Trending
UNITED STATES ALL-STARS
C―Nolan Gifford, Nevada: A fantastic pitcher , too, who threw well against Rhode Island and Tennessee, Gifford helped spark Nevada’s offense as the Mountain champions won two Series games. Gifford went 4 for 8, slugging two home runs, adding a double and driving in five runs. Gifford homered in both Nevada wins and also scored four times.
IF―Brody Brooks, California: The U.S. Player of the Year, Brooks put on one of the most impressive hitting displays in Series history. Entering the world championship, the gifted infielder was 11 for 13 with three home runs, a double, five RBIs and a whopping 11 runs. Brooks was nearly impossible to get out over California’s last four games en route to capturing the U.S. Championship, going 11 for 12 and reaching base 12 times. His lead-off home run set the tone in the national championship win against Texas and his home run against Ohio sparked California to a 4-3 comeback win. At one point, Brooks reached base eight straight times, going 7 for 7 during that stretch. He also played error-less defense and closed out three straight California wins on the mound.
IF―Bradyen Castellone, Rhode Island: Another five-tool threat, Castellone earned both a win and save at the Series but was especially potent offensively. The shortstop went 4 for 7 with a triple, three RBIs and three runs. Castellone also produced a .667 on-base percentage, drawing two walks. The team’s No. 3 hitter slammed a two-run triple in his final at-bat and went 2 for 2 against Pennsylvania
IF―Larson Eng, Washington: Eng easily could have earned a pitcher’s selection here as well, earning a save and not allowing a run in seven innings. Still, he also enjoyed a standout Series offensively and defensively, helping Washington finish third in the country. Eng reached base in all four games and went 4 for 7 with two walks. He was 2 for 2 and threw 1 2/3 perfect innings of relief in a win against Tennessee.
IF―Lucas McCauley, Tennessee: Speaking of Tennessee, McCauley shined in all facets as well. He threw the game of his life in a 2-1 win against Nevada, throwing a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts, but also stood out offensively. McCauley went 4 for 8 with four RBIs and two runs. He hit a game-tying, fitth inning home run against national champion California and added an RBI double against Nevada. McCauley also reached base in all four games.
OF―Max Baker, California: A big part of the country’s top offense, Baker produced hits in five of California’s six games entering the world title game and hit. 500. A speedy outfielder who made a key catch in the U.S. Final against Texas, Baker went 6 for 12 and added an RBI. He was one of five California hitters who hit over .400 on the way to winning the national championship.
OF―Christian Nunez, Pennsylvania: Nunez gave the Pennsylvania offense a lift, reaching base in all but one of his six plate appearances at the Series. Nunez went 3 for 4 with a triple, two runs and an RBI. He was 2 for 2 in a 2-1 loss against U.S. Runner-up Texas and produced hits in his first three Series at-bats.
OF―Stella Weaver, Tennessee: The 22nd female to play at the Series over the years also was the best to ever do so. Weaver doubled the previous record for hits by a U.S girl, finishing with four. She also produced the best average ever by a female, batting .500. Weaver played strong defense in both the infield and outfield, produced a hit in all four games and went 4 for 8. Her two-out single and aggressive baserunning produced the game-winning run in the Nevada victory.
Utility―Mason Amergian, Maine: He played only two games, but Amergian made a nice impact in those contests and reached base every time. Also a talented pitcher and catcher, Amergian went 2 for 2 and drew a walk. He sparked a comeback against Pennsylvania as Maine turned a three-run deficit into a 3-3 tie, and Amergian also drove in a run, while scoring a run.
P―Easton Benge, Texas: Teammate DJ Jablonski also was brilliant, so this was a tough call, but Benge overpowered two opponents and did not allow a run, while earning a save and throwing 6 1/3 shutout innings in a 1-0, nine-inning win against Washington. The hard-throwing right-hander also had good movement on his pitches and surrendered just four hits in 8 1/3 spectacular innings. Benge, also a talented catcher, struck out 13 and was unflappable in that pitcher’s duel against Washington.
P―Louis Lappe, California: A close runner-up to Baker for U.S. Player of the Year, Lappe dominated with both his arm and bat. Also a slick-fielding shortstop, Lappe overpowered both Rhode Island and Texas, coming up huge in the U.S. Final when he threw a 5 1/3 innings of three-hit baseball and struck out 10. In two starts, Lappe went 2-0, fanning 19 in nine innings, while not allowing an earned run and just four hits. The 6-foot-1, five-tool threat was equally devastating offensively and was 3 for 3 with a home run, double and five RBIs in the national championship. Lappe entered the final game, hitting .529 with a Series-high four home runs, eight RBIs and six runs.
INTERNATIONAL ALL-STARS
C - CHEN KAI-SHENG, CHINESE TAIPEI: One of the three members of Chinese Taipei's lethal first-four from the plate, Kai-Sheng played a large role in the team's eventual third-place finish on both sides of the field. He was most impactful at the plate, posting a hit in every game but one and attributing back-to-back two-RBI showings in big wins against Japan and Curaçao. On 51 total chances, he had 45 putouts, 5 assists, and just one error.
