Pomeranz Selected To Compete With USA Baseball National Team

OXFORD, Miss.  Left-hander Drew Pomeranz was selected to the USA Baseball National Team the organization announced on Thursday, making Pomeranz the sixth Ole Miss player to compete as a member of the 22-man squad.

Pomeranz was one of 10 pitchers selected and one of only four players from the Southeastern Conference named to the team upon the conclusion of a 10-day trial period that included eight intrasquad scrimmages and practices.

The rising junior joins former Rebels Seth Smith, Stephen Head, Zack Cozart, Lance Lynn and Cody Satterwhite as members of the USA Baseball National Team.

“Certainly we’re excited for Drew and very proud of him being selected to compete with the USA National Team,” said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. “When you look at the names of other players we have had go on to represent us on the National Team, it tells you just how special an honor this is for Drew.”

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 37^th Annual USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series and the World Baseball Challenge in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada.

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.). 

Pomeranz (Ole Miss; Memphis, Tenn.) and Cody Wheeler (Coastal Carolina; Fredericksburg, Va.) are the only left-handers on the 2009 pitching staff.\

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.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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