DURHAM, N.C. — USA Baseball unveiled the 26-man 2019 Collegiate National Team roster on Monday, 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 Collegiate National Team will host a five-game international friendship series against Cuba before traveling to Taiwan and Japan next week.
Six 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. Cole Wilcox (Georgia) won a World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup gold medal with the 2017 18U National Team.
Nikhazy also participated in the USA Baseball 14U National Team Development Program (NTDP) in 2013. The NTDP offers athletes an opportunity to connect with USA Baseball staff to better prepare for future national team experience.
Team USA will host 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.
The Collegiate National Team leaves for Taiwan on July 7. 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 (July 3, July 4, July 6) and the remaining domestic Collegiate National Team 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 26-man roster is as follows. The roster will be cut to 24 for the series in Japan. Please note that all roster spots are subject to change.
2019 Collegiate National Team Roster
(Name; Position; Hometown; School; Year)
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
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
Colton Cowser; OF; Cypress, Texas; Sam Houston State; Freshman
Jeff Criswell, RHP, Portage, Mich.; Michigan; 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
Heston Kjerstad; OF; Amarillo, Texas; Arkansas; Sophomore
Asa Lacy; LHP; Kerrville, Texas; Texas A&M; Sophomore
Nick Loftin; IF; Corpus Christi, Texas; Baylor; Sophomore
Austin Martin; UTL; Jacksonville, Fla.; Vanderbilt; Sophomore
Chris McMahon; RHP; West Chester, Penn.; Miami; Sophomore
Max Meyer; RHP/OF; Woodbury, Minn.; Minnesota; Sophomore
Garrett Mitchell; OF; Orange, Calif.; UCLA; Sophomore
Doug Nikhazy; LHP/OF; Windermere, Fla.; Ole Miss; Freshman
Casey Opitz; C; Centennial, Colo.; Arkansas; Sophomore
Spencer Torkelson; IF; Petaluma, Calif.; Arizona State; Sophomore
Luke Waddell; INF; Loveland, Ohio; Georgia Tech; Sophomore
Cole Wilcox; RHP; Chickamauga, Ga.; Georgia; Freshman
Alika Williams; IF; San Diego, Calif.; Arizona State; Sophomore
