TOWSON, Md. – Former Towson University baseball player Luis Rivera has been selected as a pitcher to Puerto Rico's roster for the 2024 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-23 Baseball World Cup at the Shaoxing Baseball & Softball Sports Centre in Shaoxing, China.
 
The tournament is comprised of 12 teams in two pools. Puerto Rico is in Pool A with Australia, China, Colombia, Great Britain and Japan. Pool B is comprised of Chinese Taipei, Nicaragua, Netherlands, South Africa, South Korea and Venezuela. Play begins Friday and runs through Sunday, Sept. 15.
 
Rivera enters the tournament after pitching for Cariduros de Fajardo in Liga de Béisbol Superior Doble A de Puerto Rico. He started two games for Los Cariduros in the East Division Final against Mulos de Juncos and pitched to a 1.00 ERA with a 0.89 WHIP and .133 batting average against over nine innings pitched. In those two outings, he added eight strikeouts while surrendering just one earned run and four walks. Cariduros de Fajardo fell in the East Division Final against Mulos de Juncos, 4-1.
 
The Puerto Rico U-23 National Baseball Team mostly features players from the Liga de Béisbol Superior Doble A de Puerto Rico and is managed by former Major League Baseball player Juan González. Joining González on the coaching staff are former Major Leaguers Luis "Papa" Rivera (Bench Coach) and Dicky González (Pitching Coach).
 
Rivera is one of nine players on the roster with collegiate baseball experience, and the only member of the team representing a Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) school.
 
Rivera's addition to the roster makes him the second former Tiger in the last calendar year to represent their country in international competition as Harper Sy represented the Philippines National Team at the 19^th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China last September. Sy batted 6-for-13 (.462) with two runs, two doubles, a triple and three RBIs as the Philippines finished fifth among nine teams.