Each summer, the Athlete Development Program in Cary, North Carolina, draws the nation’s most promising 13‑ and 14‑year‑old baseball players into an intensive training environment that blends skill refinement with personal development.
Fifty participants are divided into Team Navy and Team Red, competing in a series of games and drills while scouts and coaches evaluate their readiness for the next tier of national team pathways.
Among them, Wyatt Peabody returned for a second year, noting a marked increase in confidence that stems from both technical progress and mental preparation under seasoned staff.
Joshua Pierre, who has grown physically and mentally over the past twelve months, leveraged that momentum to secure a gold medal with the 12U National Team at the 2024 WBSC U‑12 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier, a triumph aided by Coach Josh Ellison’s guidance as Team Red’s manager.
Pierre’s family background adds another layer of inspiration; his father, Juan Pierre, enjoyed a 14‑year Major League career and captured a World Series title with the Marlins in 2003.
Character Development on and off the Field
USA Baseball consistently emphasizes integrity, teamwork, and resilience, traits that coaches like Cooper Hutton — himself a 2024 12U alum — encourage players to display in every practice and game.
The program also serves as a springboard for invitations to 15U and 18U National Team Training Camps, ensuring that the most talented and disciplined athletes receive continued exposure.
Jack Mattingly, a member of the 2024 gold‑medal squad, continues to absorb lessons from USA Baseball’s coaching staff, illustrating how the developmental pipeline nurtures both skill and sportsmanship.
With facilities at the National Training Complex in Cary providing a premier stage, the ADP and its sister programs remain the crucible where raw talent is forged into future leaders of the sport.