Luke Ritter, a former baseball standout at Wichita State University, has been chosen by USA Baseball to represent the country at the upcoming WBSC Premier12 tournament. This tournament will showcase the top 12 baseball nations worldwide. Ritter is one of 13 position players selected for the 28-man roster, which includes prospects not currently on Major League Baseball’s 40-man rosters. The team will travel to Mexico in early November to compete in Guadalajara and Tepic from November 9 to 14. The top two teams from the six-team group will advance to the final round in Tokyo, Japan, scheduled for November 21 to 24.
Ritter expressed his excitement about the opportunity. “It is an honor for me personally to be able to represent my country,” he said. “The fact that I get to do it while playing baseball, which I also love, is just awesome. When I got the call and they told me I made the team, it was just pure joy about the opportunity.”
Since graduating from WSU in 2019 and being drafted in the seventh round by the New York Mets, Ritter has climbed through the organization. Many Mets fans are eager to see him in the majors, especially after he hit 27 home runs during the 2023 season. This season, he hit 26 home runs and achieved a career-high 93 RBIs at Triple-A Syracuse.
After witnessing the Mets reach the National League Championship Series earlier this season, the 27-year-old hopes to help the team make it further in 2025. “I’ve definitely learned a lot and grown as a player, and the Mets have been great with their development of me,” Ritter stated. “I feel like I’m closer than I’ve ever been to the majors. I’ve had a couple of good seasons, and I feel like I’m living my dream right now getting to play baseball for a living. I’m going to keep working toward my dream of being a major-league player. No matter the day of the year, whether it’s the offseason or playing for Team USA or the Syracuse Mets, I’m going to work hard to become the best baseball player I can be.”
Ritter hopes the Team USA experience will be a springboard for his career. When national team scouts contacted him in September, he reached out to former WSU teammate Alec Bohm, who played for Team USA in 2019. Bohm’s advice was clear: “When they call, you go play for them.”
Ritter noted, “He spoke highly of the experience and all the relationships and memories he made. It’s going to be nice to play in meaningful games where the purpose is to win. It means more to play for your country. I’m excited about the travel, the competition, and the whole experience. I’ve never played outside the country before, and it will be great to be around so many talented players from whom I can learn.”
Ritter played for the Shockers from 2016 to 2019 and was a two-time all-conference player. In his junior year, he batted .341 with six home runs and 31 RBIs. He improved his draft stock in his senior year with a .333 average, nine home runs, 40 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases.
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