USA Baseball Reveals Coaching Staff for 2026 15U National Team

CARY, N.C. – USA Baseball today announced the coaching staff for the 2026 15U National Team, led by Casey Scott, who has been named manager for the second consecutive year. Joining Scott is the same cohort that comprised last year’s 15U National Team coaching staff of pitching coach Drew Briese and assistant coaches Steve Butler and JD Pruitt. After spearheading a gold-medal finish at the 2025 WBSC U-15 Pan American – Central and North America tournament last fall, the staff will help lead Team USA at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-15 Baseball World Cup from September 25-October 4 in Mérida, Mexico.

“We are excited to announce the 15U National Team coaching staff that will compete in a World Cup this September in Mexico,” said 15U National Team Program Director Ben Kelley. “After an incredibly successful showing in last year’s World Cup Qualifier, we are confident this is the right group of men to lead our team as we play for a world title. Year after year, Casey Scott has proven his ability to not only win, but to develop our players as outstanding young men both on and off the field. Having both Drew Briese and Steve Butler, who have previously coached in World Cup formats, brings invaluable experience to the table, while JD Pruitt is a phenomenal mentor who will contribute immensely to our efforts. We are confident this group will uphold USA Baseball’s standard of competing on an international stage as we pursue a World Championship.”

Scott takes the reins after his first stint as manager last September when he led the 15U National Team to an unbeaten record in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. This appointment marks Scott’s fourth consecutive year on staff for the 15U National Team, as he served as pitching coach for both the 2023 and 2024 squads. Historically, Scott’s teams have performed at an elite level. Last year, the squad outscored opponents 42-6 and threw two shutouts. In 2024, Team USA pitchers tossed two no-hitters, allowed zero runs, and struck out 61 batters across 34 innings. The year prior, the U.S. arms boasted a 1.16 ERA with 11 hits allowed over 31 frames.

The two-time national team manager has been involved with USA Baseball in several different capacities. Scott served as pitching coach during the 14U National Team Development Program (NTDP) in 2019, coached at four 15U National Team Training Camps, and has served on USA Baseball’s Task Force at USA Baseball’s National Team Championships in Arizona and North Carolina.

Scott played collegiate ball at State University of New York (SUNY) Brockport for two seasons before kickstarting his coaching career at his alma mater in 2009. After one year with the Golden Eagles, Scott earned the role of assistant coach at SUNY at Cortland, where he coached from 2010-2013. In 2012, Scott also served as the head coach of the Syracuse Jr. Chiefs of the New York Collegiate Baseball League (NYCBL), guiding his team to a title while earning honors as the league’s Coach of the Year. After accepting an assistant coaching gig at Ave Maria University (Ave Maria, Fla.) in 2014, Scott was promoted to skipper just a year later, and proceeded to manage for three seasons. Scott returned to SUNY at Cortland in 2018 before accepting a head coach position at Bishop Verot High School (Fort Myers, Fla.) in 2019. There, Scott amassed a 114-42 record and led Bishop Verot to back-to-back FHSAA 3A state semifinal appearances in 2024 and 2025.

In 2025, Scott made the jump to the collegiate level and was named the director of operations for the University of Virginia baseball program. In his first year on the support staff in Charlottesville, he helped lead the Cavaliers to a 37-23 record and a trip to the Hattiesburg Regional.

Two-time medalist Drew Briese reprises his role as pitching coach in 2026 and brings a wealth of experience to the table. Last year, Briese’s pitching staff owned a tournament-best 1.35 ERA and allowed the fewest hits among all teams. Briese got his start with USA Baseball in 2013, when he served on USA Baseball’s Task Force in addition to coaching at multiple national team development programs. In 2016, Briese earned his first stint on a national team staff, serving as assistant coach for the 15U National Team in a World Cup appearance in Iwaki, Japan. He returned to the 15U National Team as manager in 2022, leading the stars and stripes to its second WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup title in program history.

Briese is currently the head coach at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, where he led the team to a 32-11 record in 2025. Over his 10-year tenure with Centre College, Briese has totaled more than 200 wins and saw multiple players earn All-Region selections. Prior to taking over in Danville, Briese was the assistant coach at Birmingham Southern from 2006-2016, helping lead the Panthers to 10 conference tournament and regular season titles and four straight NCAA Division III Regional appearances.

Four-time assistant coach Steve Butler will return to the program’s dugout for the fifth time in the last six years. Butler also provides valuable World Cup experience, having served as assistant coach under Briese on the 2022 15U National Team. His first stint with Team USA was in 2015 at 14U NTDP before assisting at 15U National Team Training Camps beginning in 2016. Butler’s first experience in a Team USA uniform came in 2021 as an assistant coach with the 15U National Team.

Butler, who is the head coach at Eagan High School (Eagan, Minn.), is also the director of baseball at MASH Baseball – a premier youth baseball academy located in Apple Valley, Minnesota. A native Minnesotan, Butler competed collegiately at Concordia University St. Paul before playing professionally at the independent level as a shortstop for the St. Paul Saints from 2005-2006 and 2008-2010.

Coastal Alabama Community College head coach JD Pruitt rounds out the coaching staff and will make his second stint in a Team USA uniform this autumn. Pruitt is in his third year as head coach at Coastal Alabama, where he has compiled back-to-back winning records in conference play. Previously, Pruitt spent five years as skipper at Spanish Fort High School in Spanish Fort, Alabama.

A native of Alabama, Pruitt was a part of three state championship teams at George W. Long High School (Skipperville, Ala.), before committing to play at Central Alabama Community College. There, he was tabbed as an Academic All-American in 2005 before being drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 23rd round of the First Year Player’s Draft in 2007. Pruitt played for three years in the team’s minor league system before dedicating his efforts to coaching.

The 15U National Team qualified for this year’s World Cup after an unbeaten run in last year’s WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup Central and North America Qualifier, where the stars and stripes posted a 4-0 record. The 15U National Team has won seven gold medals in international competition, medaled in all four World Cup tournaments the program has participated in, and claimed two world titles.

The 15U National Team Training Camp will be held in two phases, with both phases taking place at the National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. Phase 1 will be held from August 6-9, while Phase 2 will be from September 16-18. Both phases will feature intrasquad scrimmages, on-field workouts, and player development. The final 20-player roster will be announced after the last day of Phase 2 Training Camp.

The full 2026 15U National Team schedule can be found HERE. Follow along with the action by following @USABaseball15U on Twitter/X and @USABaseball on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.