Australia national baseball team

Current roster

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of professional baseball match results currently active in the latest version of the WBSC World Rankings, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled. ;Legend

2019

2022

2023

2024

World ranking

In January 2009 the International Baseball Federation created a ranking system so that the nations involved in international competition could be compared independently. Teams receive points based on the position they finish at the end of tournaments. The system takes into account results not only of the senior men's teams but also of junior teams. Weightings that emphasise the importance of certain tournaments are based on the number of teams competing, the number of continents represented (or eligible to be represented), and in the case of continental tournaments such as the Oceania Baseball Championship the relative strength of teams eligible. Only results within the previous four years are used, so points are added and removed over time. Since the system began, the rankings have been adjusted after the completion of tournaments qualifying for the ranking process; the most recent was the 2009 Baseball World Cup.

When the rankings were first introduced, Australia was listed at 10th position. The high-water mark was after the 2009 World Baseball Classic when they were in 9th. The lowest position they have been in the ranking since its inception is 11th. At the end of 2010, Australia had returned to their original position of 10th.

: * – The tournaments that Australia participated in since the previous release of the rankings. :** – Multiple tournaments were held since the previous release of the rankings. : † – Denotes a rankings release that had no tournaments Australia participated in.

International competition

In January 2009 the IBAF, in releasing the first edition of the world rankings, announced the classifications of various tournaments that contributed to the rankings themselves. In doing so, they identified that of the "world" tournaments, there were different levels with differing levels of weighting towards the ranks: major world championships, minor world championships, world qualifying tournaments and continental championships/qualifying tournaments.

Major world championships

There are currently three recognised tournaments that are considered "major" by the IBAF: the World Baseball Classic, the Summer Olympic Games and the Baseball World Cup. Of those, the Summer Olympics will be phased out of the rankings structure, as baseball will no longer be contested as an Olympic event.

World Baseball Classic

Australia has competed in all four editions of the World Baseball Classic. All sixteen teams that played in the 2006 edition were invited to compete in the second in 2009. By virtue of their third-place finish in their first-round pool, Australia qualified compete at the 2013 edition of the WBC.; however, they were eliminated with an 0–3 record and finished in last place overall.

Australia, which has not progressed beyond the first round of competition, achieved its highest finish, 9th, in the 2017 tournament. Unusual for international competition in baseball, the squads selected in the World Baseball Classic tournaments featured players active in Major League Baseball in addition to Minor League, Nippon Professional Baseball and local players. Generally players in the Major Leagues are unavailable for international representative teams due to their contracts with the respective clubs.

2006 (United States)

Prior to formally starting their campaign, Australia played an exhibition game, which they lost, against a Boston Red Sox squad at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers, Florida. This was also the site of their training camp.

Australia competed in Pool D—along with Dominican Republic, Italy and Venezuela—in the first round at Cracker Jack Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The other three teams were able to field a large number of Major League players. Of players born outside the United States on 2006 Major League Opening Day rosters, the Dominican Republic (85) and Venezuela (43) had more than all other countries and between them accounted for more than 57% of foreign-born players in the leagues. Italy is among the top nations in Europe and had access to Italian-American players under the eligibility rules for the tournament. Thus, Australia was considered the underdog in the pool.

Having failed to win any of their round-robin pool games, they finished last in their pool, and were eliminated with Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Italy, Netherlands, Panama and South Africa. The eventual champions were Japan.

2009 (Mexico)

Australia was based in Peoria, Arizona—the site of the Seattle Mariners spring training camp—for their preparation for the formal start of their 2009 campaign. Unlike 2006, in which they had one exhibition game, they competed against three different Major League clubs: the Seattle Mariners, the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago White Sox. Their game against Seattle was Ken Griffey Jr.'s first game playing for the Mariners since October 1999, and was also their first victory as part of a World Baseball Classic tour.

Australia was drawn in Pool B for the 2009 tournament, along with Cuba, Mexico and South Africa, competing at Foro Sol Stadium in Mexico City. After beating Mexico in their opening game, they lost their next two games to Cuba and Mexico, and were eliminated from the tournament. The Australians set a WBC record against Mexico: 22 hits in a single game is more than any other team has achieved in either tournament.

