World No. 6 Team USA secured its place in the Finals with an undefeated run through the Group Stage last fall. The Americans begin the Finals Stage in Group B along with No. 2 Australia, No. 3 Japan, and No. 11 Dominican Republic. Group A comprises No. 1 Argentina, No. 4 Canada, No. 5 Venezuela, and No. 8 New Zealand. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super Round, where they will compete for a chance to participate in the Medal Round.
This is the first edition of the men's World Cup to be played in the two-stage format, similar to the women's event that concluded in 2024 when former Bulldog Mia Davidson and Team USA won silver.
Team USA will play Australia on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. CT before meeting Japan on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. The Americans close the opening round on Thursday against the Dominican Republic at 12:30 p.m.
Shaw is one of 12 returners from the Group Stage roster, where he served as team captain. He has once again been selected to lead the National Team in Prince Albert. Shaw batted .462 in the Group Stage while starting all six games. He added a triple and a homer for an .846 slugging percentage and finished the tournament with a 1.434 OPS. The Bulldogs' defensive tutor was perfect with his glove in seven total chances and has made just one error on the international stage since the 2022 Pan American Championship.
The Odessa, Missouri, native joined the staff at Mississippi State in the fall of 2022 as a volunteer assistant before being elevated to a full-time role before the 2024 season. He works primarily with the Bulldog infielders and assists with hitting. Shaw played a key role in helping Sierra Sacco transition from a slapper to an All-American power hitter in 2025 before she was drafted to play professionally in the AUSL.
Team USA claimed a bronze medal at the 2022 WBSC Men's World Cup, which snapped a 22-year medal drought. The Eagles are looking for their sixth World Cup title after winning gold in 1966, 1968, 1976, 1980, and 1988. In August, men's softball will return to The World Games 2025 – the only global multi-sport event featuring men's softball – in Chengdu, China, from August 6 to 10.
The WBSC Men's Softball World Cup Finals will be streamed via GameTime. Fans will have the option of two different services: Tournament Pass ($14.99) or Daily Pass ($9.99). Tournament Pass subscribers will have full access to all 22 games of the WBSC Men's Softball World Cup and fans of Team USA can receive a $2 discount using the code USAMSWC25. For more information on subscriptions, click here.
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-- By Andréa Mochida
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