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EGG HARBOR, WIS. -- A year ago
I had just completed a 4th of July weekend down in Cary, North Carolina, attending the Team USA Collegiate National Team series
against Guatemala. The 2010 US CNT is starting a little later, with Trials and Training this first full week of July. I'll
be down in Cary for the final four days of the Trials and will be providing coverage during that time, writing-up the event
in toto once the final US CNT Roster is announced. Selection Process Thirty-nine
players (including 3 alternates) were named to the Trials Roster and will participate in a six-day Training and Trials period
this week. Upon completion of the Trials, 22 players will be selected for the final US NTC Roster. The team will begin international
play next week with a five-game series against the Korean National Team and will additionally face-off against a number of
other squads (including the Japanese National Collegiate Team at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha) leading-up to the 2010 FISU
World University Championship in Tokyo, Japan this August.
Player Intros Pitchers The collection
of pitchers for the Trials are highlighted by two power arms returning from last year’s squad -- UCLA’s Gerrit
Cole and Vanderbilt’s Sony Gray, who ranked 1st and 2nd, respectively, in our 2009 Team USA Collegiate Top 15 Rankings. Physically, the two righties are polar opposites, with Cole listed at a powerful 6-4/220 and Gray a mere 5-11/195, but the
power arsenal each boasts is equally impressive. Cole runs his fastball up to 98 mph, sitting 94-97, and backs it up with
a mid-80s slider, upper-80s cutter and mid-80s straight change. Gray sits 93-96 mph with his fastball, pairing it with a second
plus offering in his low-80s slider, which can climb as high as 85 mph. His off-speed is an 80-82 change with some depth.
On the season, Cole finished tied for 5th overall among D-I arms with 138 total strikeouts through regional play
(he finished the season in Omaha with 154 total SO), and 12th overall with 11.50 SO/9. Owning some of the best pure stuff
in college baseball, the UCLA ace still struggles with command and falls into bouts of wildness, resulting in a 4.08 BB/9.
Gray racked-up 113 SO in 108.7 IP and a 9.65 SO/9, good for 21st and 68th overall, respectively, through conference tournament
play. The primary knock on the Commodore power arm is his smallish frame, which leads some to believe he will ultimately land
in the pen. His quality arsenal could play out of the rotation or pen with Team USA, and he logged innings in both capacities
last summer.
Among the remaining pitchers listed on the Trials Roster, Matt Barnes (Univ. of Connecticut),
Noe Ramirez (Calif. St. Univ. - Fullerton) and Tyler Anderson (Univ. of Oregon) are each intriguing arms capable of missing
plenty of bats. Barnes has been electric thus far on the Cape with the Wareham Gatemen, posting a line of 20.2 IP, 20 SO,
7 BB, 12 H and a .174 BAA over three starts, and the trio posted SO/9 rates of 8.17, 9.20 and 10.07, respectively, this past
Spring. FSU’ Sean Gilmartin and Stanford’s Brett Mooneyham each possess potential 1st Round stuff, but have been
plagued by inconsistency over their freshman and sophomore seasons. Oregon’s Scott McGough, Samford’s Lex Rutledge
and Texas State’s Carson Smith are all interesting arms that could provide value in USA’s pen. Fullerton’s
Nick Ramirez, first baseman and closer for the Titans this Spring, could also get looks on the mound this upcoming week.
Catchers
This year’s collection of catchers includes two big bats
in Utah’s C.J. Cron and Bethune-Cookman’s Peter O’Brien. The two combined for 40 homeruns and 29 doubles
in collegiate play, with each OPSing over 1.100 (O’Brien at 1.193 and Cron at 1.304). With just one pure first baseman
invited to Trials, it would not be out of the question for either of Cron or O’Brien to log time at the three-spot,
provided they make the final roster.
Arizona’s Jett Bandy provides a nice combination of glovework and bat,
possessing solid receiving skills and catch-and-throw-ability. At the plate, Bandy shows a good eye and ability to square-up
with gap-to-gap pop, though he was more impressive out of conference than in. UCLA’s Steve Rodriguez lags some in his
offensive game, but is an above-average receiver who handled perhaps the most talented staff in all of college baseball, including
two potential 2011 1st Rounders in Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer, as well as 2010 2nd Rounder Rob Rassmussen and 3rd Rounder
Steve Klein. Regardless of how his bat plays this week, he should get ample attention off the strength of his glove alone.
Infielders
Though the 2010 Trials Roster is overflowing with talented positional players, the crown
jewel entering this week is undoubtedly Anthony Rendon. The Rice third baseman put up one of the most impressive offensive
performances in D-I ball this past Spring, finishing with a line of 302 PA, 226 AB, 89 H, 12 2B, 1 3B, 26 HR, 65 BB and just
22 SO, along with a slash line of .394/.530/.801. In addition to plus strikezone command and incredibly quick and strong wrists,
Rendon possesses a solid glove at third with an ability to make the spectacular play, as well as plus arm strength with good
accuracy. He should be a lock for the 2010 final roster and should hit right in the middle of a talented lineup. Rendon ranked
as our top 2011 talent in an impressive field at the 2010 Houston College Classic this March.
Fullerton’s Nick Ramirez is the only true first baseman listed on the Trials Roster. He possesses
plus raw power and lit-up the Spring with a .646 SLG, including 28 doubles and 16 homeruns. Up-the-middle bats on the roster
include Hawai’i’s Kolton Wong (who could also log some time behind the plate) and Clemson’s Brad Miller.
