WBSC U-12 World Cup 2025 | The United States retains its world title, while Cuba concludes the consolation round with a no-hitter, finishing seventh in the tournament

The U-12 Baseball World Cup wrapped up today, Sunday, with the United States securing a decisive 7-1 win against Japan. This victory marks their third consecutive championship, showcasing their dominance by winning six out of the last seven tournaments since 2011. These world editions, initially organized by the now-defunct IBAF, are currently overseen by the WBSC (World Baseball Softball Organization).

For Japan, reaching the U-12 World Cup final for the first time marked a historic achievement, culminating in a second-place finish in the tournament. The Japanese team ended with a 6-3 overall record, experiencing consecutive losses to the United States, yet achieving their best-ever result at this level. The U-12 World Cup title continues to elude Japan, remaining the only international championship the country has yet to secure, primarily due to the Americans' dominance in this category.

Cuba concluded the consolation round, or final placement, on Sunday by defeating South Africa 20-0 in four innings with a no-hit, no-run victory. This win enabled the team to complete the round with a 5-0 record, securing a seventh-place finish in the tournament. This is the lowest finish for a Cuban team in this category across their four appearances at this level.

Box score

Cuba took control of the game in the third inning by scoring 15 runs. Alongside the pitching performance of starter José J. Padrón (1-0), this time allowing no hits, with one walk and seven strikeouts, in the Cuban pitching staff's third consecutive complete game, the exceptional hitting of Sean M. García was once again a highlight.

In the game, García hit another home run, joining Kristian U. Valadéz, an American of Mexican descent, as the leader in the department with 4. Valadéz led in RBIs with 14, while García ended up third with 10, tied with two other players and only trailing Taiwanese Hu Chen-en, who had 11.

Undoubtedly, García was the most effective offensive player for the Cubans in the tournament, achieving 11 hits and a slugging percentage of 1.043. During the round that secured Cuba's seventh place, he topped all batters with 3 home runs and 7 RBIs. Due to his performance, Sean García was the sole Cuban player named to the tournament's All-Star team.

In the All-Star team announcement, versatile American player Christopher Chikodroff claimed the MVP award after a tough competition with fellow American Valadéz. Chikodroff played a crucial role in the team's title, covering multiple positions in the final round and achieving a .533 batting average (16-for-30) with 10 RBIs in the tournament.

South Korea secured the bronze medal by defeating Taiwan 2-0, marking their first time on the podium in these World Cups. The Koreans had an impeccable first round, remaining undefeated with a 5-0 record and being the only team to beat the United States, achieving a 6-2 victory in the Group B preliminary round. In the Super Round, Korea once again could not overcome the Japanese team, losing 4-0, and then unexpectedly losing against Taiwan 11-5 in the same round. Winning either of these two matches would have advanced the Korean team to the tournament final.

The 2025 edition of these World Cups was once again impeccably organized, both by the host country, Taiwan, one of the great venues of international baseball, and by the WBSC.

The next world edition will be held in 2027, at a venue yet to be announced.