Top prospects named to Team USA Premier12 roster

Four Top 100 prospects and three other players ranked in their respective organizations’ top 10 were named to Team USA’s roster for the third World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier12™ tournament presented by RAXUS, USA Baseball announced on Monday. The international tournament featuring the world’s 12 top-ranked teams will take place in Japan, Mexico and Taiwan from Nov. 9-24.

Headlining the 28-player U.S. roster is No. 4 overall prospect SS Carson Williams (Rays No. 1), No. 22 prospect INF Matt Shaw (Cubs No. 1), No. 53 prospect OF Justin Crawford (Phillies No. 3) and No. 75 overall INF Termarr Johnson (Pirates No. 3). Also participating are Braves No. 5 prospect C Drake Baldwin, A’s No. 7 OF Colby Thomas and Rays No. 4 OF Chandler Simpson.

Simpson is the reigning Minor League batting champion and only player in the Minors since 2012 to steal 100 bases in a single season. Thomas finished second in the Minors in total bases in 2024 with 289.

“We are confident that the roster we have assembled for the Premier12 tournament puts us in a great position to bring home a gold medal,” Team USA general manager Tony Reagins said in a statement. “These twenty-eight players will represent the United States well, and we look forward to watching them compete for our country.”

The team also includes nine players with Major League playing experience, including left-handers Rich Hill and Anthony Gose, right-handers Dan Altavilla, Dylan Covey, Zac Grotz, Casey Lawrence and Touki Toussaint and catcher Chris Okey. The 44-year-old Hill last appeared in the Majors this past September for the Red Sox.

The Americans will be managed by former Angels skipper Mike Scioscia and coached by an experienced staff of Ron Roenicke (bench coach), Dave Wallace (pitching), Rick Eckstein (hitting), Dino Ebel (third base), Jemile Weeks (first base) and LaTroy Hawkins (bullpen).

“We are all very excited about the Premier12 tournament,” Scioscia said in a statement. “Our Team USA roster is a great blend of talented young players and a strong veteran presence. We are looking forward to getting on the field to compete against the best baseball countries in the world.”

Team USA is one of six teams in Group A that will compete in the group stage of the tournament from Nov. 9-14 in Guadalajara and Tepic, Mexico. The top two teams from the group will advance to the Super Round in Tokyo, Japan, from Nov. 21-24.

Tampa Bay has four players on the U.S. roster, the most of any organization. The White Sox, Dodgers and Royals also have three players each on the team, which also features four USA Baseball alumni.

The United States is seeking its first gold medal in the Premier12™. It placed second in the first rendition of the tournament in 2015 and fourth at the 2019 tourney.