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Youngest of talented Rivero brothers on USA Baseball 12U tryout roster for World Cup

By Javier Morales

Posted on June 22, 2025

*Dariel Rivero of Tucson holds the invitation letter from USA Baseball to try out this week for the 12U national team that will compete in the World Cup in Taiwan later this summer (Rivero photo)*

Dariel Rivero, the youngest of the accomplished Rivero baseball brothers, was announced Sunday by USA Baseball as having a tryout roster spot for the 12U national team that will play in the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-12 Baseball World Cup in Tainan, Taiwan, from July 25 to Aug. 3.

Dariel, a catcher and right-handed pitcher, is one of 36 players listed for the 2025 12U National Team Training Camp, following the completion of the 11U Futures Invitational. The training camp will be held Monday through Friday at Thomas Brooks Park in the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.

Carlo Rivero, a shortstop and right-handed pitcher, earned a spot on the 12U national team last summer and eventually became the MVP of the WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier in Panama City, Panama. He batted .478 with 14 RBIs and two home runs and also was 2-0 without allowing an earned run with 14 strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings in the event.

Carlo has received an invitation to try out for the 15U national team next month despite being only 13. He recently participated in the 13U Champs NC event at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.

“It feels like I’m developing more and getting better as I go,” Carlo is quoted as saying at the USA Baseball web site. “These days are about improving overall and just keeping on that path.”

*Francisco Rivero participated in the Southern Arizona Underclassmen All-Star Game earlier this month at the Kino Sports Complex (Andy Morales/AllSportsTucson.com)*

The eldest brother, Francisco Rivero Jr., also has international experience, taking part in an MLB international draft academy for a couple of years in Venezuela before returning to Tucson last fall. The Class of 2026 standout played catcher with Canyon Del Oro and instantly became one of the top prospects in the state, earning the 5A Conference Offensive Player of the Year (batting .484 with 14 doubles, eight home runs, and 40 RBIs in 95 at-bats).

Francisco Sr. and his wife Lore are ardent supporters of their sons, traveling to their national and international events. The elder Francisco, who coaches Carlo and Dariel with the Scottsdale Dirtbags club team, hails from Venezuela and was a farmhand in the Milwaukee Brewers organization as a right-handed pitcher.

*Francisco Sr. and Lore Rivero with their sons Dariel and Carlo (not pictured, Francisco Jr., a Class of 2026 standout with Canyon del Oro) (Rivero photo)*

“Since we came here the first time in 2023 (with Carlo), we describe USA Baseball as one of the legit platforms,” Francisco Sr. said in an article on the USA Baseball web site. “They’re teaching the fundamentals and the basics that the players are going to need in the future to move on in this sport. So, we love this and we just commit to being here every single time that we can.”

After the final day of training camp for Dariel on Friday, USA Baseball will name the final 18-player roster that will compete in the World Cup in Taiwan.

Over the five-day training camp, players will compete in a series of workouts, practices, and intrasquad scrimmages. In order for coaches and task force to evaluate the field, players will be split into two groups for a four-game Stars vs. Stripes series, designed to help evaluate player performance in competitive gameplay.