Baseball Australia are excited to announce the rosters and schedule for the 2017 U16 and U18 National Youth Championships to take place at Blacktown International Sportspark between 6-15 January.
South Australia will defend their U16 title after taking out the 2016 tournament for the first time since 1988, while in the U18 division, NSW Country will try to go back-to-back after defeating Victoria Blue 4-1 in the 2016 U18 final.
Highlighting the talent on show at the U16/18 tournaments will be seven young men who have all taken the field in the current Australian Baseball League season.
One of those seven is Jarryd Dale, a 16-year-old Victorian prospect, and son of Australian baseball star Phil Dale. Jarryd has been a regular in the Melbourne Aces lineup this season, and this past weekend Jarryd replicated his efforts from the 2016 U16 Nationals, nailing a grand slam for the Melbourne Aces against the defending ABL-Champion Brisbane Bandits.
Dale will suit up for Victoria Blue in the U18 National Championship alongside Matt Beattie, who has also seen time in an Aces uniform this season. The youngest ever pitcher in the new-ABL, Brodie Cooper-Vassalakis will represent the ACT, as will Mitch Edwards, who has also seen time in Cavalry colours.
Two young South Australians that have played a bit of baseball together are Ky Hampton and Jack O’Loughlin. Hampton and O’Loughlin were on the South Australian side that won the U16 National Championship in 2016, both represent SA in the U18 tournament this year and the pair also suited up as team-mates for the Adelaide Bite in the current ABL season.
A young catcher that will play for Western Australia is Alex Hall, the 17 year old has featured in 7 games so far for the Perth Heat, and drove in his first run in the ABL over the weekend in Sydney.
After making international headlines in 2016, a total of 11 of the Southern Mariners team that made the Senior League World Series Championship game will represent Victoria White/Blue at the U18 National Championship. Keep an eye out for Jordy Barnett who has committed to play baseball at the University of Maine.
To view rosters, schedules and to keep up to date with the 2017 U16 National Youth Championship, click here.
To view rosters, schedules and to keep up to date with the 2017 U18 National Youth Championship, click here.