Prep Baseball Report

How Did N.J. Players Perform for Team USA at the Pan-Am Games?


TJ Hunt
Director, PBR New Jersey

CHITRE, PANAMA -- The Team USA 18U Pan-Am games just wrapped up in Panama, with the Americans taking home the Gold Medal in decisive fashion.

Two members of this year’s team were from New Jersey are ranked No. 1 and No. 3 in the 2019 class. Oh, and by the way, they go to the same high school.

Vanderbilt recruit, INF Anthony Volpe (Delbarton HS, NJ) was a mainstay in the No. 3 hole in the lineup for Team USA, and rightfully so. The senior right-handed hitter batted .459 in the tournament (17-37) with 17 runs scored, 17 hits, 14 RBI, 3 BB, and 4 2B’s to boot. He was also 6-7 in stolen base attempts. Volpe joined the likes of No. 1 overall ranked 2019 player and probable first rounder in 2019, Bobby Witt, Jr. in igniting the Team USA offense.

The offense pounded out 125 total hits over the course of the nine-game affair, posting a staggering 131 total runs. The offense had over 10 hits in all nine games - producing a high of 19 in the championship game, which they won 17-2 over Team Panama.

Judging by the aforementioned numbers, the pitching surely wasn’t anything to bat and eye at, either. The staff, led by Volpe’s current high school teammate and Vanderbilt recruit RHP Jack Leiter, allowed just 27 total runs in nine contests and just 50 hits. The pitching held the opposing team to three hits or under in three of the games –– one-hitting the opposition in the first two games of the tournament.

Leiter, who started the championship game, was 2-0, hurling 8.0 total innings, allowing just two hits and striking out 20. He did not allow an earned run. In the Championship game, Leiter tossed 4.0 scoreless and fanned nine batters.

Volpe earned All-Tournament honors with his efforts. He was second on the team in hits (17), doubles (4), and runs scored (17).

Congratulations to Anthony and Jack on a job well done!

CLICK HERE for a list of the Cumulative Stats from the event.