Future Elite Baseball

Halas was ultimately selected to the final 14U National Team roster. He’s the first 14U player from Illinois to make a USA National Team. He practiced with the team in Cary before leaving with the USA 14U National Team departed for San Felipe, Venezuela to compete in this year’s 2011 COPABE A/14U Pan-American Championships. Halas was a key contributor in the outfield and on the mound to his team’s run to a gold medal. Halas finished with a .400 batting average for the tournament while hitting two home runs in the team’s undefeated 8-0 tournament record. Halas would later go 2 for 2 at the plate and was hit by a pitch in the USA 12-2 victory over the host Venezuela in the championship game.

He says it’s a memory he’ll never forget. “It’s an awesome feeling to wear USA across your chest and an honor to represent my country and be part of the USA Baseball family! It’s something I hope to be part of for years to come!”

Halas, who recently started his freshman year at St. Rita High School in Chicago, was invited and returned to North Carolina Sept. 10 to tryout for the 2012 16U National Team. Tyler was one of four players from this year’s 14U National Team invited to participate in this year’s 15U NTIS. The 14-year-old also played on the USA Stars 15U team that weekend for a shot at making the 2012 16U National Team Trials. Either way, Tyler will return next September at the NTIS when it will be his age group again. He will also try out for the 2013 16U National Team and another run at the gold medal.