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Class is in session, Team Australia style.

A near four-hour training block in Fuchu City brought together a unique set of Team Australia players for the first time in preparation for this week’s Asia Professional Baseball Championships (APBC) at the Tokyo Dome.

As some of the younger members of the group prepare to take on Korea, Taiwan and Japan, they already have the feeling that this level of Team Australia baseball is a little different than some of the junior events.

There’s more media, a bigger stadium, sponsorship obligations, a high standard of baseball to play, and a big buzz around the city.

Training #1 was all about familiarity – both with each other, the coaches, and what the national team program at a high level is all about.

MEET THE ROSTER: Australia set to take on Asia’s best at APBC

“We are here to win. This is a great chance for some younger guys to see what happens at the top-end – for events like WBC, Premier-12,” says head coach Dave Nilsson. “This is like an introduction of who they are and what they expect.”

Photo: Hiroki Chiba / Team Australia Media

“It’s as much off-field as on-field. It’s important they come to more tournaments because they are so different to everything else.”

The Asia Professional Baseball Championship has unique roster rules, creating an intriguing group of players for this week’s tournament at the Tokyo Dome.

It’s an Under 24 event, with a few exceptions.

Rules allow each team to bring in an experienced group of players to support a new young core coming through the ranks.

Each team – including opponents Japan, Korea and Taiwan – is permitted three players between the ages of 25 and 29. For Australia, they are MLBer Aaron Whitefield, longtime national team member Dan McGrath and high leverage WBC pitcher Sam Holland.

You’re also allowed players over the age of 24 who have less than three years’ experience in the professional system, allowing WBC returnees like Liam Spence. A pair of 24-year-olds in Briley Knight and Billy Parsons also get their first exposure the national program at this level.

Rixon Wingrove, Alex Hall, Will Sheriff and Coen Wynne all have played in the World Baseball Classic and are all under 23.

Head coach Dave Nilsson says they’ll be looked to as leaders.

“This is a culture where the old teach the young. In this environment at the APBC guys like Whitey, Alex, Sam, Dan McGrath and Rixon all have a lot of experience,” he says. “It’s their responsibility to help them along the way. They know what to expect at a high level and there’s a teaching now that goes with it.”

One of those students is Brodie Cooper-Vassalakis, a pitcher who just graduated Grand Canyon University.

“I feel like that freshman again. I feel like I am ten minutes early but also ten minutes late at the same time. I’m learning it all over again – learning names, learning how things work,” he says. “It’s been great. It’s a more professional setting. It’s get what you need to be ready for the game.”

Photo: Scott Powick / Team Australia Media

Vassalakis, now 22, just spent the last five years away from home playing Division 1 Baseball. He hasn’t played on a national team since the 2017 World Cup, or in the Australian Baseball League since then.

He’s been away from the national program and is now getting re-introduced.

“They know who I was, but they don’t know who I am now,” he says. “I’ve been on a journey of finding out who I was as a pitcher I really solidified knowing that what I have is enough to compete at this level. Over the past few years, I was able to play around and find out who I was an be confident in that.”

Vassalakis just finished his best season as a college player, tossing 27.1 innings as a reliever with a 3.95 ERA.

Ky Hampton is another college returnee to the group coming off a career year. The South Australian is actually still in college – technically.

Hampton was a conference all-star at NCAA’s Eastern Illinois Panthers after turning in his best season in a five-year college career.

He flew in from across the world – from a little town in Illinois where he is finishing a placement as a Grade 4 teacher – to be here.

Hampton taught a class on Friday in Illinois, jumped on a plane on Sunday, arrived in Japan late Monday, was at the training ground on Tuesday, will play in the tournament from Thursday-Sunday, and be back ready to teach on Tuesday.

But Hampton says he wouldn’t miss it.

“Any chance you get to represent your country you do it,” says 22-year-old Hampton, who was on Australia’s U23 World Cup roster last season. “But here I feel like a new guy, old guy, and young guy at the same time.

The re-introduction is needed for Hampton, too.

“It was kind of funny,” he laughs. “I had my headshot taken and the longtime team photographer asked me who I was. I told him and he was like: “Oh wow I remember you. I haven’t seen you since you were a little fella.”

While the learning experience is great, these players are all here to serve a purpose – find a way to win.

Team Australia General Manager Russ Teichmann says the staff wanted to select the best available players to go and win the event.

“We have a busy tournament cycle for the next few years. There’s the Premier12, U23 World Cups, a World Baseball Classic and Olympic qualification. This age group is part of a larger group who will be playing important games for Australia leading up to the 2028 Olympics and beyond,” he says.

Teichmann says he is looking forward to seeing Australia compete with some of the best professional players from Japan, Korea and Chinese Taipei.

Photo: Scott Powick / Team Australia Media

“This playing group is a good mix of guys who have been part of World Baseball Classics and World Cup squads. We’re also excited to see new players make their debut at this level,” he says. “The expectation is that we are going to perform well, with our constant objective of being the best tournament team in the world.”

When class is adjourned on Sunday afternoon, Australia will be hoping there will be wins for their players both on and off the field.

“We really want to see them grow as people and men,” says Nilsson.

The first test in Thursday at 2:00PM AEDT (12:00PM in Tokyo) vs South Korea. You can watch the game in Australia on Baseball+.