Yesterday evening, Aiden Ruiz made his debut for Team USA against Panama in the opening game of the 2025 World Baseball Confederation U-18 World Cup, bursting onto the world stage with 3 hits and a pair of RBIs in a 9-0 win for the Americans.

The Vanderbilt-bound senior started at shortstop and batted in the #2 spot, giving the U.S. a 1-0 lead in the 3rd inning with a single. A three-run 4th pushed the lead to 4-0 before another RBI single from Ruiz capped a four-run 5th to build a commanding advantage that the Red, White, and Blue would not relinquish.

Ruiz’s debut performance continues a sensational summer, during which the Queens native emerged from a field of 88 top prospects to be selected for the 20-player Team USA roster. Last month, he was also chosen as the Rawlings Defensive Player of the Year at shortstop.

Ruiz and the Stars & Stripes will continue their title defense on Saturday when they square off with Chinese Taipei at 5:30am ET.

We did what we had to do. The team morale is great right now. We’ve got more work to do, and I know our team is going to come through.

Ruiz