2013 (Taiwan)

In June 2011, it was announced that the field for the 2013 WBC would be expanded to include an additional 12 teams and that a qualifying round would be several months prior to the main tournament. The qualifying tournament involved the 12 newly invited teams, as well as the four lowest-placed teams from the 2009 tournament; all teams who did not win a game. The qualifying tournament broke the teams into four pools of four teams each, which competed in a six-game, modified double-elimination format, similar to the first round of the 2009 tournament, with the winners of the sixth game in each pool proceeding to the main tournament. Australia, having finished 12th after beating Mexico in their first game in 2009, automatically qualified for the main tournament.

The main tournament combined elements of both previous WBC editions. The first round was split all teams into four pools, where the teams competed in a round-robin, as was the case in the 2006 tournament. The second round used the same modified double-elimination format as used in the 2009 tournament and the 2013 qualifying tournament. The final round was contested in the same manner as both previous tournaments: the top two teams from each group in the second round qualifying for the two semi-final matches, the winners of which played in the championship game.

Australia was drawn into Pool B, which was held at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taiwan. In their opener, they fell to host and qualifiers Chinese Taipei, 4–1. They followed up with a 6–0 loss to South Korea before finishing with a 4–1 defeat to the Netherlands.

Pool B Game 1 Game 4 Game 5

† † * † † † † † * * † † * † :* – Player has not played for Australia in international competition prior to 2013 WBC :† – Player did not play for Australia in WBC prior to 2013

2017 (Japan)

Australia went 1–2 in pool play, losing to Cuba for a chance to advance to the second round of the 2017 WBC.

2023 (Japan)

Australia advanced to the WBC quarterfinals for the first time in 2023, defeating the Czech Republic in an elimination game in its final pool game. Cuba defeated Australia in the quarterfinals, 4–3.

2026 (Japan)

Australia will compete against Japan, South Korea, and the Czech Republic in the 2026 WBC in Toyko.

Olympic Games

Main article: Australia national baseball team at the Summer Olympics

Australia was the third nation, after the United States and Sweden, to participate in baseball at the Summer Olympics, making their first appearance at the 1956 Games in Melbourne, and again as part of its demonstration at the 1988 Games in Seoul.

Since baseball was first included as a medal sport at the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Australia has participated in three of the five tournaments. The best result achieved was in the 2004 Games in Athens, where Australia lost the gold medal match to Cuba to receive silver. Their medal tally puts them at 5th, equal to Chinese Taipei.

Australia did not send a team to the 2020 Olympics qualifiers.

World Cup

Main article: Australia at the Baseball World Cup

Australia participated in ten IBAF World Cup tournaments. Its best result was fith, achieved in the two most recent tournaments held—2009 and 2011. At the 2007 tournament, Trent Oeltjen became the first Australian player to be named in a World Cup All Star team, in recognition of his tournament-leading hitting and base-running statistics.

Until 1986, the World Cup was known as the "Amateur World Series". The Amateur World Series only made use of round-robin fixtures, with teams ranked at the end of the tournament. Australia's first appearance was in Italy in 1978. Out of the ten teams to compete, Australia finished 9th ahead of the other debuting team, Belgium.

Beginning with the 1988 tournament, it used the "World Cup" name, with the IBAF recognising the past Amateur World Series winners as World Cup winners. With the change of name came a change in format for the tournament: a round-robin phase, followed by a knockout phase for the top four teams. (Later tournaments would see two pools used in the first phase, and an expanded knockout phase including the top four teams from each pool.) In the "World Cup Era", Australia has reached the final phase four times, finishing 7th in 1998, 6th in 2007 and most recently 5th in 2009 and 2011.

Premier12

Australia came in sixth in the 12-team 2019 WBSC Premier12 tournament{{cite web|url=https://premier12.wbsc.org/en/2019/news/two-nations-from-wbsc-premier12-2019-to-qualify-for-tokyo-2020-olympic-baseball-event

Minor world championships

There are six separate tournaments that the IBAF currently recognises as "minor world championships". Of those, Australia has only participated in one senior tournament: the Intercontinental Cup. (Australia has also participated in the World Junior Baseball Championship and the World Youth Baseball Championship, both of which are also included in the same category for the IBAF rankings.)

