On July 4, USA Baseball celebrated, in part, by announcing the 26-man roster for their upcoming collegiate national team against Japan. The roster is comprised by many of the best players in the NCAA this season, including several likely first-rounders next July in Philadelphia.
USA 2025 CNT roster
Here’s a look at the roster for the 2025 USA Collegiate National Team:
| Name | Position | School | Conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eric Becker | INF/OF | Virginia | ACC |
| Tyler Bell | INF | Kentucky | SEC |
| Drew Burress | OF | Georgia Tech | ACC |
| Roch Cholowsky | INF | UCLA | Big 10 |
| Jason DeCaro | RHP | North Carolina | ACC |
| Jacob Dudan | RHP | NC State | ACC |
| Gabe Gaeckle | RHP | Arkansas | SEC |
| Cole Gibler | LHP | Arkansas | SEC |
| AJ Gracia | OF | Virginia | ACC |
| Ryder Helfrick | C | Arkansas | SEC |
| Ethan Kleinschmit | LHP | Oregon State | Pac-12 |
| Vahn Lackey | C | Georgia Tech | ACC |
| Mulivai Levu | INF | UCLA | Big 10 |
| Ryan Lynch | RHP | North Carolina | ACC |
| Ryan Marohn | LHP | NC State | ACC |
| Ryan McPherson | RHP | Mississippi State | SEC |
| Lucas Moore | OF | Louisville | ACC |
| Blake Morningstar | RHP | Wake Forest | ACC |
| Ethan Norby | LHP | ECU | AAC |
| Ricky Ojeda | LHP | UC Irvine | Big West |
| Liam Peterson | RHP | Florida | SEC |
| Ace Reese | INF/OF | Mississippi State | SEC |
| Chris Rembert | INF | Auburn | SEC |
| Brett Renfrow | RHP | Virginia Tech | ACC |
| Zion Rose | OF | Louisville | ACC |
| Dax Whitney | RHP | Oregon State | Pac-12 |
This roster was cut down significantly from the 56 individuals on the camp team. Only 26 players made it on the final roster.
A look at the team
Twelve of the 26 players are from the ACC, including two Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, as well as outfielders Lucas Moore and Zion Rose from Louisville, the lone school from the conference to head to Omaha.
North Carolina will also see two key pieces of their 2025 pitching staff, Jason DeCaro and Ryan Lynch, join Team USA.
For those who live the MLB Draft — and more specifically, the players who will go pro — there’s a lot to like about this year’s team.
Several likely first-rounders next year are on this team. Jason DeCaro showed polish in his first two seasons at Chapel Hill and will be the rare 20-year-old junior come next year (he won’t turn 20 until April 17, 2026).
Drew Burress, a power bat who belted 44 home runs across two seasons in Atlanta, will join Roch Cholowsky, arguably the consensus #1 overall pick for 2026 right now. Cholowsky can play fluid defense at short while also impacting the game with his bat.
Ryder Helfrick, who found his groove last summer in the Cape, could be a first-rounder in 2026, as could Gabe Gaeckle. Both were members of Arkansas’ 2025 CWS team.
Add in Liam Peterson, the dynamic Florida ace, to that mix. Peterson is one of the headliners of this pitching staff, one that also includes Ethan Norby, the shorter ECU star who doesn’t throw hard but finished with 119 strikeouts over 90 innings this year. Ethan is the younger brother of Marlins infielder Connor Norby.
Additionally, Kentucky standout freshman infielder Tyler Bell made the USA team. Bell, a draft-eligible sophomore next season, spurned the Rays after he was selected in the second round last July. Thus far, the move worked out well, as Bell posted a .907 OPS, with 10 home runs and 29 extra-base hits for the Wildcats.
This year’s team will be managed by former Major Leaguer and current USC head coach Andy Stankiewicz. Stankiewicz’s coaching staff includes Rusty Filer (pitching), former Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu (bench/hitting), Omar Johnson (first base), Bill Mosiello (third), and Carlos Munoz (bullpen).
Team USA will travel to play Japan during the Japan vs. USA collegiate national series. It’ll start on July 8 in Hokkaido.
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