CARY, N.C. — USA Baseball has announced that Rick Eckstein will return to manage the 18U National Team in 2025. Eckstein, who was named the Rod Dedeaux Coach of the Year after leading the 18U squad to a gold medal in 2024, will guide the stars and stripes at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup in Okinawa, Japan.
The assignment will mark the Sanford native’s eighth coaching role with a USA Baseball national team and his second managerial appearance.
“The USA Baseball experience is unique and unlike any other in the amateur baseball landscape,” Eckstein said. “Being surrounded by the best coaches, players, and staff in the world is not an opportunity that I take lightly. I am honored and humbled to be named manager for the 18U National Team and will work hard to ensure that our national anthem is the last song playing on September 14 in Japan.”
“We are excited to bring Rick back as our manager again in 2025," said Brett Curll, 18U National Team Program Director. “Rick’s leadership last summer played a key role in our gold medal and qualification into the World Cup. He will continue to make a big impact on our players and staff as we focus on bringing our 11th world championship home from Japan.”
Eckstein led Team USA to a perfect 8-0 record at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier in Panama City, Panama in 2024. The U.S. won its seventh consecutive gold medal at the tournament, outscoring opponents 58-9 in the eight-game span. Under the watch of Eckstein–a former Major League hitting coach–U.S. hitters batted a tournament-best .280 and reached base at a .398 clip. Eckstein coached three players to spots on the all-tournament team, including Tournament MVP and 2024 Richard W. “Dick” Case Player of the Year Award winner Kayson Cunningham. Team USA’s defense also shined with Eckstein at the helm as the squad committed just four errors–tying for the fewest in a tournament in program history–and posting a .982 fielding percentage, the best of the 13 competing nations.
Following his successful stint with the 18U National Team in 2024, Eckstein joined the Professional National Team coaching staff as the hitting coach for the 2024 Premier12 tournament. In his sixth appearance on the Pro Team staff, he helped lead the stars and stripes to their first bronze medal in Premier12 history. Team USA’s offense ranked second in the tournament in hits (83), runs scored (51), and home runs (12) as Eckstein captured his fifth overall medal. Prior to his stint as hitting coach at the Premier12, Eckstein had previously been a member of the Professional National Team coaching staff on five different occasions. He mainly worked under longtime big-league manager Davey Johnson and helped Team USA collect a trio of medals, including a bronze at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Eckstein was also the bullpen coach for the United States at the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006.
Along with his national team coaching experience, Eckstein has also been deeply involved with USA Baseball’s development programs and educational initiatives. In 2023, he was a coach at the Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) League, 16U/17U National Team Development Program (NTDP), and 18U National Team Training Camp, earning USA Baseball Coach Educator of the Year honors. Eckstein also took home the 2008 “Doc” Counsilman Science Award for his coaching efforts through scientific data and technology.
Eckstein started his coaching career in 1997 when he served as a volunteer assistant coach for the University of Florida following the end of his playing career at the school. In 1999, he joined the Tampa Bay Devil Rays as a bullpen coach and batting practice pitcher before taking the same role with the Minnesota Twins a year later. Eckstein got his first hitting coach position shortly after this, joining the University of Georgia’s coaching staff during the 2002 and 2003 seasons. In the subsequent years, he worked for multiple minor league teams in that role, including the Harrisburg Senators, Vermont Expos, New Orleans Zephyrs, Memphis Redbirds, and Columbus Clippers. He got his first major league coaching role at the end of 2008 with the Washington Nationals, where he served as the hitting coach until the end of the 2013 season. Eckstein joined the Los Angeles Angels as a player information coach in 2014 before returning to the college ranks as an assistant coach for the University of Kentucky, a position he held for two years. After that, he was brought on by the Minnesota Twins as a minor league hitting coordinator and worked in that role from 2016-2018. His most recent big-league coaching position was as the hitting coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates, which he held until the end of the 2021 season.