Intercontinental Cup

Australia is one of five nations to have won the Intercontinental Cup, winning the 1999 tournament by beating Cuba 4–3 in extra innings in front of a home crowd in Sydney. It was the first time Australia had won an international baseball tournament, and through 2009 the only win outside of the Oceania Baseball Championship. The team enjoyed several individual successes as well:

• Dave Nilsson named tournament MVP, to go along with leading the tournament for runs batted in (12) and being named in the tournament all-star team (as catcher)
• Shayne Bennett led the tournament pitching with the best win–loss record (3–0)
• Adam Burton led the tournament batting with the most runs scored (9)
• Michael Moyle shared the lead in the tournament with Oscar Macias (Cuba), with the most home runs (3)
• two other Australians were selected along with Dave Nilsson in the all-star team: Adrian Meagher (right-handed pitcher) and Michael Moyle (designated hitter)

It was only the third time Cuba had been beaten in the gold medal match in the tournament's history, having reached the tournament decider every time they have participated. Australia also shares another honour with Cuba: of the nine nations to have hosted the tournament, only Australia and Cuba have won as hosts, combining for five tournament wins from five times hosted. (Cuba in 1979, 1987, 1995 and 2002, Australia in 1999.)

Australia first participated in the tournament at the 1981 Intercontinental Cup, managing only one win out of their seven games, finishing 8th. Missing the 1983 Intercontinental Cup, they returned in 1985 to repeat their previous performance: 1 win, 8th-place finish. They would not reappear at the tournament until 1993 where they improved to a 5–4 record to finish in 6th position. Australia's first medal performance at the Intercontinental Cup (and their first medal at a world tournament) was at the 1997 tournament. In their best performance through the preliminary round, they put together a 6–1 record losing only to eventual silver-medalists Cuba, and beating eventual gold-medalists Japan. They lost to Japan in the semi-final, but beat the United States for the second time in the tournament to secure the bronze.

Australia also competed in the most recent tournament in 2006. There they finished in 5th position, compiling a 3–4 record. This is likely to be the last edition of the tournament for the foreseeable future.

Continental tournaments

Australia is the second of only two nations to have participated in IBAF-sanctioned continental tournaments for more than one continent: the Asian Baseball Championship between 1971 and 1993, and the Oceania Baseball Championship since 2003. The first nation to achieve this was Guam, who competed in the Asian tournament within the same timeframe as Australia, though they were involved in the first Oceania tournament in 1999.

Asian Baseball Championship

Australia is one of thirteen nations to have participated in the Asian Baseball Championship since the tournament was first held in 1954. The last time they contested the championship was in 1993, as a result of joining the newly formed Baseball Confederation of Oceania. Though their best result was a bronze medal in the 1975, the only teams to consistently finish ahead of Australia were Japan, South Korea and Chinese Taipei—the top three teams in Asia, and all in the top five in the world.

Oceania Baseball Championship

Though scheduled to participate on three separate occasions, Australia has only contested the Oceania Baseball Championship once in 2003. The two other times, Australia's scheduled opponents—Guam in 2004 and New Zealand in 2007—withdrew from competition in the lead up to each series, both times scheduled to be held in Sydney. Australia was awarded the championship both times, and as a result represented Oceania at the 2004 Summer Olympics and at the 2007 Baseball World Cup respectively.

Held during late April 2003, Australia won its first continental championship, beating hosts Guam 12–1, 12–1 and 5–1 to win the best of five series three games to one. (Guam won the third game 8–2.)

