leadership

The team will be managed by seven-time Team USA coach Rick Eckstein, joined by his brother and 2006 World Series MVP David Eckstein, two-time MLB All-Star Brad Penny, and veteran high school coach Steve Stone. The coaching cadre also included former MLB standouts Rick Ankiel, Josh Beckett, Troy Glaus, Stephen Strasburg and others during camp.

Sep 17, 2019; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates hitting coach Rick Eckstein (left) talks with left fielder Kevin Kramer (right) at the batting cage before the game against the Seattle Mariners at PNC Park. Eckstein joins his brother, 2006 World Series MVP David Eckstein, in coaching the USA Baseball 18U squad. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

St. Louis Cardinals David Eckstein (22) turns a double-play over Arizona Diamondbacks Alex Cintron (12) in the first inning of a game at Busch Stadium. The 2006 World Series MVP is among the coaches who will be guiding USA Baseball's 18U National Team in 2025. / Scott Rovak-Imagn Images

Team USA’s Title Chase

USA Baseball is the only nation to compete in all 31 editions of the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup, holding 16 gold medals - second only to Cuba’s 17 - with five titles in the last seven tournaments. The squad last won gold at the 2024 U-18 Americas Qualifier in Panama.

Next Up: Japan

Team USA opens the World Cup Sept. 4 against Panama, with first pitch at 9:30 p.m. ET (10:30 a.m. local time in Okinawa).

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