Star Adrix Paradiso and veteran Lisandra Berrios will lead a team including four rookies.

Manager Joey Solá worked with over 150 players and confirmed this was the first of many events to identify talent.

The National Team Championships in Arizona and North Carolina and the National Team Identification Series served to form a pre-selection of 44. Manager Rob Shabansky chose the final roster after a five-day camp at the USA Baseball Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.

Las Tunas swept Industriales in the final series to succeed Granma. Stellar pitcher Keniel Ferraz earned postseason MVP honours.

Manager Eddie Gonzalez said: "We have looked for players who can cover different positions."

Former Olympic bronze medallist and MLB World Series 2002 MVP Troy Glaus was among the parents who travelled to Tainan City, Taiwan, to watch their children play in the WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup. While witnessing the US successfully defend their World Title, Glaus took the time to share his thoughts about youth baseball and international tournaments with the WBSC.

Five teams finished with a 3-4 record behind Toritos del Cayey and Piratas de Cabo Royo. The other two semifinalists will emerge from a three-team tournament played through Sunday, 13 August.

The partnership, the first to be implemented between WADA and a sports federation in Puerto Rico, aims to promote fair play and raise awareness of clean sports by implementing doping control in the Double-A Superior Baseball League.