By FRANCIS FEDOR
The signs are around us. The Major League Baseball season is in its stretch run, the 2025-26 school year is underway and the football seasons are about to get underway at all levels. But on the other end of the world, the Baseball World Cup will be taking place, and there’s a local interest as the Puerto Rico U-18 team selected a Sumner HS baseball talent to its roster.
Ethan DeJesus, a senior at Sumner, is seen here in game action during the 2025 Spring baseball season. DeJesus pitched his way into a role with the Puerto Rico National Team.
Stingray senior Ethan DeJesus
Stingray Ethan DeJesus has been selected to Team Puerto Rico and will participate in the U-18 Baseball World Cup (BWC), set to commence in Okinawa, and Itoman City, Japan, from Sept. 5-14. Japan is the host as a result of its first place finish in last year’s BWC. World No. 9 Puerto Rico will compete in Group A and face the defending U-18 World Champions, No. 1 Japan, No. 6 Korea, No. 10 Cuba, No. 14 Italy and No. 30 South Africa. Group B includes No. 2 Chinese Taipei, No. 5 USA, No. 8 Panama, No. 12 Australia, No. 17 Germany and No. 20 China. The USA has finished with the gold medal 10 times since the competition started in 1981 and last claimed gold in 2021. The USA was the host nation in 2022, with the games played in Bradenton, LECOM Park (spring home of the Pittsburgh Pirates) and Sarasota at Ed Smith Stadium (Baltimore Orioles).
Puerto Rico finished with a 5-3 record in the 2023 edition. The current 42 member USA roster includes two Hillsborough players coming from Jesuit HS. Kaden Waechter and Wilson Anderson, both right handed hurlers, are still awaiting the final outcome of the 20-man roster selections to play in Japan.
Puerto Rico has qualified for the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2025, securing its spot by finishing in the top four positions at the WBSC Americas Qualifying Tournament held in Panama from August 2 to 11, 2024. USA was the overall #1 coming out of the tournament and was undefeated in the competition, going 8-0. Puerto Rico finished third at 5-3. Host Panama was second and Cuba rounded out the top four. The Puerto Rico Baseball Federation (FBPR) initiated a Summer Collegiate League for top U-23 players and included the U-18 National Team that finished undefeated. The U-18 players started prepping on June 9, with 36 players split into two squads.
DeJesus had a strong season with the Stingrays as a starting pitcher and shortstop and was one of the leaders on the team. Over his HS career he has struck out 140 in 103 innings of work and has a 3.66 ERA over that time. DeJesus posted his best numbers from the mound this past season (Spring 2025), his junior campaign, carrying a 3.27 ERA in 10 appearances. He had an outstanding fielding season in 2024, turning seven double plays and a .904 fielding pct with 52 total chances.
DeJesus is the only selection to the team from Hillsborough County for the PR team and saw time with the team this summer in preparation for the selection process. He also participated in the Perfect Game (PG) National Showcase in Arizona. PG has DeJesus topping out at 93 MPH on his fastball, an increase in velocity of 22 MPH since 2021.
Sumner Stingray senior Ethan DeJesus poses with Sumner principle, Christine Wasylkiw, and head baseball coach, Kennedy Duran, as he gets ready to play in Japan as a member of the Puerto Rico U18 Baseball Team in the Baseball World Classic.
The selection of Ethan DeJesus is a proud moment for Coach Duran and his staff. DeJesus has benefited from Sumner’s baseball program, which has created the opportunities to showcase his skills on the hill and at the shortstop position.
Fans can follow the competition online at this link: https://www.wbsc.org/en/organisation/wbsc-events/u-18-baseball-world-cup/.
For more South Shore action, look for Steve Jackson’s write-up covering the other South Shore HS games.
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