(Andy Morales/AllSportsTucson.com)
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USA Baseball was in town Thursday afternoon to conduct the Southwest Region of the National Team Identification Series (NTIS). The tryout, held at the Kino Sports Complex, was for the 15U, 16U and 17U National Teams.
According to USA Baseball, “These identification tryouts will be a blend of a combine style format and college level practice. Workouts will include a 60-yard run, defensive skills assessment, batting practice, home to 1B times, pop times and arm velocities. Pitchers will perform a 20-25 pitch bullpen as well as pitchers fielding practice (PFP) and other team oriented defensive drills.”
About 20 standouts from the region took part in the tryout which was only the first round of the identification process.
Round two consists of:
“The top 18 15U and top 18 16U players from the various identification tryouts will be selected to represent Team Southwest and advance to the USA Baseball NTIS Tournament at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, NC on August 17-20, 2017.
The top 10 17U players will also represent Team Southwest and be invited to a 4-day development event at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, NC on August 24-27, 2017. This event will feature a pro-style instructional format inclusive of game play as well as on field instruction break-out sessions with Team USA coaching staff.”
The players should know sometime in July if they made it to Round 2.
The Southwest Region includes Arizona, New Mexico, Southern Nevada and West Texas.
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Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014 and he was awarded the Ray McNally Award in 2017 and he has been a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. His own children have won multiple state high school championships and were named to all-state teams. Competing in hockey, basketball, baseball and track & field in high school, his unique perspective can only be found here and on AZPreps365.com. Andy was named a Local Hero by the Tucson Weekly for 2016. Contact Andy Morales at AMoralesMyTucson@yahoo.com
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