PROGRAM 15, the Official Global Grassroots Player Identification and Development Program for New Balance Baseball, recently announced that the upcoming Future Stars Series International Week will be held September 20-22, 2019 in Boston, MA culminating in games at Fenway Park on September 22nd.
Since 1912, Fenway Park, the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball and home to the Boston Red Sox, has hosted 11 World Series. PROGRAM 15 is proud to announce that Fenway Park will host the main event showdown between the World and National teams on September 22nd during the 2019 New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series International Week.
Jeremy Booth, PROGRAM 15 Founder, CEO and President of Baseball Operations for The New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, says, “I’m excited for this event to move to such an iconic location. With Boston as a home base for New Balance, Franklin, GForm, and All Star along with being a special place in my life’s history, this is appropriate for the signature event of New Balance Baseball and its global grassroots efforts.”
The annual signature event of New Balance Baseball is an invitation-only series featuring international high school talent identified by PROGRAM 15’s National Staff of former Major League Players, Coaches and Scouts through Future Stars Series player development combines, scout days, partner events and national trials.
“Future Stars Series International Week selects the best amateur baseball players from around the world to compete in our own backyard. Our partnership with the Boston Red Sox elevates this event to become a premiere prospect event and we are thrilled to grow the Official Global Grassroots Player Identification program for New Balance Baseball,” said Neil Brooks, Senior Marketing Manager of New Balance Baseball.
The past two years have seen top amateur baseball players from Canada, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Japan, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico (World Team) and USA (National Team) compete head to head during the highly anticipated three-game series.
The inaugural New Balance Future Stars Series International Week was held in 2017 at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, Texas and featured an incredible 14 players who were chosen in the following 2018 MLB Draft, including TWO first round picks, Grayson Rodriguez (11th overall, Baltimore Orioles) and Noah Naylor (29th overall, Cleveland Indians).
The 2018 International Week was held at Camelback Ranch in Glendale Arizona, spring training home of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox. Last year’s annual event featured several players expected to be picked during the upcoming 2019 MLB Draft.
NY Mets Scouting Director, Marc Tramuta stated, “The evaluation staff at PROGRAM 15 has had their credibility tested daily throughout Major League Baseball. Reading their reports and discussing the players with them directly leaves little doubt as to what you’ll be seeing. It’s easy to look forward to the Future Stars Series Events and the players in them.”
The following players have already been selected for the 2019 National and World Team rosters with additional players currently being evaluated for invitations.
NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER
Mick Abel, RHP (Gunderson Baseball) 2018 Returning Player
Max Carlson, RHP (Blizzard) 2018 Returning Player
Nick Griffin, LHP (AR Sticks)
Tink Hence, RHP (AR Sticks)
Hayden Durke, RHP (Team LA)
Michael Brooks, IF (Scorpions) 2018 Returning Player
Tommy Troy, SS (NorCal)
Nate Clow, SS (Giants Scout Team/FTB)
Kyle Russell, SS (New Level Prep)
Dylan Crews, OF (Scorpions)
Braylon Bishop, (2021) CF (AR Sticks)
Tyler Soderstrom, C (NorCal)
Nate Wohlgemuth, RHP (Oklahoma Fuel)
WORLD TEAM ROSTER
Joseph Gonzalez, RHP (PR) 2018 Returning Player
Alex Ayala, LHP (Panama) 2018 Returning Player
Caden Griffin, LHP (CAN)
Luis Hernandez, C/OF (PR)
Luis Gonzalez, C (PR)
Sabin Ceballos, SS/3B (PR)
Peter Vasquez, SS (2021, PR)
Jose Izarra, SS (VZ) 2018 Returning Player
Jessiel Garcia, OF (2021, PR) 2018 Returning Player
Roque Salinas, OF (MEX)
David Calabrese, OF (CAN)
The Future Stars Series is the global initiative between New Balance and PROGRAM 15 to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur baseball players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches.
For the latest Future Stars Series updates and announcements follow @ftrstarsseries on Twitter or visit https://futurestarsseries.com.
ABOUT PROGRAM 15:
PROGRAM 15 boasts a faculty and staff that includes multiple Major League All-Stars and World Series veterans responsible for executing the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series, an initiative between the two organizations to elevate the game of baseball by providing amateur players across all economic levels an opportunity to reach their full potential through the training, development, and guidance of former MLB players, scouts, and coaches. For more information on Program15 and the Future Stars Series, visit www.futurestarsseries.com or @program15bb and @ftrstarsseries on twitter.
ABOUT NEW BALANCE:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. Manufactured in the U.S. for over 75 years and representing a limited portion of our U.S. sales, New Balance Made U.S. is a premium collection that contains a domestic value of 70% or greater. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 6,000 associates around the globe, and in 2017 reported worldwide sales of $4 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com.
