New York Yankee Erik Kratz (14), who played American Legion Baseball for Sounderton Post 234 in Pennsylvania, was named to the All-World Team by the World Baseball Softball Confederation for his performance for Team USA in the recently completed Premier12 tournament in Tokyo. (WBSC photo)

Legion Baseball alum named to All-World squad

American Legion Baseball alum Erik Kratz was named to the All-World Team by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) for his performance for Team USA in the recently completed Premier12 tournament in Tokyo.

Kratz – who played Legion Baseball for Sounderton Post 234, Pa., and currently plays for the Yankees – started seven of Team USA’s eight games, batting .381 with two home runs. He also helped Team USA’s pitching staff strike out 75 batters and post a 3.28 earned-run average during the team’s 4-4 showing.

Kratz was one of five Legion Baseball graduates on the team, joining Alec Bohm, Omaha Post 1 Swain Construction, Neb.; J.P. Feyereisen, River Falls Post 121, Wis.; Tanner Houck, Collinsville Post 365, Ill.; and Daulton Varsho, Marshfield Post 54, Wis.

Bohm, who currently plays for the Phillies hit .233 with a home run and four RBIs during the Premier 12. J.P. Feyereisen (Brewers) made two appearances in the tournament, striking out 2 in 1.2 innings, while Houck (Red Sox) was 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA, striking out 11 in 9.1 innings. And Varsho (Diamondbacks) scored two runs in four Premier 12 games.

Team USA finished the tournament in fourth place, one spot out of securing a berth in the 2020 Olympics. The team still can qualify for the games in Tokyo during WBSC Americas Olympic Qualifier in Arizona in March 2020.