Both Wong and Miller are gap-to-gap bats with good on-base skills, and each are alums from last year’s USA Collegiate
squad, Miller ranking 15th on our 2009 Top 15.
The best gloves in the bunch belong to Nolan Fontana (Univ. of Florida) and Austin Nola (LSU). Two of the more
impressive shortstops in college baseball, both Fontana and Nola are plus defenders with top tier arm strength and accuracy
and smooth actions. TCU’s Taylor Featherston is a step behind with the glove, but is a fine shortstop in his own right,
with a bit more bat than either of the previous two. It should be an interesting position to monitor throughout the week.
Outfielders
The tools-rich outfield crop begins with College World Series
star Jackie Bradley, Jr., center fielder for the National Champion South Carolina Gamecocks. Bradley is a four-tool “now”
talent with the chance to grow into more power as he continues to mature. He posted a slash line of .371/.477/.587 on the
Spring and had one of the best CWS performances in this year’s tournament in Omaha, slashing .345/.424/.621 while totaling
10 H, 1 2B, 2 HR, 3 BB, 6 SO and 1 HBP in 33 PA. Georgia’s Zach Cone is another talented center fielder and potential
1st Rounder in next year’s draft. Cone shows good power generated through quick wrists and an ability to barrel the
ball. He lacks Bradley, Jr.’s keen strikezone command, but profiles well as a speed/power threat with an excellent glove
up-the-middle.
Indiana’s Alex Dickerson may have the best raw power of any player on the Trials Roster and
brought that raw power to the plate in-game this Spring, launching 24 homeruns and 19 doubles as the Hoosiers’s #3 hitter.
Dickerson’s offensive game isn’t limited to slugging, as he shows a solid eye at the plate and an ability to square
consistently and hit for average, due in part to his ability to try and match his swing to the plane of the pitch. Most of
his power is geared to right field, as he tends to load his hands a little too far from his body, limiting pop the other way
but allowing him to punish anything on the inner-half. He’s raw in the field and struggles a fair amount out in left.
Alabama’s Taylor Dugas and Kansas State’s Nick Martini combined for 100 walks in just over 500
plate appearances this spring, and were also each 19/24 in stolen base attempts. Both could provide some defensive value while
profiling as a top-of-the-order bat this Summer with above-average on-base skills.
Mikie Mahtook, LSU’s right
fielder this Spring, has the athleticism and footspeed to hold down center next Spring, but would likely stay in right for
the Summer with the likes of Bradley and Cone in the mix (in addition to Dugas and Martini). Mahtook shows good arm strength
big power potential and a solid ability to draw walks, though he can at times get overly aggressive and still swings-and-misses
a little too much. UConn’s George Springer has big helium potential -- already showing above-average power and plus-plus
speed. Springer’s batting eye rivals most on the Trials Roster, with only Rendon (65 BB) topping Springer’s 60
BB, but his on-base skills fall just shy of elite due to a swing that generates plenty of torque but comes with some holes.
Striking out in just under 25% of his plate appearances, Springer will rely on his defense, power and speed to stake a claim
to the final Roster -- with the talented arms coming at him, it is uncertain how Springer’s swing will play over the
next week. Trials
Roster Breakdown and Stat Links: Coaching Staff Intros Coach Bill Kennegerg will be the Manager of the 2010 US Collegiate National Team -- his second appearance
as a coaching staff member with Team USA, having served as pitching coach on the 2007 squad. A Division I head coach for 26
years, Coach Kinneberg is building something special at the University of Utah, leading the Utes to their first ever Mountain
West Conference championship in 2009 and first NCAA Tournament appearance in almost 50 years. This past season was his sixth
at the University of Utah -- the team finished with a 23-28 record and placed 6th in the MWC. The National Collegiate Team's Pitching Coach will be Dave Serrano, who just completed his third season with
Fullerton with his Titans falling one game shy of Rosenblatt after losing to UCLA in the third game of the Super Regional
series. His coaching credentials include 8 years as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator with Fullerton under Head
Coach George Horton, and three years as Head Coach of UC Irvine, reaching Omaha in 2007 and earning Baseball America’s
Coach of the Year Award. The Fullerton pitching staff finished the 2010 season with a final line of 571.2 IP, 504 SO, 156
BB, 567 H, and a .258 BAA with a 3.78 ERA. This is his first stint with the US Collegiate National Team.
St. John’s Ed Blankmeyer
and University of San Francisco’s Nino Giarratano round-out the coaching staff and will serve as Assistant Coaches under
Coach Kinneberg. Coach Blankmeyer has now totaled 15 seasons with the Red Storm, amassing a 513-305-3 record while capturing
three Big East regular season titles and two Big East Tournament title in ten appearances (including this year's tournament
down in Clearwater, Florida). Coach Giarratano completed his 12th season at USF this spring, with the Dons posting a 28-28
record (10-11 in West Coast Conference play). His coaching accomplishments include three National Junior College Coach of
the Year Awards, as well as the best five-year stretch in USF history (163-123 between 2005 and 2009). This will be Coach
Giarratano's second run with Team USA after serving as an Assistant Coach on the undefeated 2008 US National Collegiate
Team.
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