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JUCO All-Stars represent Team USA at the Haarlem Baseball Week

July 11, 2024
By Jadyn Hsieh-Bailey
Staff Writer

The USA All-Star team has arrived in the Netherlands to compete at the historic Honkbalweek Haarlem, which takes place from July 12-19. The United States regularly features in this tournament, which is held every other year, though the last time it featured a group of NJCAA All-Stars was 2010, and that's what the 24-man roster is constructed of this year as well.

With the selection of this team, the event marks an exciting opportunity for the NJCAA’s top players to showcase their talent and represent Team USA in one of baseball’s major international tournaments. Despite the group coming together for only a few days, the team is ready to meet the challenge and represent the United States against some of the world’s best.

Below, you’ll find information on the rich history of Honkbalweek Haarlem, Team USA’s roster construction and the experienced coaching staff leading the way, with words from players and head coach Marty Smith, the head coach of Central Florida JC. Additionally, Team USA’s schedule and a livestream link can also be found.

Read more for all you need to know about Honkbalweek Haarlem and the NJCAA All-Star Team representing the United States.

ABOUT HONKBALWEEK HAARLEM

Honkbalweek Haarlem is a major international competition and baseball festival held in the Netherlands. As one of Europe’s top international baseball tournaments, this year’s games will mark the event’s 31st edition, having first started in 1961. The longstanding competition is typically held every two years and includes countries such as the Netherlands, USA, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and others depending on the year.

This year’s participants will include Team Kingdom of the Netherlands, Team USA, Team Japan, Team Chinese Taipei, Team Spain, and Team Italy. The tournament is historically played at Haarlem’s most famous stadium, Pim Mulier Stadium, which is home to the Dutch Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

The event features six teams, each of which will play five games of round-robin play against one another. Following six days of initial play, the playoffs will begin on July 18 with the top four seeds playing in a semi-final round. The third-place game and championship game will take place on July 19 in what will be an entertaining final day. Team USA will be defending their Honkbalweek pride, as teams representing the United States have won 14 championships, earned a runner-up finish seven times, and finished in third place 11 times throughout Honkbalweek's history. The squad of NJCAA All-Stars will be eager to outperform the 2022 Honkbalweek campaign in which Team USA fell short of the championship game, yet still triumphed over Team Japan for a third-place finish. That Team USA squad included players such as Paul Skenes, Dylan Crews, and Enrique Bradfield Jr.

THE 2024 ROSTER

This year’s USA All-Stars have the talent it takes to finish ahead of the previous 2022 campaign, even though it's comprised of junior college athletes. The team was selected by the NJCAA Baseball Coaches Association and was narrowed down from an original 120 identified players all the way down to its current 24-man roster.

“I’m just so excited to see what [our batters] do one through nine up there in the Netherlands,” said Jake Munroe, an NJCAA Div. I All-American and Louiville commit. “Seeing guys hit the ball, seeing these guys have their own unique skill sets, you can really start to see how we’re going to be as an offense and it’s exciting, super exciting.”

(Jake Munroe; 9/7/23)

In addition to the excitement that Munroe has with his teammates, this Team USA squad may have another source of motivation to help them get winning results at Honkbalweek— the pride of representing the NJCAA.

“It’s not just representation of Team USA, it’s representation of the entire NJCAA, too,” says Eli Hoyt, star right-handed pitcher from Madison College (WI). “Showcasing us and showcasing what junior college baseball is all about on that international scale, I think, is really important. The junior college landscape is competitive as it’s ever been, and I think it’s only going to get even more competitive… we’re all excited to represent the NJCAA in that landscape.”

