EDIT: WEDNESDAY 26 SEPTEMBER, 4PM: Will Kortekaas (SA) has withdrawn due to injury. Will has been replaced by Raleigh Pelkonen (WA)
Baseball Australia’s long association with Major League Baseball is set to with 12 of Australia’s best and brightest joining the World Select Team for October’s Arizona Fall Classic.
Current professional players Curtis Mead (Phillies) and Mitch Edwards (Phillies) attended the 2017 Arizona Fall Classic.
The group will arrive in Phoenix on October 2, before preparing for a number of games against professional organisations including the Arizona Diamondbacks and Kansas City Royals. The group will then prepare for the Arizona Fall Classic, where they will be viewed by hundreds of college and professional scouts.
Team Australia general manager Glenn Williams sees this as another opportunity for some of our top young prospects to match it with the best in the world.
“The experience of being able to compete against players from the US and all over the world has great development benefits for those on the trip,” Williams said.
“Our guys will have the opportunity to be able to showcase their abilities in front of professional and college programs in top level facilities.
“Over 90% of Australian athletes who have been to the Arizona Fall Classic have ended up in a college or professional program, and to have MLB covering all costs for this program is fantastic for all involved.”