MLB Draft first pick Travis Bazzana makes Australia's WBSC Premier12 roster

Manager David Nilsson announced World No. 15 Australia's roster for the WBSC Premier12 2024 presented by RAXUS. Every player on the team has professional experience.

Nilsson's coaching staff includes pitching coach Jim Bennett, former MLB pitchers Graeme Lloyd and Josh Spence, Australian Baseball League (ABL) veteran Shayne Watson, Damian Shanaham, ABL Manager of the Year Chris Adamson and Will Bradley.

The 28-player roster by position:

PITCHERS (14) Tim Atherton, Sam Holland, Jon Kennedy, Steve Kent, Josh Guyer, Dan McGrath, Mitch Neunborn, Warwick Saupold, Will Sherriff, Lewis Thorpe, Blake Townsend, Todd Van Steensel, Luke Wilkins, Coen Wynne.
CATCHERS (3) Robbie Perkins, Alex Hall, Ryan Battaglia.
INFIELDERS (6) Rixon Wingrove, Jake Bowey, Travis Bazzana, Jarrid Dale, Robbie Glendinning, Darryl George
OUTFIELDERS (4) Tim Kennelly, Aaron Whitefield, Ulrich Bojarski, Solomon Maguire.
UTILITY (1) Liam Spence

Bazzana, a WBSC U-18 and U-23 Baseball World Cup alum, made history when he became the MLB Draft No. 1 pick. He signed for a US $ 8.95 million bonus with the Cleveland Guardians and played his first professional season at Class A+.

Catchers Perkins and Battaglia, third baseman George, outfielders Kennelly (the team captain) and Whitefield, and pitchers Atherton, Holland, Kennedy, Kent, McGrath, Van Steensel and Wilkins were on the WBSC Premier12 2019 roster.

Perkins, Battaglia, catcher Hall, first baseman Bowey, George, infielders Dale, Glendinning, and Kennelly, outfielder Boiarski, Atherton, Holland, Kennedy, Kent, McGrath, Van Steensel, Wilkins, pitchers Guyer, Neunborn, Saupold, Sheriff, Townsend, and Wynn represented Australia at the World Baseball Classic.

Maguire starred for his country at the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2022.

Whitefield, Saupold, and Thorpe are the three players with Major League Baseball (MLB) experience on the roster. Every other player has Minor League Baseball (MiLB) experience, except for Sheriff, who played for the Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and Wynn, a starter in the ABL.

Australia will compete in Group B and debut on November 13, facing No.1 Japan at the Vantelin Dome Nagoya. Group B includes No. 2 Chinese Taipei, No. 6 Korea, No. 9 Cuba and No. 12 Dominican Republic.

Group B will open on November 9 in Guadalajara and Tepic, Mexico. The hosts and World No. 2 Mexico will face No. 4 Venezuela, No. 5 USA, No. 7 Netherlands, No. 8 Puerto Rico and No. 10 Panama.