08 January 2024
Australian Youth Championships
PREVIEW & INFO: Australia's future stars gather for the U16 and U18 National Championships
Scouts from professional baseball teams and recruiters from major colleges will direct their attention to Australia next week.
The Australian Youth Championship – an annual competition between the best U16 and U18 age players from across Australia – starts Wednesday 10 January.
FULL DETAILS, SCHEDULE, TEAM LISTS AND BROADCAST INFORMATION: Australian Youth Championships
– Event Hub: Under 16s
– Event Hub: Under 18s
– Download Baseball+ and Cast To Your TV: Instructions
Note: For full functionality of GameChanger, you will need at least a “plus” account. You can register for a free trial with a new email address which last seven days – the length of the tournament.
The week-long competition pits states against each other. There’s more than just state pride on the line. This is a chance for players to make a name for themselves.
Fans and scouts from around the world will be able to watch it live & free on Baseball+.
“It’s the one event of the year that all the scouts in the pacific rim come to,” says Baseball Australia’s player development manager Andrew Riddell. “You get to peer match athletes as the best face-off against the best, which helps pick a national squad, and advance their own careers. They can get signed out of this tournament because they see the best play the best.”
From last year’s Australian Youth Championships, Declan Speirs, Jayden Kim, Adam Bates and Drew Davies have all signed professional baseball contracts with MLB clubs.
“All these players were selected to a national squad out of the national championships, the AYCs helped them get there, and they all got signed,” says Riddell. “It sets up players for events after the tournament that can help them get signed, if they aren’t signed after this week.”
Current Australian MLB players Curtis Mead and Liam Hendriks represented their state when they were climbing the ranks. Travis Bazzana, who could become the first Australian to be selected in the first round of an MLB Draft, also represented New South Wales for four years.
Last year, South Australia’s Drew Davies caught the eye of Donald Lutz, a scout with the Cincinnati Reds.
“I really liked his swing when I saw him [at the AYC],” said Lutz, in an interview with Baseball.com.au. “It looked really good. I liked his aggression. He has the tools to be a great baseball player.”
Davies lit the championships ablaze. In nine games, he went 17-for-27 with 2HR, 16RBI and helped South Australia to a 6-3 record.
He later signed with the Cincinnati Reds, officially becoming a professional baseball player. There’s no doubt scouts like Lutz will have their eyes peeled on this event.
The college route is a direction players could go.
Players like Ali Tanner, Luke Hayhow and Oscar Hyde all played recent U18 Championships and have committed to Division 1 schools.
Others, like recent college commits Kyan Wallington, Lachlan Smith, and Lachlan Rosser, used their AYC experience to help them sign at junior colleges.
“You get to play baseball and get an education,” says Riddell. “What better experience is that?”
There are between five and ten players who could sign professional deals at this tournament, says Riddell. Another 30-40 could go to college.
“Some could sign as early as January 15 when the 2024 international signing window opens,” says Riddell.
While players chase individual dreams, coaches are stressing the importance of a team first approach.
“Tournament baseball is a different beast,” said New South Wales U18 Head Coach Gavin Fingleson in a pre-tournament interview.
Fingleson would know, he has a mountain of tournament experience playing for Australia from the Olympics to World Baseball Classics and everything in between.
“You have to be aggressive. You have one chance at this. You have to make sacrifices. You have to play as a group. It happens fast.”
Other coaches stress the importance of playing team first baseball.
One state coach says it is crucial for players to not become too focused on “who” is watching, but rather focus on playing hard as a team.
“If you go too much the individual route, you won’t have too much success – as an individual, teammate or in the eyes of scouts,” he says. “Play the team game first, and if you play well results will follow for you as an induvial and as a team.”
These tournaments provide valuable experience for young Aussies, who don’t have many tournaments to play in before international events. Afterall, Team Australia head coach Dave Nilsson has stated numerous times his desire for Australia to become the #1 tournament team in the world.
For that to happen, players need to play a good, team-first game, at tournament like these.
For Marshall Skinner, the head coach of the Victorian U18 state team, it’s all about simplifying.
“Throw Strikes. Catch the Baseball. Be aggressive with the bat. Do it well,” he says.
Easy, right?
The athletes in the Under 16 age group have a chance to experience the highs and lows of a pressure cooker – but fun- week of tournament baseball.
It marks a transition to senior ball.
“Many of these kids have played charter baseball, but for some of the Under 16 players, they are making a transition out of junior league distances and playing on a full field,” says Riddell. “They get a chance to play tournament baseball and work themselves on the radar of national selectors.”
“We want to see them play well, and play hard for their team. The team mentality is an important aspect of this from a national team point of view,” he adds.
