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Rixon Wingrove’s grandfather John – who is affectionally called Pop – doesn’t get to see his grandson play in person very often.

John watches all of Rixon’s games around the world with the Philadelphia Phillies, Team Australia and the Adelaide Giants on an internet stream. His wife Raemene sits alongside and scores the game.

They’ll be there this weekend to watch Rixon wear his country’s colours when he plays for Team Australia on home soil vs Korean professional outfit Hanwha Eagles in Melbourne.

Pack your scorecard, Raemene.

Team Australia has announced its Under 18 National Junior Squad.

The squad will head to the USA from September – October to play games in front of a big audience of scouts and college recruiters, with it being an off-year for the U18 World Cup.

Selected off the back of the recent U18 Australian Youth Championships, the national squad will head to Florida to play in the highest level tournaments outside of World Cup events.

The training sessions and games will be played in front of professional scouts and college recruiters, while coming up against the best high-school players in the USA who are already committed to top Division 1 schools. There are many potential high MLB draft picks.

“This is a great opportunity to play in front of all the top junior colleges, universities of every level and professional organisations,” says National Player Development Manager Andrew Riddell. “Experiences like this provide a chance to represent your country, wear that green and gold, and face tough opposition.”

While there is no U18 World Cup this season, there is still plenty of Team Australia action to come. Australia will play in the U23 World Cup in China in October, and the Premier12 in November. The senior men’s team will play an exhibition game at home vs Hanwha Eagles from February 17-18 in Melbourne. You can watch those games on Baseball+.

Congratulations to all the players who will represent their country:

Baseball Australia – in partnership with Perfect Game – will be touring the USA with the Under 16 and Under 18 National Junior Squads in September and October 2024.

Australia will name an Under-18 and Under-16 national squad to play in Perfect Game-run events in America.

The Under-16 event will be held in Atlanta, Georgia in September.

The Under-18 event will travel to events in Florida – in Jupiter and Port St. Lucie – from late-September to early October.

The tour will be 12 days-long and see these players battle against some of the best American talent of the respective age groups.

The squads will be named in the coming weeks. This comes after the Australian Youth Championships last week in Sydney.

The international events will be played in front of an audience filled with scouts and colleges. It is run by well-known international baseball organisation Perfect Game.

“This is a great opportunity to play in front of all the top junior colleges, universities and professional organisations,” says National Player Development Manager Andrew Riddell. “Experiences like this provides an opportunity to represent your country while facing tough opposition including top college commits, all while representing our country in a non-World Cup year.”

Riddell says the teams Australia will play are all made up of players who have already committed to top schools.

“It’s about providing our players with a glimpse into what facing future college competition may look, while also helping create exposure for scholarships and college opportunities for our players as they graduate out of high school.”

Perfect Game is the world’s largest baseball scouting service. They host high-quality travel team tournament and individual showcases across the world. It offers major scouting, signing and MLB draft opportunities for players.

The USA-tours will be preceded by the hard work players do in their respective states through the Baseball Australia endorsed ‘State Performance Pathways Program.’

Baseball Australia’s General Manager of Performance Pathways & Player Development Michael Crooks says states are critical in developing Australian talent.

“We saw first-hand the talent from states across the country this week at the Australian Youth Championships. These are the principal environments for talented played across the country to work on and develop their skills for transitioning into places like college, the ABL and professional baseball,” says Crooks of the state-based Performance Pathways Programs.

The national team’s selection panel is concluding the player assessment process, with the National Junior Squads to be announced prior to the end of January.

Please visit one of our event hubs for recaps of the 2024 Australian Youth Championships.

• U18 Event Hub: 2024 U-18 Australian Youth Championships (U18 AYC)
• U16 Event Hub: 2024 U-16 Australian Youth Championships (U16 AYC)

It’s been a while since Australian baseball fans have been able to watch the senior men’s national team on home soil.

When Team Australia takes the field at Melbourne Ballpark on February 17 for the first game of a two-game series vs Korean baseball giant Hanwha Eagles, there will be no shortage of talent with international experience at the highest level.

All 21 players have played in at least one World Baseball Classic.

“After having success at the World Baseball Classic last year, it’s important we continue to win as a team,” says Team Australia’s head coach Dave Nilsson. “This group has the experience and the talent to do that.”

19 of the players on the list played in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where Australia reached the quarterfinals for the first time. Two others – Tim Atherton and Lachlan Wells – may not have been on the most recent WBC quad, pitched in the 2017 version of the tournament.

SELLING FAST: GET YOUR TICKETS TO SEE TEAM AUSTRALIA AT HOME

The two-game series from February 17-18 at Melbourne Ballpark gives fans a chance to see their heroes in action. It’s the first time since 2020 the senior men’s squad has played a game in Australia.

It also launches a massive 2024 for the Australian national team. Team Australia will compete in the ‘Premier12’ in November 2024 – it’s effectively a World Championship for the planet’s Top 12 ranked baseball teams run by the World Baseball Softball Confederation’ (WBSC).

Watch all the action this weekend on Baseball+. Click here for download links and how to cast to your TV.

“If this group stays healthy, I expect them to be together for the Premier12 later this year,” says Nilsson.

The two games are supported by the Melbourne Aces and the Victorian Government. Australia will play two games vs the Hanhwa Eagles – a team which plays in the top professional competition in South Korea.

You can get tickets by clicking this link. Some sections have already sold out.

The Eagles are in Melbourne for Spring Training ahead of the 2024 KBO season. They are home to the KBO’s 2023 home run champion Si Hwan Roh. Team Australia co-captain Warwick Saupold played for Hanhwa from 2020-21.

Here is the roster:

UPDATE: Jordan McArdle has replaced Lachlan Wells on the roster.

OF – Tim Kennelly
OF – Aaron Whitefield
OF – Ulrich Bojarski
3B – Darryl George
SS – Logan Wade
INF – Jarryd Dale
1B – Rixon Wingrove
1B – Jake Bowey
C – Robbie Perkins
C – Alex Hall

LHP – Lachlan Wells
LHP – Steven Kent
LHP – Jon Kennedy
LHP – Dan McGrath
RHP – Tim Atherton
RHP – Sam Holland
RHP – Warwick Saupold
RHP – Coen Wynne
RHP – Josh Guyer
RHP – Luke Wilkins
RHP – Todd Van Steensel