Olympic Qualifying If you haven't heard, baseball and softball are making comebacks for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. It will be the first time the sports will be represented in the games since 2008. Team USA is currently competing in the "Super Round" of the World Baseball Softball Confederation
Olympic Qualifying
If you haven't heard, baseball and softball are making comebacks for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. It will be the first time the sports will be represented in the games since 2008.
Team USA is currently competing in the "Super Round" of the World Baseball Softball Confederation Premier 12 tournament in Japan. The tournament hosts the top 12 baseball countries as ranked by an international point system. The remaining teams include USA, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Australia and Chinese Taipei.
The event gives the United States their first shot at qualifying for the 2020 games. Team USA advanced out of the opening round held in Mexico with a 2-1 group record defeating the Dominican Republic and Netherlands but falling to Mexico.
There are six spots to be had in the 2020 games, two are already accounted for. Japan being the host country, has an automatic bid. Team Israel qualified earlier this year by winning the Africa/Europe qualifying event.
In order to qualify out of the 2019 WBSC Premier 12, the United States would need to finish above Mexico in the standings earning them a spot representing the Americas. If the U.S. fails to qualify this go around, there will be two more chances in the new year at the Americas Qualifying Event and the Final Qualifying Event with dates notes yet announced.
At the time of publishing, Team USA is currently 2-2 in the WBSC Premier 12 dropping their first contest of the second round to Korea on November 11. The club has three remaining games in the second round against Japan (Nov. 12, 5 a.m. EST), Australia (Nov. 12, 10 p.m. EST), and Chinese Taipei (Nov. 15, 10 p.m. EST).
Future Ace: Daulton Varsho
As it stands today, Olympic baseball teams are comprised of players not on Major League 40-man rosters meaning the field is littered with current and future Pacific Coast League talent you could see in the Biggest Little City as early as next season
Representing Team USA from the Arizona Diamondbacks is catcher/outfielder, Daulton Varsho. Varsho had a fantastic season in Double-A Jackson a season ago compiling a .301 average over 108 games to go with 18 home runs, 25 doubles, four triples, 58 RBIs, and 85 runs scored while getting on-base at a .378 mark and slugging .520.
(Pam Dietz)
Varsho's numbers were good enough to earn him the organization's Minor League Player of the Year in 2019 presented by Baseball America.
The son of former Major Leaguer, Gary Varsho, was a 2017 second round pick out of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. MLB Pipeline ranks him as the Arizona Diamondbacks' No. 5 overall prospect.
"Varsho has a bright future in the big leagues with his bat, athleticism and baseball IQ," MLB Pipeline states on their prospect ranking list.
It is this writer's intuition we will see Varsho in Reno at some point next season launching baseballs over the family berm in right field, but how long we get to witness that…that will be up to the D-backs.
Currently, Varsho is 1-for-10 during a a short four-game sample size with a double and two runs scored this Fall while designated hitting and catching for Team USA.
(Pam Dietz)
Pacific Coast League Friends
There are a number of players on Team USA that fans at Greater Nevada Field have either seen or will see play the Aces in 2020.
Fresno Grizzlies (Washington Nationals)
Taylor Gushue - The 2014 fourth round pick out of Florida saw plenty of action against Reno in 2019. The switch-hitting catcher batted .286 (6-for-21) over six games with two doubles, three RBIs, and two runs scored. Overall, Gushue put together a solid campaign for Fresno batting .312 over 74 games last season. He's 0-for-1 thus far in one game played for Team USA.
Las Vegas Aviators (Oakland Athletics)
Parker Dunshee - The 2017 seventh round pick out of Wake Forest threw three times against the Biggest Little City last season. The righty was 0-1 with a 3.57 ERA while tossing 17.2 innings for the Aviators. He struck out 14 batters and held Reno hitters to a .215 batting average against. He is ranked as the organizations No. 24 prospect according to MLB Pipeline. Dunshee hasn't allowed an earned run in 2.1 IP for Team USA during qualifying.
Mark Payton - Payton was not kind to the Aces in 2019. The lefty was a valuable part to a great Las Vegas offensive attack batting .347 (17-for-49) over 14 games played. Payton added three home runs, 11 RBIs, and 10 runs scored to add insult to injury. The former University of Texas standout hit .334 with 30 home runs and drove in 97 RBIs overall for the Aviators last season and was named Pacific Coast Player of the Week two separate times. Payton is 2-for-8 with a home run during qualifying so far.
Omaha Storm Chasers (Kansas City Royals)
Daniel Tillo - The Aces did not see Tillo last year but are likely to in 2020. The 6-foot-5 lefty is a former Mr. Basketball for the state of Iowa proving his athleticism. On the mound, his fastball can reach upper 90s and may be an arm the Kansas City Royals test out in the near future. In 2019 split between High-A and Double-A, Tillo threw 130.2 innings racking up 85 strikeouts to go with a 3.72 ERA. Tillo is Kansas City's No. 30 rated prospect. The lefty has not allowed a run in 1.2 IP for Team USA so far.
Salt Lake Bees (Los Angeles Angels)
Jo Adell - Adell is the cream of the crop coming in as the No. 5 overall rated prospect in all of baseball according to MLB Pipeline. A rare combo of size and speed, Adell was a first-round pick in 2017 by the Los Angeles Angels. His advanced set of skills has catapulted him to Triple-A in just 224 games played since being drafted. The Aces saw Adell for six games last year holding him relatively in check for a .269 average (7-for-26) to go with two doubles, three RBIs, and six runs scored. He is a player that you could eventually seeing playing in the outfield next to Mike Trout in the big leagues very shortly. For Team USA, he's 7-for-18 with a home run, a double, and three RBIs scored.
San Antonio Missions (Milwaukee Brewers)
J.P. Feyereisen - Reno did not see Feyereisen last year as he was acquired from the New York Yankees after the Missions and Aces already met. However, he put together a great season out of the bullpen for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2019 posting a 10-2 record over 40 games pitched to go with a 2.49 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 61.1 IP. He has given up three runs in his only appearance for Team USA this fall.
Clayton Andrews - Andrews was drafted out of Long Beach State in 2018 and reached Double-A by 2019, an impressive feat. The Aces obviously did not see Andrews last season but at the rate he is ascending through the Brewers' system it's not out the question Reno faces him in 2020. The lefty was 3-0 for Double-A Biloxi in 2019 compiling a 2.59 ERA over 31.1 IP to go with 33 strikeouts. He is the club's No. 30 rated prospect. Andrews has not allowed a run in 3.2 IP for Team USA during qualifying.
Tacoma Rainiers (Seattle Mariners)
Wyatt Mills - Mills is another pitcher the Aces did not see last year but will have a good chance to this season. The righty is the No. 20 rated prospect in the Seattle organization according to MLB Pipeline. He was 4-2 for Double-A Arkansas in 2019 with a 4.27 ERA in 41 games out of the bullpen. The 2017 third-round pick out of Gonzaga has allowed two earned runs over 2.2 IP for Team USA so far.
Penn Murfee - Murfee made it to Triple-A for five games (none against Reno) in 2019 and did not fair well posting a 10.38 ERA in 8.2 innings pitched. However, it takes time for pitchers to adjust to the offensive juggernaut of the PCL and you'd expect the righty to bounce back. He was solid for High-A Modesto recording a 5-5 record and 3.07 ERA to go with 136 strikeouts over 102.2 IP prior to his call-up. Murfee allowed four runs in his only appearance for Team USA so far.
