USA Baseball Announces 18U National Team Coaching Staff

USA Baseball announced its coaching staff for the 2019 18U national team Monday afternoon, setting the leadership for a club that will look to win its fifth straight World Baseball Softball Confederation U-18 World Cup in South Korea.

Jack Leggett returns as the team’s manager after leading the 2018 club to a gold medal at the 2018 COPABE U-18 Pan-American Championships in Panama. This marks Leggett’s third consecutive year coaching with USA Baseball, as he served as a coach for the 17U National Team Development Program (NTDP) in both 2017 and 2018.

“USA Baseball is thrilled to welcome Jack Leggett back as the manager of the 18U National Team this summer after leading the 2018 18U team to a record-setting performance in the COPABE U-18 Pan-American Championships,” USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO Paul Seiler said in a press release.

“His baseball knowledge and ability to motivate and mentor athletes are remarkable qualities that has led to a career of successes unmatched by many. As this year’s team looks to make a run at a feat never before achieved at the youth level in international baseball history, we are confident that we have assembled a strong coaching staff that can lead a group of tremendous young athletes to new heights.”

Rounding out the coaching staff is Scott Bankhead, Gregg Ritchie and Gerald Laird. Bankhead will serve as the team’s pitching coach after serving in the same capacity with the 2018 team. Ritchie enters his third consecutive year as the 18U hitting coach, while Laird is making his national team coaching debut after a 13-year major league career. He does have experience with USA Baseball, however, as Laird served as an assistant coach for the 17U NTDP in 2017 and played for the team in 1997.

“Coach Leggett’s resume speaks for itself, and having the opportunity to work with a coach of his caliber is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” 18U National Team Director Frank Jagoda said in the same release.

“With their experience in international baseball—as well as professional baseball—we have assembled a truly outstanding coaching staff and it is a great opportunity for USA Baseball and the 18U National Team to continue moving this program forward and work towards a fifth-straight world title.”

PDP League Staff Announced

USA Baseball and Major League Baseball also recently announced the coaches, coordinators, managers and captains for the inaugural season of the Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) League, which will take place between June 13 and July 4 at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

Ryan Howard, Derek Jeter, Chipper Jones and Barry Larkin were each named PDP captains and will be at the event at different points to talk about their playing careers and offer guidance to the players in attendance.

“The creation and implementation of the PDP League is a tremendous step forward for USA Baseball and Major League Baseball in the overall athlete development experience,” said Frank Jagoda, USA Baseball’s 18U National Team Program Director in a press release.

“Not only will this league aide in the growth and development of the athletes who will take part in it, but also for game of baseball as well. Each athlete is given a truly invaluable opportunity to learn and compete against the best baseball players in the country while also competing for a spot to represent the United States as a member of the USA Baseball 18U National Team on the international stage.”

The full list of coordinators, managers and coaches can be seen below.

Coordinators

Scott Brosius (Field Coordinator) — USA Baseball Senior Director, Sport Development
Marcel Lachemann (Pitching Coordinator) — Angels Special Assistant to the GM
Gerald Laird (Catching Coordinator) — 13-year MLB Veteran, USA Baseball Assistant Coach
Greg Ritchie (Hitting Coordinator) — George Washington University Manager, USA Baseball Assistant Coach
Andy Stankiewicz (Fielding Coordinator) — Grand Canyon University Manager

Managers