Here is some information on each team, and players we have our eyes on:
UNDER 18 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Queensland
Head coach: Dave Badke
Last year’s defending champions played the ultimate team game in the 2023 event.
Through a great display of teamwork, an “all-out effort from everyone”, and all-hands-on-deck approach, Queensland outworked the field and won the championship. When skill compliments hard work, good things happen.
There are ten players returning to the Queensland team – as well as the emergence of promising young prospects.
Queensland has used three day-long bootcamps to help prepare for this event.
Position Player to Watch: Max Durrington (Sunshine Coast) – A speedy, athlete, who has been putting up big numbers in Division 1 this year.
Pitcher to watch: Caleb Duke (Pine Hills): Attended the recent U16 National Camp, a smart pitcher with a great U16 tournament last year under his belt. He keeps a cool head, and pounds the strike zone.
Western Australia
Head Coach: Leigh Moyle
There are eight returning players from last year’s runners up squad. The side also features Jai Hewitt who played on the Under 18 national team.
The “Wild West” have a lot of crafty pitchers and is a team built on hard work.
Western Australia has been one of the more successful states historically at this event, consistently churning out high-end players.
Pitcher to watch: Jai Hewitt (South Perth) – Second year player who has grown in all aspects of the game, played on the recent U18 national team, and pitched for the Perth Heat as late as this year. Can also hit.
Batter to watch: Maclin Berry (Gosnell Hawks) – A second year player in the U18s who was a standout last season. He is praised for his work-ethic, can pitch, runs hard, and plays well. He’s a guy you love to watch in tournament baseball. Berry will play in the outfield.
Victoria
Head Coach: Marshall Skinner
A young team, but a lot of graduates from the U16 team who won bronze last year. U18 World Cup players Jack Ratcliffe and Jayden Kim will be looked on as leaders of this squad.
Kim is the only current professional player in the tournament, after signing with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Player to watch: Jack Ratcliffe (Upwey): This middle-infielder played for Australia on the recent U18 national team. A top age kid who is stepping up as a leader and starting to make a real name for himself.
Pitcher to watch: Robinson Smith (Sandringham): A strong pitching prospect who stands at 6’4 at just 16-years-old. He pitches most weeks in Division 1 and has a fast ball that sits just above 90mph.
New South Wales
Head Coach: Gavin Fingleson
A squad loaded with five members of the recent Under 18 team, and a number of prospects already talking or committed to colleges.
New South Wales figures to be an aggressive squad with athletic talent across the diamond.
There are 13 players returning from last year’s squad. Lots of experience in tournament baseball.
Player to watch: Josh Nati (Baulkham Hills) – In his first U18 championships but represented Australia at the U18 World Cup. Nati can do everything well both with the bat and in the field. Provides some pop and is a character other kids are drawn to.
Pitcher to watch: Jacob Palmer (Canterbury) – Last year, he won the pitcher of the tournament. He is a funky who makes batters uncomfortable. Palmer was on Australia’s U18 squad.
South Australia
Head Coach: Chris Sims
After just missing the Top 4 in 2023, South Australia bring a team built around strong pitching.
The High Performance Department says South Australia needs to take a mindset of belief to the tournament, stating that even though SA has a smaller population than others, they have the talent to be in the mix.
South Australia has two members of the U18 World Cup squad – Ali Tanner and Nic Paparella.
Pitcher to watch – Ali Tanner (Kensington): The right-handed arm hits 93mph on the radar gun and has already committed to college at Arizona State. He’s pitched three scoreless innings in the ABL for the Adelaide Giants this year.
Player to watch – Zac Altamura (Sturt): The athletic infielder won the U16 tournament MVP. He was one of the last cuts at the U18 selections as a 16-year-old. He makes the jump to U18s for the first time.
NSW – Country
Head Coach: Ian Hook
A program which has produced some serious Team Australia talent, including Rixon Wingrove, Alex Wells and Lachlan Wells lately.
Lachlan Rosser starred on this team last year and earned a college scholarship.
This year, there’s a plucky group of players who are versatile around the diamond. Coaches will tell you there’s a lot of pride for being from regional NSW when this tournament is on, and a chance to show the country the calibre of baseball that is produced in country New South Wales.
There are just a handful of players with U18 experience but a promising group of U16 players moving on up.
Pitcher to watch: Lewis Merciecia (Woolongong) – A second-year player. A crafty left-handed arm who throws a plus off-speed pitch. He keeps hitters guessing.
Player to watch: Riley Cooper (Northern Bears, Lismore) – His third AYC and first at the U18 level. Cooper was solid in the U16s and earned selection to the national U16 camp. He is a good lead-off hitter, defensively sound and could be the cornerstone of New South Wales Country for the next two years.
