China’s journey at the 2025 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup in Okinawa, Japan, has been challenging, but the team remains determined to build on this experience as they prepare to host the tournament in 2027.
After opening the competition with five consecutive losses—to Chinese Taipei, Germany, Australia, the USA, and Panama—China finished sixth in Group B. They will now compete in the Placement Round alongside teams like Cuba, South Africa, and Italy, aiming to gain valuable experience for the future.
First baseman Hanchen Ou expressed disappointment over the team’s performance. “We aimed for a Super Round spot, but we clearly fell short,” he said. “We couldn’t compete as strongly as we hoped.” Ou, a student at Northcross High School in Virginia, also assists as interpreter for manager Guojun Lai.
Manager Lai was candid about the team’s struggles. “Our pitching needs a lot of work,” he stated. “We have to improve our confidence and ability to throw strikes. Our hitting was okay, but there’s still room to grow.” A former right-handed pitcher who represented China internationally, Lai noted how much the level of competition has advanced since his playing days. “Pitchers today throw much harder, and the international baseball scene is very different now.”
Related News
The team also faces developmental challenges at home. Hanchen Ou pointed out that while many children in China play baseball at the elementary level, fewer continue into middle school, causing a loss of promising talent. “We need to bridge this gap and give young players the opportunity to continue competing as they grow older.”
Ou, who moved to the United States to pursue his baseball career, hopes to play college baseball and shared how his early love for the sport was inspired by a coach in elementary school.
Looking ahead to 2027, China has secured the hosting rights for the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup in Pingtan. Manager Lai is already planning for the future: “Once this tournament ends, we’ll start scrimmages and expand the roster. Our priority is to strengthen our pitching and prepare the best team possible. China is ready to compete on home soil.”
