Ankeny Centennial junior pitcher Joey Oakie has been named to the 72-man roster for the 2023 16U/17U National Team Development Program (NTDP), USA Baseball has announced.
Oakie will leave on Tuesday for Cary, N.C., where the NTDP will be held from Wednesday through Saturday at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.
“I knew this would be a possibility based upon my rankings, and I was hopeful that it would happen because it has always been a dream to represent the USA,” said Oakie. “I was actually invited to the PDP league in June which was for the top 100 kids in my class to earn a spot on Team USA, but I was unable to do it because of our high school season. Fortunately, because I am young for my grade, they allowed me to participate in the NTDP which still provides a path for me to participate in Team USA this fall in Taiwan.”
Oakie compiled a 7-3 mark with a 1.13 ERA this season, racking up 91 strikeouts in just 49 2/3 innings while leading the Jaguars to a school-record 30 victories. He also batted .341 with one home run and 20 RBIs.
The announcement of the 72-man roster comes following the conclusion of the National Team Championships in Arizona and North Carolina, which serve as primary identification events for the NTDP.
The National Team Development Program offers the nation’s top athletes an opportunity to connect with USA Baseball coaches, task force, and national team staff to better prepare for a future national team experience. Participants will take part in skill development sessions, off-field educational seminars, and a series of intrasquad games to assist in the development of the athletes as both a player and a person.
“It is our honor to welcome this talented group of players to Cary for this year’s National Team Development Program,” said Jim Koerner, USA Baseball’s Director of Player Development. “Our task force has worked hard this summer to identify the best fits for this program, and we are extremely excited to work with these outstanding athletes. We look forward to continuing the development of these players this week as the National Team Development Program continues to serve as an important piece of the gold medal process.”
The roster is highlighted by eight players from last summer’s world champion 15U National Team, which won gold at the 2022 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-15 Baseball World Cup in Hermosillo, Mexico. All-World Team members Andrew Costello, Coy James (MVP) and Ethan Holliday reunite along with Brady Ebel, Chandler Hart, Jack McKernan, Brady Murrietta and Dane Perry. 2021 15U National Team member Zach Strickland also represents the 15U program on this summer’s NTDP roster.
Twenty-six different states are represented on the 2023 NTDP roster. California leads all states with 19 representatives, while Texas follows with 17. In total, 50 players on the 72-man squad are committed to Power Five universities.
Oakie, who has committed to Iowa, is one of two Iowans on the roster. Sean Gamble of Des Moines, a Class of 2025 prospect who attends IMG Academy, will also participate.
