Being able to represent your country on the biggest stage is a lofty dream for many young baseball players. However, representing your country on the biggest stage is even more of an aspiration when following in your dad's footsteps.
Meet the father-son duo of Troy and Ty Gerlach. Troy Gerlach has worked in a variety of positions with USA Baseball, including assistant coach of the 2018 15U National Team, three-time 14U National Team Development Program (NTDP) and former Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) League coach. In addition, Troy has held the role of assistant coach and manager with the 2022 and 2023 12U National Team, respectively.
His son, Ty, is looking to carve his own USA Baseball legacy. Competing for a spot on the 2025 12U National Team, Ty is participating in 12U National Team Training Camp this week. This summer, the team will compete at the 2025 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-12 Baseball World Cup in Tainan, Taiwan, from July 25-August 3.
Being one of the 36 players to make it to 12U National Team Training Camp is an incredible accomplishment. With his father being familiar with the pipeline and knowing the system, no one understands what this moment means more to Ty than his dad.
“It’s awesome because you watch him play and you know what your son can do, but you don’t know what’s happening on the other fields,” Troy said. “He’s not the biggest kid in stature, but he plays big; he’s strong, he loves to be out here, and he’ll do whatever he can to help the team win.”
Representing USA Baseball on an international stage is an incredibly meaningful moment, and Troy can testify to that.
“It was the highlight of my baseball career being able to wear USA across your chest is an honor,” said Troy. “It means the world to me to represent USA Baseball and be able to be here and now watch my son on the other side, it’s surreal.”
Taking off the coaching helmet and putting on the lens as a parent can be difficult at times. Having the coaching mindset while watching your son play can be stressful for a parent, especially knowing the selection process and what the week 12U National Team Training Camp entails.
“I try to stay as calm as I can because I know the process. I know how talented the kids are, but just watching him develop over the last year is special,” explained Troy. “He was with us in California before we went to Taiwan [in 2023] and he said ‘Dad, I want to be on that team’”
While trying to take a backseat and let the coaching staff work, Troy still had some advice for Ty for this week, telling him, “Just keep being you, keep working hard every day, keep playing hard, at whatever position they put you in and be a great teammate.”
Being around the teams this week and trying to stay in parent mode was not the strangest of concepts for Troy, who expressed that idea himself.
“I try to stay away because the kind of relationship that we have, B-Mad [Bryan Madsen], Erick [Quesada], and Wes [Brooks], all of those guys are my brothers,” mentioned Troy. “Things will happen on the field, and I have to step back and think to myself, ‘I’m not a coach, I’m a dad today’, but it’s been fun.”
