USA Baseball announced the 36-player roster for the 2026 12U National Team Training Camp on June 21, following the completion of the 11U Futures Invitational in Cary, North Carolina. The five-day training camp begins June 22 and runs through June 26 as the organization prepares for the World Baseball Softball Confederation U-12 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier scheduled for November 20-27 in the Dominican Republic.
The 12U National Team roster includes players from 14 states, with California contributing 10 athletes and Texas adding seven. Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, and Georgia each sent multiple players to the camp.
What Happens During the Five-Day Camp
Training camp features intrasquad games, performance assessments, and on-field workouts designed to evaluate the nation’s top 12-and-under talent. The 36 players will be divided into two teams for a four-game Stars vs. Stripes series, giving coaches competitive gameplay to assess individual skills.
The roster shows a balanced offensive approach with 18 right-handed batters, 17 left-handed hitters, and one switch-hitter. Players represent positions across the diamond, including infielders, outfielders, catchers, and pitchers.
Following the conclusion of training camp, USA Baseball will select an Extended Training Camp roster. That group will reconvene before the World Cup Qualifier in November to finalize the team competing in the Dominican Republic.
Who’s Leading the Coaching Staff
Wes Brooks takes over as manager for the 12U National Team in his first head coaching role with USA Baseball. Brooks served as pitching coach on last year’s team that won gold at the WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup, giving him recent experience with the program’s championship expectations.
Kyle Howell joins as pitching coach in his international coaching debut. Assistants Erick Quesada and David Houseton round out the primary staff, with Quesada returning after serving as an assistant coach at the 2023 and 2025 World Cup events.
Four additional coaches will support the staff during training camp: Eric Brown, Guy Civitello, Ryan Hall, and Roger Kieschnick. The eight-person coaching team brings decades of combined experience evaluating and developing youth baseball talent.
The Program’s Track Record at World Competition
The 12U National Team program has compiled a dominant international record since its 2013 inception. Team USA has captured nine gold medals in international competition over that span, including eight golds in 12 years at various world championships.
The most recent victory came at the 2025 WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup. The United States has medaled in six of the seven WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cups it has participated in and leads all nations with six world cup titles.
12U National Team Program Director Cole Beeker expressed confidence in this year’s roster. The competitive week at the Futures Invitational allowed evaluators to identify athletes capable of playing at the highest level, Beeker noted in the announcement.
The Path to November’s Qualifier
The Americas Qualifier in November serves as the gateway to future international competition. Strong performance in the Dominican Republic will position the 12U National Team for continued success in the global baseball development pipeline.
The 36-player training camp roster includes athletes from communities ranging from Coconut Creek, Florida, to Stanwood, Washington. Notable names include players from baseball hotbeds like San Diego, Houston, and Austin, as well as smaller markets like Ashdown, Arkansas, and Monticello, Arkansas.
The training camp represents the latest step in USA Baseball’s youth development system, which identifies top talent at age 11 through events like the Futures Invitational before advancing them to the 12U National Team level. Players who excel at this stage often continue progressing through older age-group national teams as they develop.