ACT
Head Coach: Matt Hosie
Mixed with ten friendship players from interstate, the ACT squad all play together regularly through the system. There’s a big team vibe and energy flowing throughout.
Many of these players compete in the local Division 1 competition and have experience vs quality pitching.
Player to watch – Bailey Watson (Weston Creek) – A middle infielder who plays Division 1 and is part of the Canberra Cavalry development squad. He is a natural leader who turned it on in the local league finals last year. A real gamer.
Pitcher to watch – Samuel Orford (Woden) – Spent some time in the USA and returns as a leader of the ACT squad. A sponge and great student of the game.
Under 16 National Championships
The Under 16s is always an exciting event.
“Players start to really figure out who they are,” says Baseball South Australia High Performance Manager Austin Gallagher. “They’re still growing, they’re figuring out their bodies, what they can do well on the field, and who they are as people. It makes for great baseball.”
It also brings together an age group with a wide group of experience.
For some, it’s their first tournament playing on a regulation feel. It’s a graduation from a Junior League tournament with shorter base paths and pitching distance.
The first time you do this is sensational. There’s nothing like it,” says ACT U16 Head Coach Ian Watson. “We talk about how it’s still travel, the expectations and baseball is the same game. Don’t be overawed by it.”
For others, they’re already playing Division 1 Baseball.
“In Victoria, we get the 14-year-olds involved at full-level baseball quickly,” says Victorian head coach Ben Laux. “That experience in senior baseball we hope pays off at times like these.”
It should be a fun week.
New South Wales Country
Head Coach: Ian Hook
A great opportunity for players to enter the eyes of national selectors, coming from more regional areas of New South Wales.
P/OF – Jayden Perrett (Woolgoolga) – As a first year AYC player Jayden could potentially provide the “X factor” for this team. He demonstrates good speed and power in the box.
P/OF – Aaron Peachy (Mingara) – Second year AYC player, who will be an asset in our starting rotation. He possesses good range and a strong arm in the outfield. Aaron has a strong work ethic and brings a level of intensity and determination that will lift the team.
New South Wales
Head Coach: Matt O’Neill
LHP / Util – Kobe Cusbert (Carlingford) – In his first AYC, Kobe has incredible mound presence for a youngster, and has a strong left-handed swing which will likely feature in the middle of the order.
SS – Ryan Chou (Stealers/Ryde) – Returner from last year. Has the ability to impact the game with his bat, speed and fielding.
Victoria
Head Coach: Ben Laux
OF / LHP – Jai DiBlasi (Williamstown) – Elite Speed. An outfield option and a left-handed pitching option.
P / Util – Riley Peoples (Geelong) – A strong competitor who does a lot of things well. The brother of former junior national team Hayden Peoples, looking to make a name for himself. A second-year player who has pitched A-Grade in Victoria.
Queensland
Head Coach: Phil Overlack
P/3B – Alonzo Zaire Griffin (Redcliffe) – Went to the Little League World Series and the Intermediate League World Series as national charter champions with Brisbane North. He has star pedigree and he is one of the hardest throwers at 14 years old, with a fastball coming in the 82mph range. We’ll be watching his transition to the regulation sized diamond.
P/1B – Tirrell Waiwai (Redcliffe) – Was with Griffin on those successful Little League and Intermediate League squads. He is 14 years old and 6’2. He has size, skill and athleticism.
ACT
Head Coach: Ian Watson
LHB / LHP – Aiden Bates (Rebels): A cool-headed kid in his first year at the AYCs. He is not pressured by much, and has great plate discipline for a young player.
Util – Jesse Orford (Rebels): A leader and “glue guy” who brings the squad together who can play all nine positions if need be.
South Australia
Head Coach: Andrew Couzner
1B – Taj Williams (Adelaide) – Standing at 6’3 at just 14 years old. A “baseball junkie” who can hit the ball a mile.
LHP – Mitchell Evans (Southern Districts) – A 6’4 lefty spells trouble for oppositions. He threw eight innings of no run baseball at last year’s AYCs and was at the U16 National Camp in September.
Western Australia
Head Coach: Kurt Russell
Adam Taylor – Adam is a second year 16s player with a strong track record of throwing big games across his tournament career. He has a lively arm and is looking to build on his performances at the recent National 16U camp.
Quinn Fatai – Quinn is a second year 16s player and is a genuine 2 way athlete. He is a well known gamer who carries himself with extreme confidence. He was a solid performer as one of the youngest kids at the National 16U camp, expect to see him put on a show on both sides of the ball.
