The 16-Under National Team has received an unprecedented three major awards from USA Baseball, based in Durham, N.C.
Alex Bregman
Photo courtesy of Brian Fleming Photography
Second baseman
Alex Bregman, a junior at Albuquerque Academy (N.M.), was named the Richard W. "Dick" Case Player of the Year.
Past Player of the Year winners have included the likes of Justin Smoak, Stephen Strasburg, Ryan Zimmerman and Ben Sheets.
Bregman had been named MVP in October while leading the USA to a 9-0 record and its fifth consecutive championship during the COPABE Pan American Youth Championships in Mexico. He led the tourney in batting average (.564) and runs scored (17) and also drove in 17 runs.
Eric Kibler
Photo courtesy of Brian Fleming Photography
The 5-foot-10, 170-pound junior already is a two-time, first-team all-state player in New Mexico and last spring sparked the Chargers to a state title.
The 16-Under squad also was named USA Baseball's Team of the Year and manager Eric Kibler was named Coach of the Year. Last spring Kibler led Horizon (Scottsdale, Ariz.) to the Class 5A state title for the sixth time. He joins a select group which includes Davey Johnson and Tommy Lasorda.
Bregman and Kibler are the first youth team members (ages 18 and under) ever to be so honored.
