After qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics in encouraging fashion last month in Florida, USA Baseball on Friday announced the 24-man roster that will represent the United States on the diamond in Japan. The roster, comprised of 12 pitchers and 12 position players, combines former Major League Baseball veterans and up-and-coming minor league prospects.
The U.S. squad is led by two-time MLB All-Star third baseman Todd Frazier, who lit up the Baseball Americas Qualifier in June with a .400 batting average, two home runs and five RBI in four games. On the mound, manager Mike Scioscia will be able to call upon former MLB All-Star pitchers Scott Kazmir, David Robertson and Edwin Jackson.
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“Our goal was to construct this team around a core of experienced, veteran baseball players with invaluable experience at the highest level and internationally, and we have done just that,” said USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO Paul Seiler. “We are confident we have pieced together a team of players that will represent the United States proudly on the world stage.”
Team USA also features three young players ranked among MLB’s top-100 prospects in Boston Red Sox infielder Tristan Casas (No. 34), Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Simeon Woods-Richardson (No. 68) and Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Shane Baz (No. 71).
Despite baseball’s absence from the Olympic program since 2008, the U.S. roster includes a 2014 Olympic silver medalist in infielder Eddy Alvarez. Alvarez, a former short track speed skater, represented runners-up Team USA in the Sochi Olympics 5000m relay.
The Tokyo Olympics coincides with the heart of the MLB regular season. Consequently, active MLB players are prevented by their clubs from participating on the Olympic Team. But USA Baseball has taken advantage of the fact that host nation Japan will pause its top professional league, the NPB, to give its national team the best chance at gold on home soil. Three Americans playing abroad in the NPB, outfielder Tyler Austin and pitchers Nick Martinez and Scott McGough, were named to the U.S. roster.
The U.S. will chase its second Olympic baseball gold medal in Tokyo beginning with an opening round matchup against Israel, July 30 at 6 a.m. ET.
U.S. Olympic Team Roster
(Name; Position; Club; Current Team)
- Nick Allen; INF; Oakland Athletics; Midland (AA)
- Eddy Alvarez; INF; Miami Marlins; Jacksonville (AAA)
- Tyler Austin; OF; Nippon Professional Baseball; Yokohama DeNA Baybears
- Shane Baz; RHP; Tampa Bay Rays; Durham (AAA)
- Anthony Carter; RHP; Mexican League; Saraperos de Saltillo
- Triston Casas; INF; Boston Red Sox; Portland (AA)
- Brandon Dickson; RHP; St. Louis Cardinals; Memphis (AAA)
- Tim Federowicz; C; Los Angeles Dodgers; Oklahoma City (AAA)
- Eric Filia; OF; Seattle Mariners; Tacoma (AAA)
- Todd Frazier; INF; Free Agent
- Anthony Gose; LHP; Cleveland Indians; Columbus (AAA)
- Edwin Jackson; RHP; Free Agent
- Scott Kazmir; LHP; San Francisco Giants; Sacramento (AAA)
- Patrick Kivlehan; OF/INF; San Diego Padres; El Paso (AAA)
- Mark Kolozsvary; C; Cincinnati Reds; Chattanooga (AA)
- Jack Lopez; UTL; Boston Red Sox; Worcester (AAA)
- Nick Martinez; RHP; Nippon Professional Baseball; Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
- Scott McGough; RHP; Nippon Professional Baseball; Tokyo Yakult Swallows
- David Robertson; RHP; Free Agent
- Joe Ryan; RHP; Tampa Bay Rays; Durham (AAA)
- Ryder Ryan; RHP; Texas Rangers; Round Rock (AAA)
- Bubba Starling; OF; Kansas City Royals; Omaha (AAA)
- Jamie Westbrook; INF/OF; Milwaukee Brewers; Nashville (AAA)
- Simeon Woods-Richardson; RHP; Toronto Blue Jays; New Hampshire (AA)
SEE MORE: Sydney 2000: U.S. shuts out Cuba to win first baseball gold