Trials To Take Place In July
We are starting to receive releases from a few schools with players who are being invited to the 2010 USA Baseball team trials. We are told that schools are being allowed to individually announce their own invitees now, and then the full Team USA roster will be released by USA Baseball after all the invitations have been accepted.
This summer’s trials run from July 5-11 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. The final roster for Team USA will be announced in mid-July and the squad will compete in the V FISU World University Championships in Japan as well as friendship series against Korea in North Carolina at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary and at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham.
Here’s a look at some of the invitees we know of so far:
Matt Jensen-2B-Cal Poly
This is the second straight year Jensen has been invited to the Team USA Trials. After accepting the invitation a
Jensen
year ago, Jensen fractured his collarbone in a Cal Poly game in early May and was unable to participate in the trials. Jensen (5-10, 190, Clovis, CA) sported a .375 batting average with 15 doubles, nine home runs and 53 RBI before fracturing his clavicle in May 2009. He suffered the injury when he was involved in a collision with a San Francisco baserunner. Jensen is the first Mustang baseball player to be invited to the National Team Trials.
Cal Poly head coach Larry Lee on Jensen: “Matt is one of the better ball players in the country.” “He should be able to follow up a tremendous freshman year with another quality season and is fully recovered from his broken collarbone.
“He’s really developed as a defensive second baseman to add to his already impressive credentials from an offensive standpoint,” Lee added. “Having the opportunity to represent the United States in this endeavor is a great honor and Matt is as good as it gets on and off the field. He will represent Cal Poly at the highest level this summer.”
Kyle Winkler-RHP-TCU
This is the second invite for Winkler as he participated in the 2009 trials last summer. Winkler completed a successful
Winkler
freshman season, tying for the team lead with seven victories. In 17 appearances, he made 14 starts and posted a 7-1 record to go along with a 4.15 ERA. In 73 2/3 innings pitched, the righty tallied 48 strikeouts. He was named to the Mountain West Conference All-Tournament team and the Fort Worth All-Regional Team.
TCU head coach Jim Schlossnagle on Winkler: “This is a great honor for Kyle and our program,” Schlossnagle said. “Representing your country is one of the greatest honors one can receive in amateur baseball and Kyle was very close to making the team last year. I’m sure he will represent TCU at the highest level when the trials begin this summer.”
Nick Ramirez-P/1B & P-Tyler Pill-Cal State Fullerton
Ramirez
Both Pill and Ramirez are coming off seasons that earned them freshman All-American status in 2009 and come into the 2010 campaign as preseason All-Americans.
Pill (2009: 11-3, 4.06 ERA, 74 K, 13 BB) is likely to be the Titans’ Sunday starter on the mound again in 2010, and is the front-runner to be the starting right fielder when he is not pitching.
Also performing double duty in 2010 will be Ramirez (2009: .287, 10 HR, 31 RBI / 3-1, 2.61 ERA, 7 saves, 30 K, 10 BB) who will play first base and then serve as the Titans’ closer on the mound.
Pill
Cal State Fullerton head coach Dave Serrano will serve as Team USA’s pitching coach this summer. Utah’s Bill Kinneberg is the manager, while Nino Giarratano (San Francisco) and Ed Blankmeyer (St. John’s) round out the coaching staff.
Collegebaseball360.com will continue to follow 2010 Team USA Trials invitees as they are announced by their schools.