MARYSVILLE — What’s summer without baseball? For these 13 Little Leaguers, that’s all there is.

For their age, they are the best ballers in their conference and they can prove it. The All-Star emblem on their uniforms wasn’t accidently sewn on by their mothers.

“In my opinion, these are the best 13 players in the south division,” said Marysville 11 and Under All-Stars Nationals coach John Evans, who has coached Little League off and on for the past 17 years. “They play hard and they play better than anyone else. That’s why they are out there.”

The Nationals are made up of players from five teams in the Marysville South Division and they will have their chance to show just how good they are when they play in the District 1, 11 and Under All-Star tournament beginning July 2, at Freedom Field in Mill Creek.

“We have been a power before,” Evans said. “But it’s been a few years. The Mill Creeks and Pacifics have been the powerhouses, and we feel like we have made a turn. We are no longer a two-and-out team. We are going to compete and I think we can go very far.”

The Nationals’ pitching rotation begins with right-hander J.D. Trueax, who is known for his blistering fastball. During a game this past season, Trueax recorded 17 of 18 outs via strikeouts.

“When he is on, he can’t be hit off of,” assistant coach Matt Chism said. “He is a very strong right-hander. All the way down our rotation we have excellent pitchers.”

This isn’t his first time around the all-star diamond either. In fact, 10 of the 13 players played for the 10 and Under All-Stars in 2010.

“It’s nice to have the experience that we have,” Chism said. “There’s a familiarity. And they all have become really good friends, too. That helps our chemistry.”

Isaiah Valera is Marysville’s No. 2 pitcher. “He thinks he has a curveball but it is more of a change-up,” Evans said. “It’s a great pitch, though. He really can keep the other batters on their feet.”

Aside from a talented pool of pitchers, Evans may be most impressed with his scrappy catcher Jordan Luton.

“He is hands down the best catcher in Marysville Little League,” Evans said. “Regardless of age, he is better than any 12-year-old. He has a high pain tolerance. The kid will block any ball thrown at him. He can throw runners out at second base. He’s got a good head for the game. He will run our infield and let the guys know what to do and how to do it.”

From the plate, Evans has yet to name his batting line-up. It’s a daunting task considering his players are the best batters from their respective teams.

“We have to sit down and figure that out,” Evans said. “All these kids can hit, that’s why they are here.”

Evans’ strategy isn’t entirely about power hitting. With a speedy group of kids, Evans likes the idea of moving them around the bases using traditional baseball tactics.

“We’ll play a lot of small ball,” he said. “We have great base runners. We will bunt not so much for base hits, but to move the runners. I am not worried about us scoring.”

As for Evans, he got the nod to coach the Nationals after he turned around the Marysville’s Cuz team, which finished with the worst record two seasons ago. This past season, Cuz rebounded and finished with the third best record in the south division.

“I like to think I had something to do with it,” Evans said about Cuz’s improved season. “I never asked why or how I was selected. But I am very proud to be coaching these kids. They are super kids.”

The District 1 All-Star Tournament is a double-elimination, bracket-style format. A drawing will be held to determine how the bracket will be filled out.

“We are excited to get going,” Evans said. “It’s going to be a wild time.”