Keegan Schultz Selected To USA Baseball Midwest All-Region Team

Keegan Schultz competes at tryouts.

Keegan Schultz is getting a great 16th birthday present. 

Schultz, an Altamont High School baseball player, will be heading to Carey, North Carolina on his birthday, August 9, to compete on the 16U USA Baseball Midwest All-Region Baseball Team.

"We had an email sent to us on February 2 with an invite to Romeoville where a closed tryout to the public would be held at Quarry Fieldhouse," said Keegan's dad Kevin. "This would be Round 1 of tryouts for the 16U Midwest NTIS (National Team Identification Series). We accepted."

USA Baseball is the national governing body for amateur baseball. USA Baseball governs more than 15.6 million amateur players in ballparks and playgrounds across the country. The 16U/17U National Team Develoment Program serves as an educational and training program for the top talent in the age groups from across the country. Players take part in skill-development sessions, listen to various guest speakers and compete in intrasquad games. The goal of the NTDP is to better develop these players and prepare them for future national team opportunities.

Schultz was selected to the 16U USA Baseball Midwest All-Region Team. With that said, Schultz will compete with the hopes of making a USA National Team.

"Keegan had to be invited to get involved," said Kevin. "He must have been seen or recomended by someone involved with USA Baseball."

According to USA Baseball, the roster decisions are based upon many factors. One key factor is testing and measurement. They test in the 30 yard dash (speed), exit velocity (hitting), run and gun (throwing velocity), pop times (catchers), fastball velocity (pitchers), and a med ball toss (test of core strength and athleticism). The best players in the Midwest Region will be in the top 10% of candidates in all or most of these categories. Roster decisions are based upon many factors. One key factor is testing and measurement. They test in the 30 yard dash (speed), exit velocity (hitting), run and gun (throwing velocity), pop times (catchers), fastball velocity (pitchers), and a med ball toss (test of core strength and athleticism). The best players in the Midwest Region will be in the top 10% of candidates in all or most of these categories.

The second factor is performance in live batting practice, defensive showcase, and live game competition. The best players in the Midwest Region can hit for both average and power, excel defensively in their primary position, and demonstrate both talent and consistency in game competition. Finally, they do their best to look at the “intangibles,” including attitude and effort, hustle, character, etc.  In some circumstances, they actually reach out to club team coaches, high school coaches, etc. to get feedback on these “intangibles."

Keegan first attended Illinois Round 1 Identification Series in Romeoville in Feburary. A few weeks later he was notified he would be advancing to Round 2 Tryouts for USA Baseball's Midwest All-Reigon Team. That tryout was in Rantoul in late June.  A few weeks later, Keegan received his official invitational.

"It's an honor to be selected to showcase my talents at the USA Baseball Complex in front of universities, scouts and Major League Baseball scouts," said Keegan. "The ultimate goal is to be selected on the USA National Team (Stars & Stripes).

"My short term goal is to help my local high school compete this upcoming season and my long-term goals are to play baseball at the collegiate level and see what God has planned aferwards."

Keegan will be going to the National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina to compete for the Champions Cup against the best of the best from the other regions across the country. The event runs from Wednesday, August 10 through Sunday, August 14.