Home ACC USA Baseball Announces 2009 National Team Roster

FROM USA BASEBALL RELEASE

Christian Colon (Courtesy of USA Baseball)

Christian Colon (Courtesy of USA Baseball)

(CARY, N.C.) – USA Baseball announced Wednesday night the 22 members of its 2009 National Team (Collegiate). The roster is headlined by shortstop and 2008 National Team member Christian Colon (Cal State Fullerton; Capey, Puerto Rico), and consists of five outfielders, six infielders, 10 pitchers, and one utility player. Two additional players will stay with the team to serve as alternates.

The National Team was selected after 10 days of trials that included eight intrasquad games and practices at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.

The USA Baseball National Team is comprised of the top non-draft-eligible college players in the United States. In 2009, the National Team will play in two international friendship series in North Carolina against the Canadian National Team and the Guatemalan National Team before heading to Japan for the 37th Annual USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series and the World Baseball Challenge in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada.

“This is the most productive trials period that I have ever been a part of,” said Eric Campbell, General Manager of USA Baseball National Teams. “I would like to congratulate all of the players and the staff for putting together a competitive 10 days in Cary.”

Leading the 2009 National Team is Colon. The sophomore batted .263 in twenty-four games for the 2008 National Team and led the team in hits (T-26) as the club’s starting second baseman. Joining Colon at infielder positions are Rick Hague (Rice; Spring, Texas), Brad Miller (Clemson; Orlando, Fla.), Andy Wilkins (Arkansas; Broken Arrow, Ark.), and utility player Kolten Wong (Hawaii; Hilo, Hawaii).

In the outfield is Bryce Brentz (Middle Tennessee State; Crossville, Tenn.), Michael Choice (UT Arlington; Fort Worth, Texas); Tyler Holt (Florida State; Marion, Ind.), Casey McGrew (Wright State; Delaware, Ohio), and Matt Newman (Arizona State; Phoenix, Ariz.).

The 10-member pitching staff in 2009 will include eight right-handed pitchers and two lefties. The right-handers include Trevor Bauer (UCLA; North Hollywood, Calif.); Chad Bettis (Texas Tech; Lubbock, Texas); Gerrit Cole (UCLA; Santa Ana, Calif.); Sonny Gray (Vanderbilt; Nashville, Tenn.), Nick Pepitone (Tulane; Houston, Texas); T.J. Walz (Kansas; Omaha, Neb.), Asher Wojciechowski (The Citadel; Pensacola, Fla.), and Tony Zych (Louisville; Hazelcrest, Ill.). Drew Pomeranz (Mississippi; Memphis, Tenn.) and Cody Wheeler (Coastal Carolina; Fredericksburg, Va.) are the only left-handers on the 2009 pitching staff.

Blake Forsythe (Tennessee; Memphis, Tenn.) and Yasmani Grandal (Miami; Havana, Cuba) will catch the Team USA’s pitchers in 2009.

“Making the decision on who to select for the 2009 National Team has been the toughest I have ever had to make as a head coach,” said the club’s skipper Rick Jones (Tulane). “I give a lot of credit to my coaching staff. They put together a very organized and productive trials that allowed us to successfully choose the right players for this team.”

Joining Jones are pitching coach Mike Kennedy (Elon), and assistant coaches Rob Cooper (Wright State) and Dan McDonnell (Louisville).

Remaining with the team as alternates are Rob Segedin (Tulane; Teaneck, N.J.) and Jeremy Schaffer (Tulane; Houston, Texas).

The National Team begins its summer season Thursday, opening a five-game series against the Canadian National Team in Cary, N.C. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM ET at the National Training Complex, and Pomeranz will take the mound for the U.S.

See below for a complete roster for the 2009 USA Baseball National Team (Collegiate).

#

LAST NAME

FIRST NAME

POS

B-T

HT

WT

BIRTHPLACE

Yr.

SCHOOL

34

Bauer

Trevor

RHP

R/R

6-1

175

North Hollywood, Calif.

Fr.

UCLA

35

Bettis

Chad

RHP

R/R

6-0

193

Lubbock, Texas

So.

Texas Tech

7

Brentz

Bryce

RHP/OF

R/R

6-0

180

Crossville, Tenn.

So.

Middle Tennessee State

14

Choice

Michael

OF

R/R

6-0

215

Fort Worth, Texas

So.

UT-Arlington

29

Cole

Gerrit

RHP

R/R

6-4

215

Santa Ana, Calif.

Fr.

UCLA

4

Colon

Christian

IF

R/R

6-0

185

Capey, Puerto Rico

So.

Cal State Fullerton

27

Forsythe

Blake

C

R/R

6-2

220

Memphis, Tenn.

So.

Tennessee

24

Grandal

Yasmani

C

S/R

6-2

210

Havana, Cuba

So.

Miami

2

Gray

Sonny

RHP

R/R

5-11

180

Nashville, Tenn.

Fr.

Vanderbilt

6

Hague

Rick

IF

R/R

6-2

190

Spring, Texas

So.

Rice

15

Holt

Tyler

OF

R/R

6-0

190

Marion, Ind.

So.

Florida State

17

McGrew

Casey

OF

L/R

6-0

175

Delaware, Ohio

Jr.

Wright State

23

Miller

Brad

IF

R/R

6-0

175

Orlando, Fla.

Fr.

Clemson

11

Newman

Matt

OF/LHP

L/L

5-10

170

Phoenix, Ariz.

So.

Arizona State

19

Pepitone

Nick

RHP

R/R

6-6

230

Houston, Texas

So.

Tulane

40

Pomeranz

Drew

LHP

L/L

6-5

231

Memphis, Tenn.

So.

Mississippi

36

Schaffer*

Jeremy

C

R/R

6-1

205

Houston, Texas

Fr.

Tulane

18

Segedin*

Rob

IF/RHP

R/R

6-3

220

Teaneck, N.J.

So.

Tulane

37

Walz

T.J.

RHP

R/R

6-0

175

Omaha, Neb.

So.

Kansas

5

Wheeler

Cody

LHP

L/L

5-11

160

Fredericksburg, Va.

So.

Coastal Carolina

9

Wilkins

Andy

IF

L/R

6-2

225

Broken Arrow, Okla.

So.

Arkansas

30

Wojciechowski

Asher

RHP

R/R

6-4

205

Pensacola, Fla.

So.

The Citadel

44

Wong

Kolten

OF/C

L/R

5-9

180

Hilo, Hawaii

Fr.

Hawaii

21

Zych

Tony

RHP

R/R

6-3

180

Hazelcrest, Ill.

Fr.

Louisville

* Denote Alternates

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1 comment

alohaball June 24, 2009 - 11:12 pm

Congrats to all who made it, especially Kolten Wong. We’re proud of you!

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