Grizzlies' Gushue named to Team USA Premier12 roster

FRESNO, Calif., Nov. 1, 2019 - After playing 74 games for the Grizzlies in 2019, Taylor Gushue will spend his offseason competing in the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) for Team USA. 

 

The U.S. will begin play in Guadalajara, Mexico from November 2-4 as a member of Group A with the Dominican Republic, Mexico and the Netherlands. The top two nations from the group will advance to the Super Round in Tokyo from November 11-16. From there, a pair of quota spots will be given to the top finisher from the Americas territory and Asia/Oceanic territory (excluding host Japan).

 

This is the first opportunity for the United States to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. The 28-man roster is made up of 15 pitchers and 13 position players who are currently not on an MLB 40-man. Gushue is one of three catchers on the team (Erik Kratz and Daulton Varsho).

 

The switch-hitting backstop enters his sixth professional season and third with the Washington Nationals organization. In 2019, the University of Florida product had a career-best .312 batting average, .517 slugging percentage and .875 OPS. Gushue also homered 11 times and drove in 39 runs.

 

Three-time World Series champion Scott Brosius will manage the team. He will be joined by bullpen coach Roly de Armas, hitting coach Phil Plantier, pitching coach Bryan Price, bench coach Willie Randolph and third base coach Ernie Young, who collectively have 21 years of playing and coaching experience with Team USA, winning seven gold medals.

 

To check up on how Taylor Gushue and Team USA are doing, follow @USABaseball on social media or at www.usabaseball.com.

 

 

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