The rest of the roster features some of the top NJCAA players over the past two years, with numerous All-Americans throughout the roster, like OF Robby Bolin (Barton), SS Adam Singer (Iowa Western), RHP Maclane Finley (KCK), RHP Blake Lobell (LSU Eunice), 1B/OF Miguel Cantu (Morton), LHP Luke Cooley (East Central, MS), and C Blaise Priester (Meridian). The rest of the roster features other talented NJCAA pitchers like the aforementioned Hoyt, RHP Ryan Borberg (Johnson County), RHP Luke Broderick (Iowa Western), RHP Aiden Butler (Polk State), LHP Jordan Huskey (Florida SouthWestern), RHP Austin Jobe (Crowder), RHP Noah Scott (Iowa Western), RHP Brynner Waiolama (Iowa Western), LHP Liam Watt (LSU Eunice CC), and LHP Davis Wright (Spartanburg Methodist).

Team USA will feature some talented bats behind their All-American hitters as well like, C/2B Cole Bullen (College of Central Florida), SS Gehrig Goldbeck (KCK), OF/1B Kainen Jorge (College of Central Florida), SS/OF Brayden Smith (Iowa Western), C/OF Michael Young (Pensacola State).

COACHING STAFF

If there is any coaching staff to get the most out of these players, it would be the exact coaching staff heading the USA All-Stars squad. This Team USA staff includes three coaches regarded as exceptional coaches not only in NJCAA baseball, but in collegiate baseball as a whole.

Head coach Marty Smith is an NJCAA Division I National Championship winner, four-time FCSAA Coach of the Year, four-time FCSAA state champion, and he has achieved a total of 927 career wins in his 29 seasons at College of Central Florida.

Smith has also brought an NJCAA All-Star Team to Beijing in the 2004 China Friendship Series. Assistant Coach Mike Davenport is a NJCAA Division II National Championship winner, a NJCAA Division II National Coach of the Year, and an eight-time N4C Coach of the Year, and he owns a 721-300-3 (.705) overall record in 19 seasons as Madison College (WI) head coach. Assistant Coach Rob Valli is a three-time NJCAA Division III National Championship winner, a NJCAA Division III National Coach of the Year, and he has tallied a 633-139-2 (.819) overall record in 15 seasons as Rowan College South Jersey/Gloucester County College head coach. Valli also holds the record as the second winningest coach in Temple University baseball history from his six-year stint at the program.

“It’s an honor to coach alongside those guys,” said Smith. “I’m, in name, the head coach but we’re all head coaches here and we’re all just chipping in and doing as much as we can to try to figure out what these kids need to compete at this level.”

“I hope I learn something from them, which I already have, in my trip here and in my time here. It’s just a really neat experience to be able to do what we are doing on an international stage with great coaches on the staff as well.”

With a promising roster in coaching staff and in personnel, Team USA will have high hopes for Honkbalweek 2024. They will begin their campaign July 12 at 1:30 p.m. EST against the hosts, Team Netherlands. The Netherlands are reigning Honkbalweek champions after beating Curaçao in the 2022 championship game. The tickets for Friday's game between Team USA and Team Netherlands have reportedly been sold out since last week.

HOW TO WATCH

Below is the full Honkbalweek schedule for Team USA, as well as a link to watch the games.

  • Friday (July 12): 1:30 p.m. EST | Netherlands vs. USA
  • Saturday (July 13): 9:30 a.m. EST | USA vs. Japan
  • Sunday (July 14): 5:30 a.m. EST | USA vs. Italy
  • Monday (July 15): 1:30 p.m. EST | USA vs. Chinese Taipei
  • Wednesday (July 17): 9:30 a.m. EST| Spain vs. USA

“It’s everything – you’re wearing USA across your chest, so it means a little more," said Hoyt. "You’re playing for pride, you’re playing for glory, you’re playing for honor, you’re playing to represent something bigger than yourself… I never thought I'd have the opportunity to do something like this."

With Honkbalweek so near in sight, there is a lot to look forward to.

“This is something that no one can take away from me, something that I can hold onto for the rest of my life and share when I am older," said Munore. "This is one of those experiences where I just want to go out there and have fun and win some ball games, of course."

With such an incredible opportunity and experience ahead of these players, they hope to make their country, their families, and the NJCAA proud at Honkbalweek Haarlem 2024.

Follow the livestream above, and tap into Team USA as they look to earn a 15th championship title at Honkbalweek Haarlem.

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