Footnotes

;Olympic Games ;Oceania Baseball Championship

References

Bibliography

References

1. Stephan, Gene. (19 May 2011). "Heat to take on Asia's best teams". [[Seven West Media Limited]].
2. WBSC. (November 18, 2024). "Australia Roster". WBSC.
3. "Australia in the WBSC Ranking (Men's baseball)". [[World Baseball Softball Confederation]].
4. (14 August 2009). "IBAF Statement Regarding IOC's Announcement on Re-instatement to the Olympic Programme For 2016". International Baseball Federation.
5. (24 March 2008). "Transcript of WBC Announcement". Major League Baseball.
6. (1 June 2011). "2013 World Baseball Classic Field expands to 28 Teams". International Baseball Federation.
7. Singer, Tom. (1 February 2006). "World stage drama hard to top". Major League Baseball.
8. (5 March 2006). "WBC 2006 Exhibition Game Box Score". Australian Baseball Federation.
9. (2006). "WBC 2006 Training Camps". Major League Baseball.
10. (5 April 2006). "27.4 percent of Major League Baseball players born outside the U.S.". Major League Baseball.
11. Browne, Ian. (19 January 2006). "Australians ready to prove their talent". Major League Baseball.
12. (20 March 2006). "WBC 2006 Standings". Major League Baseball.
13. (5 March 2009). "2009 Exhibition Game Schedule By Date". Major League Baseball.
14. Street, Jim. (5 March 2009). "Scoreboard lights up in Griffey's debut". Major League Baseball.
15. "MLB Gameday: Australia 17, Mexico 7 Final Score (03/08/2009)".
16. "MLB Gameday: Cuba 5, Australia 4 Final Score (03/10/2009)".
17. "MLB Gameday: Mexico 16, Australia 1 Final Score (03/11/2009)".
18. (23 March 2008). "Four international venues to host first round of 2009 World Baseball Classic". Major League Baseball.
19. Ramirez, Christopher. (9 March 2009). "Aussies shock Mexico with 10-run rout". Major League Baseball.
20. "2013 Pools and Venues". Major League Baseball.
21. "Australian 2013 WBC Final Roster". Australian Baseball Federation.
22. "Australian 2013 WBC Provisional Roster". Australian Baseball Federation.
23. (March 10, 2017). "World Baseball Classic: Cuba, Japan advance to 2nd round".
24. Clair, Michael. (March 13, 2023). "Australia books first trip to Classic quarterfinals".
25. "MLB Gameday: Australia 3, Cuba 4 Final Score (03/15/2023)".
26. (April 10, 2025). "Korea joins Japan, Australia in Pool C of 2026 World Baseball Classic".
27. [[#refCava. Cava 1992]] pp.7–15
28. (11 July 2005). "Singapore 2005: 2012 Olympic Sport Vote". International Olympic Committee.
29. [[#refCOOB92. COOB'92 1992]] p.133
30. Brown, Alex. (26 August 2004). "Aussies win silver in baseball". The Sydney Morning Herald.
31. "Olympic Baseball Medallists". [[Olympic Movement]].
32. (27 September 2009). "Canada takes Best-Ever Third, Australia Best-Ever Fifth, USA-Cuba Play For Gold Sunday, As Baseball World Cup Finishes". International Baseball Federation.
33. (15 October 2011). "Australia clinches 5th Place". International Baseball Federation.
34. (19 November 2007). "Baseball World Cup: Allstar Team". Mister-Baseball.com.
35. (10 June 2011). "IBAF Baseball World Cup Groups Announced". International Baseball Federation.
36. (14 October 2011). "Round 2 Schedule". International Baseball Federation.
37. [[#refBjarkman. Bjarkman 2005]], pp.431–2
38. [[#refBjarkman. Bjarkman 2005]], p.437
39. (19 November 2009). "Baseball World Cup: Final Standings".
40. "Standings".
41. (14 January 2026). "Premier12 2027: Teams announced for Opening Round and Qualifiers".
42. [[#refBjarkman. Bjarkman 2005]] pp.455–6
43. "XIV Intercontinental Cup". Harry Wedemeijer.
44. [[#refBjarkman. Bjarkman 2005]] pp.446–57
45. [[#refBjarkman. Bjarkman 2005]] pp.449–50
46. [[#refBjarkman. Bjarkman 2005]] pp.450–51
47. [[#refBjarkman. Bjarkman 2005]] pp.453–4
48. [[#refBjarkman. Bjarkman 2005]] p.455
49. [[#refBjarkman. Bjarkman 2005]], pp.457–83
50. [[#refBjarkman. Bjarkman 2005]], pp.477–8
51. Stockman, Jennifer. (26 January 2004). "Guam Back out of Olympic Qualifier!!!". Australian Baseball Federation.
52. Gray, Chet. "2007 Senior Oceania Championships". Baseball Confederation of Oceania.
53. Stockman, Jennifer. (11 February 2004). "Australia Qualifies to go to Athens". Australian Baseball Federation.
54. [[#refBjarkman. Bjarkman 2005]], pp.482–3
55. (1 December 2010). "IBAF World Rankings". International Baseball Federation.
56. (2 June 2010). "IBAF World Rankings". International Baseball Federation.
57. (19 October 2009). "IBAF Announces New World Rankings For Men's Baseball". International Baseball Federation.
58. (12 August 2009). "IBAF World Rankings". International Baseball Federation.
59. (24 March 2009). "Japan moves to No. 3 in the World Rankings". International Baseball Federation.
60. (13 January 2009). "2009 IBAF World Rankings". International Baseball Federation.
61. (13 January 2009). "IBAF World Ranking Notes". International Baseball Federation.