IF - JAY-DLYNN WIEL, CURAÇAO: Throughout the tournament, Wiel showed tremendous versatility and was great every time he took the field, whether it was at shortstop, at the plate or at pitcher. He and second baseman Alexander Provacia Roach (an honorable mention) were a force within Curaçao infield, and each played large roles in Curaçao's upset win over Chinese Taipei alongside starting pitcher Helmir Helmijr. And though not the most utilized player on the mound, the coaching staff consistently trusted him in big-game scenarios, with clear reason, as he closed tight games against Australia, Venezuela and Chinese Taipei, where he gave up two hits and zero runs combined. He also had a .400 batting average, a .700 slugging percentage and the team's second-best OPS at 1.200.
IF - JAXON WEIR, CANADA: I know what you're thinking. Yes, Weir was most impressive from the mound, putting forth a complete game and K clinic against Europe-Africa with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 13-to-0. But he was also impressive everywhere else. At first base against Chinese Taipei and Mexico, Weir had 10 total chances without making a single mistake. And at the plate, he posted the second-best batting average on the international side with a .571 and found home in Canada's last two games. That include the team's lone run against Mexico, a game that it was very much in until the fourth inning.
IF - BERNARDO PARTIDA, MEXICO: Partida was vital in Mexico making it as far as it did. Though he had a costly error in the team's opening loss to Japan, he made up for it by playing perfect defense through the next three games, both at shortstop and at pitcher. Amidst Gael Leyva's complete game against Venezuela, he made big play after big play within the infield to back his pitcher up, finishing the game facing six total chances and converting those into four assists, two putouts and zero errors. He followed that up by pitching a complete game and shutting out Japan, in a game where Mexico only scored two runs.
IF - WU YUN-HSI, CHINESE TAIPEI: In terms of lead-off batters, Yun-His was about as consistent as they come on the international side. Of his nine at-bats, he hit six of them, contributing three RBIs in the process and also leading the team in runs with six. He posted two doubles against Canada, a hit in every game this tournament, an RBI in three straight games and a run in all but one, making it clear why he was chosen as the team's lead-off batter. And on defense, he made zero mistakes on 19 total chances.
OF - NASIR EL-OSSAÏS, CURAÇAO: Against Venezuela, Curaçao was just one strike away from suffering its first loss early in its winner's bracket run. But El-Ossaïs didn't let that pressure get to him, as he delivered a two-run shot to centerfield to give his team a one-run lead. From the plate, he heads his team in OPS, slugging percentage and RBIs, and though a lot of that is thanks to the homerun, he has the team's highest on-base percentage at .583 and third highest batting average at .375. His lone chance in leftfield was a putout as well.
OF - LEONARD CONTRERAS, VENEZUELA: Speaking of Venezuela, centerfielder Leonard Contreras was impressive throughout his team's run, both as a batter and fielder. On offense, he led his team in batting average, slugging percentage, doubles and RBIs, with his two RBIs being more than necessary in their opening win over Panama. He was also electric in center field, placing third on team the putouts and second in assists while also having zero errors.
OF - YOHEI YAMAGUCHI, JAPAN: Rightfielder Yamaguchi was another do-it-all player featured in this year's exciting international bracket. Though not heavily involved in the outfield, as he had just one putout on one total chance much like El-Ossaïs of Curaçao, he played incredibly well from the plate and mound. He shared a two-way tie with Daimu Nakano, another honorable mention, for team hits with four, and had an RBI and run to go with that. He was also effective from the mound, as he held Mexico to one run through 3.1 innings in his lone start and finished the series with 10 strikeouts against 23 batters.
P - OMAR VARGAS, PANAMA: Within an international bracket littered with incredible pitching talent and performances, two players stood out above the rest. One of those was Panama ace Omar Vargas. He kicked off the tournament turning heads, striking out 12 of the 13 batters he faced versus Czech Republic and surrendering zero hits. And when he stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded in the fourth, he hit the first homerun of the entire tournament for a grand slam. Through 8.2 innings and 29 batters faced, Vargas struck out 22, posted an ERA of .000, allowed one hit and issued two walks. Truly, an incredible showing from the ace.
P - FAN CHEN-JUN, CHINESE TAIPEI: Though he had his struggles in the international championship against Curaçao, the fact that he went into that game having not surrendered a hit was truly astounding and an impressive feat. Chen-Jun was a talking point throughout the tournament, becoming one of the few pitchers to ever hit 80 miles per hour in the series and doing so consistently, which most batters struggled to deal with. Through 11.1 innings pitched, he allowed just six hits, two runs and one walk, and struck out 26 batters. And within the top-four of the team's batting order, he held his own, getting on base have the time he took the plate and hitting two home runs and seven RBIs, the most of anyone on the international side.
UTIL - JAYVERY FELICIA, CURAÇAO: Throughout the tournament, Jayvery Felicia played in both the infield and outfield for Curaçao, where he totaled four putouts and attributed a fielding percentage of 1.000. He was most impactful at the plate however, leading the team with a batting average of .429. He was able to provide his team with consistent batting at the bottom of the order, earning a vital run against Mexico and putting up two hits and an RBI against Australia.