Team USA

White Sox Prospects to Represent Team USA as Road to Olympics Begins

The tournament is the first opportunity for Team USA to qualify for the Olympics

Baseball will make its return to the Summer Olympics in 2020, and a pair of Chicago White Sox prospects will look to help Team USA punch their tickets to Tokyo in the Premier12 tournament next month.

The American roster was officially set Thursday for the tournament, which features 12 of the best baseball teams in the world competing across several continents.

2019 first round pick Andrew Vaughn was named as one of the players on the roster, which will kick off its competition on Nov. 2 in group play against The Netherlands. The Cal graduate appeared in 55 games in the White Sox system this season, hitting six home runs and driving in 36 RBI’s in those contests.

Vaughn will be joined in Mexico by fellow Sox prospect Tyler Johnson, who has had a banner week after being named to the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game.

Johnson had a solid season for the White Sox in their minor league system, appearing in 22 games and posting a 2.87 ERA. He has had a strong season so far in Arizona Fall League play, throwing five scoreless innings for the Glendale Desert Dogs.

The players will join their 26 teammates in Surprise, Arizona for a training camp before departing for Mexico for the opening round of the tournament. The top two teams from group play will head to Tokyo for the Super Round, where the U.S. will have an opportunity to clinch a berth in the Tokyo Olympics.

Former New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who is currently being considered as a candidate for the Chicago Cubs’ open managerial position, will helm the American squad.

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