David Eckstein, Brad Penny, Steve Stone return to Coaching Staff
USA Baseball has announced the return of David Eckstein, Brad Penny, and Steve Stone to the 18U National Team coaching staff. Penny assumes pitching coach duties for the fourth time since 2021, while Eckstein and Stone reprise their roles as assistant coaches.
For the second consecutive year, the trio will join 18U National Team Manager Rick Eckstein in the U.S. dugout. The staff will lead Team USA at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup in Okinawa, Japan, from September 5-14.
“After an extremely successful tournament in 2024, we are thrilled to bring back our entire coaching staff for this year’s World Cup,” said Curll. “Combining elite preparation and knowledge with exceptional experience, this coaching staff checks every box and will continue to be a major asset for our players. All four coaches are in sync and focused on winning a world championship in September.”
David Eckstein will be seeking his third gold medal in as many appearances on an 18U National Team staff. His first gig with the team was in 2015, when he helped lead the U.S. to an 8-1 record and a world title at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup in Osaka, Japan. Returning to the staff last summer, Eckstein assisted in helping Team USA win its seventh consecutive gold medal at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier. Eckstein used years of infield knowledge to guide the U.S. defense to a tournament-high .982 fielding percentage as the team committed just four errors, tying for the fewest in a tournament in program history.
After walking on at the University of Florida and becoming a First-Team All-SEC selection in 1995 and 1996, Eckstein was drafted in the 19th round of the 1997 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox. He made his big-league debut four years later with the Anaheim Angels in 2001, batting .285 with four homers and 41 RBIs en route to finishing fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting. He spent four seasons in Anaheim as the team’s everyday shortstop and won his first World Series in 2002, batting .294 in 16 postseason games. Eckstein then signed with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2005 and had an All-Star season that year, hitting .294 with eight home runs and 61 RBIs. The following season was his most notable as he earned his second consecutive All-Star selection and was named World Series Most Valuable Player after batting .364 in the Fall Classic, including a 4-for-5 performance in a pivotal Game 4. Eckstein played one more season in St. Louis before spending the 2008 season split between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Arizona Diamondbacks. He wrapped up his career with two seasons with the San Diego Padres, batting .263 over the two campaigns while playing second base. Eckstein finished his decade-long career with 1,311 games played and a .280 batting average.
Penny will be Team USA’s pitching coach for the fourth time in five years. He debuted in 2021 when he led the pitching staff to a 1.53 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 59 innings in a seven-game friendship series against Canada. In 2022, Penny guided the pitching staff to a gold medal at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier, where the U.S. posted an 8-0 record and a 2.56 ERA with 65 strikeouts in 52 innings. Team USA was even more dominant at the same tournament in 2024, posting a 1.08 team ERA and allowing just two extra-base hits in 52.0 innings pitched en route to a gold medal. Overall, U.S. arms have a 1.52 ERA in 170 innings pitched with Penny as pitching coach.
Stone will serve as an assistant coach in 2025 for the second straight summer after assisting in the 2024 gold-medal run. Taking on a handful of duties, including third base coach, Stone helped Team USA lead the tournament in runs scored (58) in addition to the team’s .280 batting average. The longtime head coach at Hebron High School in Carrollton, Texas, Stone also boasts USA Baseball coaching experience as an assistant coach at the NTDP in 2023.
Since its inception in 1987, the 18U National Team program has won 10 world championships and 17 overall gold medals. The U.S. has collected 27 total medals at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup, more than any other competing nation. Its most recent gold medal was on its home turf at the 2021 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup in Sarasota, Florida.
Here is the schedule for the 2025 18U National Team:
July 18-22 _ Training Camp (Phase 1) at National Training Complex, Cary, N.C.
August 25-28 _ Training Camp (Phase 2) at National Training Complex, Cary, N.C.
September 5-14 _ WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup at Okinawa Cellular Stadium, Okinawa, Japan.
