Cooper Johnson, along with his USA Baseball 18U teammates, will be honored on the field Saturday, October 31st, prior to Game 4 of the World Series at Citi Field New York City. USA Baseball won the gold at the WBSC U-18 World Cup in Osaka, Japan last month.
Press release from USA Baseball:
GOLD-MEDAL WINNING 18U NATIONAL TEAM TO BE RECOGNIZED
ON-FIELD PRIOR TO GAME FOUR OF THE WORLD SERIES
Team Won Gold at the 2015 WBSC U-18 World Cup in Osaka, Japan
DURHAM, N.C. – USA Baseball and Major League Baseball announced Friday that the gold-medal winning USA Baseball 18U National Team will be recognized on-field prior to Game Four of the World Series on Saturday, October 31 at Citi Field. Prior to the on-field recognition the players and coaches will participate in a PLAY BALL event, hosted by Major League Baseball and the Mets in Hinton Park (New York, N.Y.) as part of the combined youth baseball initiatives between USA Baseball and Major League Baseball.
Team USA finished the WBSC U-18 World Cup with an 8-1 record, avenging its only previous loss in the tournament with a victory over Japan in the gold medal game. The United States has won three consecutive 18U world championships, including the 2012 and 2013 IBAF ‘AAA’ World Cups in Seoul, South Korea, and Taichung, Taiwan, respectively. The U.S. 18U squad also won last year’s COPABE Pan American Championships in La Paz, Mexico.
Nick Pratto (Huntington Beach, Calif.) started on the mound in the gold medal game and retired the first 11 batters he faced en route to giving Team USA 6.1 strong innings. Featuring a plus changeup, he allowed just one run while scattering six hits and striking out nine to earn the gold-medal game victory. Named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, Pratto started two games for the U.S. In 14.1 innings of work he yielding just two earned runs while striking out 17. He finished with a 2-0 record and a miniscule 1.26 ERA.
The 20-man 18U National Team was selected from an original group of 108 players which took part in the USA Baseball Tournament of Stars presented by Major League Baseball in Cary, N.C., June 23 through June 28. The Tournament of Stars has been the primary identification event for the 18U National Team for more than a decade.
The final 20-man USA Baseball 18U National Team roster is as follows:
FINAL 20-MAN PLAYER ROSTER
Michael Amditis, C, Boca Raton, Fla.
Ian Anderson, RHP, Rexford, N.Y.
Daniel Bakst, IF, New York, N.Y.
William Benson, IF/OF, Atlanta, Ga.
Austin Bergner, RHP, Windermere, Fla.
Jordan Butler, LHP, Odessa, Fla.
Hagen Danner, RHP/C, Huntington Beach, Calif.
Braxton Garrett, LHP, Florence, Ala.
Kevin Gowdy, RHP, Santa Barbara, Calif.
Hunter Greene, OF/LHP, Stevenson Ranch, Calif.
Cooper Johnson, C, Mundelein, Ill.
Reggie Lawson, RHP, Adelanto, Calif.
Morgan McCullough, IF, Seattle, Wash.
Mickey Moniak, OF, Encinitas, Calif.
Nick Pratto, IF/LHP, Huntington Beach, Calif.
Nicholas Quintana, IF, Las Vegas, Nevada
Ryan Rolison, LHP, Jackson, Tenn.
Blake Rutherford, OF, Simi Valley, Calif.
Cole Stobbe, IF, Omaha, Neb.
Forrest Whitley, RHP, San Antonio, Texas
This year’s World Series features a total of 16 USA Baseball alums – eight each from the Kansas City Royals and the New York Mets. Five of the alums played on a USA Baseball 18U National Team.
KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Christian Colon*
Danny Duffy
Alex Gordon
Luke Hochevar
Eric Hosmer*
Ryan Madson
Mike Moustakas*
Ben Zobrist
NEW YORK METS
Michael Conforto
Michael Cuddyer
Travis d’Arnaud
Sean Gilmartin
Curtis Granderson
Matt Harvey*
Jonathon Niese*
David Wright
*USA Baseball 18U National Team alum
