DURHAM, N.C. – USA Baseball unveiled the 2019 Collegiate National Team training camp roster on Wednesday, highlighted by the return of Patrick Bailey (NC State), Max Meyer (Minnesota) and Spencer Torkelson (Arizona State) to Team USA for the second consecutive year. The 2019 Collegiate National Team will host a series of Red vs. Blue games, an exhibition against the Coastal Plain League (CPL) Select team and a five-game international friendship series against Cuba before traveling to Taiwan and Japan to finish the summer.
Eight of the 36 training camp athletes have already secured spots on the final 24-man roster for the international friendship series against Cuba, Chinese Taipei and Japan. The remaining 28 players will vie for spots on the final roster which will be announced on July 1.
“I am extremely excited to get to camp and get started,” said 2019 Collegiate National Team Manager Dan McDonnell. “It will be special to put the USA uniform on again while getting to work with the best players in college baseball. I’m looking forward to watching them compete and come together as one to take on Cuba, Taiwan and Japan.”
Seven alumni of USA Baseball will return to the stars and stripes in 2019. Bailey is making his third appearance with Team USA after competing with the 2018 Collegiate National Team and winning a gold medal at the COPABE Pan Am “AAA” Championships with the 2016 18U National Team. Logan Allen (FIU) was also a member of that gold medal-winning 2016 18U National Team, while Doug Nikhazy (Ole Miss) will don the red, white and blue again in 2019 after participating with the 15U National Team in 2014.
In addition, Cole Wilcox (Georgia) and Kumar Rocker (Vanderbilt) will reunite for Team USA after winning a World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup gold medal with the 2017 18U National Team.
Three members of the 2019 Collegiate National Team have also participated in the USA Baseball National Team Development Program (NTDP). The NTDP offers athletes an opportunity to connect with USA Baseball staff to better prepare for future national team experience. Nikazy trained with the 2013 14U NTDP, while Rocker and Holden Powell were members of the 17U NTDP in 2016.
The 2019 Collegiate National Team schedule will begin with a four-game intrasquad Red vs. Blue series from June 27-30 at the National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. Team USA will then follow with a game against the CPL Select on July 1 at the National Training Complex before hosting the 8th Annual USA vs. Cuba International Friendship Series July 2-6.
The five-game series will kick off at LP Frans Stadium in Hickory, North Carolina, followed by games at BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte, North Carolina, the Durham Bulls Athletic Park (DBAP) in Durham, North Carolina, and the National Training Complex. The series will then return to the DBAP for the finale on July 6.
Following the 8th Annual USA vs. Cuba International Friendship Series, Team USA will travel to Taichung, Taiwan, for the 19th USA vs. Chinese Taipei International Friendship Series from July 9-12 and close out its summer schedule with the 43rd USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series, which will take place in various cities throughout Japan from July 16-21.
Louisville Head Coach Dan McDonnell was named the manager of the 2019 Collegiate National Team in July 2018. He will be joined on staff by assistant coaches Mark Kingston (South Carolina) and Tony Skole (The Citadel), pitching coach Greg Moore (Saint Mary’s) and bench coach Dave Turgeon (Pittsburgh Pirates).
Three of the 8th USA vs. Cuba International Friendship Series games will be streamed live on USABaseball.com and the remaining seven domestic Collegiate National Team’s games will be broadcasted on USA Baseball’s Facebook channel. Stay tuned to USABaseball.com, and follow @USABaseballCNT on Twitter, for the latest information.
The roster is as follows. Please note that all roster spots are subject to change.
2019 Collegiate National Team Roster
(Name; Position; Hometown; School; Year)
*24-man roster selection
Andrew Abbott; LHP; Halifax, Va.; Virginia; Sophomore
Logan Allen; LHP; Deltona, Fla.; FIU; Sophomore
Tanner Allen; IF/OF; Theodore, Ala.; Mississippi State; Sophomore
*Patrick Bailey; C; Greensboro, N.C.; NC State; Sophomore
Alex Binelas; IF/OF; Oak Creek, Wis.; Louisville; Freshman
*Tyler Brown; RHP; Ashland, Ohio; Vanderbilt; Sophomore
Alec Burleson; LHP/1B; Denver, N.C.; ECU; Sophomore
Burl Carraway; LHP; College Station, Texas; Dallas Baptist U.; Sophomore
Cade Cavalli; RHP; Bixby, Okla.; Oklahoma; Sophomore
Garrett Crochet; LHP; Ocean Springs, Miss.; Tennessee; Sophomore
Colton Cowser; OF; Cypress, Tex.; Sam Houston State; Freshman
Trenton Denholm; RHP; El Dorado Hills, Calif.; UC-Irvine; Sophomore
*Reid Detmers; LHP; Chatham, Ill.; Louisville; Sophomore
Justin Foscue; IF/OF; Huntsville, Ala.; Mississippi State; Sophomore
Nick Frasso; RHP; Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.; Loyola Marymount; Sophomore
Michael Kirian; LHP; New Riegel, Ohio; Louisville; Sophomore
Heston Kjerstad; OF; Amarillo, Texas; Arkansas; Sophomore
*Asa Lacy; LHP; Kerrville, Texas; Texas A&M; Sophomore
Nick Loftin; IF; Corpus Christi, Texas; Baylor; Sophomore
Tommy Mace; RHP; Tampa, Fla.; Florida; Sophomore
*Austin Martin; UTL; Jacksonville, Fla.; Vanderbilt; Sophomore
Casey Martin; IF; Lonoke, Ark.; Arkansas; Sophomore
Chris McMahon; RHP; West Chester, Penn.; Miami; Sophomore
*Max Meyer; RHP/OF; Woodbury, Minn.; Minnesota; Sophomore
Bobby Miller; RHP; McKenry, Ill.; Louisville; Sophomore
Garrett Mitchell; OF; Orange, Calif.; UCLA; Sophomore
Doug Nikhazy; LHP/OF; Windermere, Fla.; Ole Miss; Freshman
*Casey Opitz; C; Centennial, Colo.; Arkansas; Sophomore
Mason Pelio; RHP; San Diego, Calif.; Boston College; Freshman
Holden Powell; RHP; Visalia, Calif.; UCLA; Sophomore
Kumar Rocker; RHP; Athens, Ga.; Vanderbilt; Freshman
*Spencer Torkelson; IF; Petaluma, Calif.; Arizona State; Sophomore
Luke Waddell; INF; Loveland, Ohio; Georgia Tech; Sophomore
Jordan Westburg; IF; New Braunfels, Texas; Mississippi State; Sophomore
Cole Wilcox; RHP; Chickamauga, Ga.; Georgia; Freshman
Alika Williams; IF; San Diego, Calif.; Arizona State; Sophomore
