Two local high school baseball players were selected to the USA Baseball 44-man 16U/17U National Team Development Program, following the completion of the 2021 National Team Championships in Arizona and North Carolina.
Ryan Speshyock of Dos Pueblos and Cole Schoenwetter of San Marcos will take part in the NTDP at the USA Baseball Training Complex in Cary, N.C., Aug. 6-9.
Both players are entering their junior years this fall. They are right-handed pitchers and play infield positions. Speshyock has committed with Oregon State and Schoenwetter with UCSB.
The 16U/17U NTDP will include a Stars and Stripes intrasquad series, during which coaches and evaluators at the event will assess the 44 participating athletes. The program will also include skill development sessions, off-field educational seminars, and exposure to professional scouts, college recruiters, and USA Baseball staff and national team coaches.
“We are excited to bring this incredibly talented group of players to North Carolina for this year’s National Team Development Program,” said Brett Curl, USA Baseball Director of Baseball Operations, in a press release. “These young athletes impressed our staff and scouts with their skill and character throughout the summer and we are looking forward to providing them with an opportunity to continue to develop both on and off the field.”
The roster features players that were selected from this year’s National Team Championships in Arizona and North Carolina as well as through recommendations from scouts, coaches, and the amateur baseball community. The program will be used to further connect identified athletes with the USA Baseball staff to better prepare and develop the athletes for future USA Baseball national team experiences.
— Noozhawk sports editor Barry Punzal can be reached at bpunzal@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk Sports on Twitter: @NoozhawkSports. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.