USA Baseball National Team Identification Series
Team North Atlantic Will Compete At The USA Baseball NTIS Regional Championship in Cary, N.C. with the opportunity to play for their country.
The 2013 USA Baseball National Team Identification Series (NTIS) will consist of three separate age groups -- 17U, 16U and 14U. The program will once again feature a women's division which will consist of a total of 60 players. The 17U and 16U events will be held Aug. 22-25, 2013, at the USA Baseball National Training Complex. The 14U and women's events will be held Sept. 5-8, 2013, at the USA Baseball National Training Complex and adjoining Thomas Brooks Park, respectively.
The three age groups (17U, 16U, 14U) within the 2013 event will be divided based on 2014 National Team and National Team Development Program (18U NT, 17U NTDP, 15U NT) aspirations. The women's division will consist of 16U players who have future Women's National Team aspirations. As per international guidelines, players competing in the NTIS in the three age groups and women's division must conform to the following:
• 2013 17U NTIS: born on or after Jan. 1, 1996, for the 2013 18U NT
• 2013 16U NTIS: born on or after Jan. 1, 1997, for the 2013 17U NTDP
• 2013 14U NTIS: born on or after Jan. 1, 1999, for the 2013 15U NT
• 2013 Women's 16U NTIS: born on or after Jan. 1, 1997, for the 2013 WNT
From the three age groups, USA Baseball will name a minimum of eight players to the 2014 18U National Team Trials; a minimum of eight players to the 2014 17U National Team Development Program (17U NTDP); and a minimum of 16 players to the 2014 15U National Team Trials.
Roster spots for the women's division of the NTIS will be filled via open registration. Players will be divided into two to four teams following the onsite skills evaluation. Each team will play a total of four seven-inning games over the course of the event, with the first game for each team being a coach-pitched simulation game. A minimum of three age-eligible players will earn an invitation to the 2014 USA Baseball Women's National Team Trials.
Activities for the 17U and 16U event will start on Thursday afternoon, Aug. 22, and will be scheduled to finish by mid-day on Sunday, Aug. 25. 14U and Women's NTIS activities will begin Thursday afternoon, Sept. 5, and will conclude by mid-day on Sunday Sept. 8. Each team within the 17U, 16U and 14U age groups will play a total of three nine-inning games. The NTIS will present all participating athletes with great national exposure as well as an opportunity to develop their skills through an unparalleled baseball experience.
Of the participating organizations in the event, 15 of the 16 teams within each age group will be organized on a "regionalized club team" basis, similar to the USA Baseball National Team Championship events (formerly known at the USA Junior Olympic Baseball Championships). Existing baseball programs which have previously entered teams into the USA Baseball Championships and the 2011 and 2012 NTIS have been selected to fill these slots with entry fees defraying some of the costs of the event and the 2014 USA Baseball 18U, 17U NTDP and 15U National Teams. As with the USA Baseball Championships, these various baseball programs will be responsible for identifying and selecting 18-player teams which will participate in the event.
Similar to the USA Baseball Tournament of Stars, USA Baseball will select one of the 16 teams within each age group -- as "at-large teams." USA Baseball will rely on its National Member Organizations, existing events and other entities, as well as its established athlete database to identify players for the USA Baseball at-large team in each age group (three total). As part of this initiative, USA Baseball will encourage the inclusion of all athletes when filling roster spots for the at-large teams.
NTIS Features:
• Identification opportunity for the 2014 USA Baseball 18U National Team Trials; all players must be born 1996 or later.
• Identification opportunity for the 2014 USA Baseball 17U National Team Development Program; all players must be born 1997 or later.
• Primary identification opportunity for the 2014 USA Baseball 15U National Team Trials; all players must be born in 1999 or later.
• Identification opportunity for the 2014 USA Baseball Women's National Team Trials; all players must be born in 1997 or later.
• Individual skills testing.
• 17U, 16U, and 14U teams will play three nine-inning games.
• Women's teams will play four seven-inning games.
• To be announced guest speakers.
• Participants will receive a USA Baseball National Team Trials style uniform.
• College and university coaches and professional scouts will be in attendance.
• Event held at the USA Baseball National Training Complex -- the home of Team USA.
NTIS Rules and Regulations:
Field dimensions for the USA Baseball NTIS are as follows:
17U: 60-foot mound, 90-foot bases
16U: 60-foot mound, 90-foot bases
14U: 60-foot mound, 90-foot bases*
Women's: 54-foot mound, 80-foot bases
*14U field dimensions may vary at regional tryouts
Bat regulations for the NTIS and all regional tryouts can be found here.
NTIS Schedule*:
Men's events: 17U and 16U
Thursday, Aug. 22, 2013
3-6 p.m.: Player registration
7 p.m.: NTIS Symposium
Friday, Aug. 23, 2013
8 a.m.-9:30 p.m.: Individual skills testing/evaluation/games
Saturday, Aug. 24, 2013
8 a.m.-8 p.m.: Games
Sunday, Aug. 25, 2013
8 a.m.-4 p.m.: Games
*Schedule is tentative and is subject to change
14U
Thursday, Sept. 5, 2013
3 p.m.-6 p.m.: Player registration
7 p.m.: NTIS Symposium
Friday, Sept. 6, 2013
8 a.m.-9:30 p.m.: Individual skills testing/evaluation/games
Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013
8 a.m.-8 p.m.: Games
Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013
8 a.m.-4 p.m.: Games
*Schedule is tentative and is subject to change
Women's events
Thursday, Sept. 5, 2013
3 p.m.-6 p.m.: Player registration
7 p.m.: NTIS Symposium
Friday, Sept. 6, 2013
8 a.m.-12 p.m.: Individual skills testing/evaluation
1 p.m.-2:30 p.m.: Teams selected/equipment distribution
3 p.m.: Team meeting
4 p.m.: Warm-up for simulated game
5 p.m.: Simulated game
Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013
8 a.m.-8 p.m.: Games
Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013
8 a.m.-4 p.m.: Games
*Schedule is tentative and is subject to change
How to get involved:
For general information on the NTIS, please email . To register a player, click here.
