Frazier Earns Spot on USA Baseball National Team
Jul 02 | Baseball
PISCATAWAY, NJ - Rutgers University All-BIG EAST shortstop Todd Frazier (Toms River, NJ) earned a spot on the final 22-man roster for the USA Baseball National Team, the program announced on Sunday.
'This is a great achievement and a very deserving accomplishment for Todd, said Rutgers head coach Fred Hill. 'I knew he had the talent to make the team and he proved himself during the trials. He contributed in every way to the success of our team this past season and will represent Rutgers on a national level. I am proud of Todd and look forward to following him this summer.'
Back in May, Frazier was one of 20 standout collegiate players from around the nation to be selected for the USA Baseball National Team Trials. He participated with a total of 36 players in the Trials, which included intrasquad games and exhibition contests against teams from the New England Collegiate Baseball League from June 22 to July 1.
Frazier was the lone player to start all three of Team USA's games against outside competition during the Trials. He played several positions, including third base, shortstop and the outfield. Frazier primarily batted near the top of Team USA's lineup. He hit a bases-clearing triple in the first inning against the Pittsfield Dukes of the NECBL to give Team USA a 3-0 lead in its first game against outside competition last Sunday, in Pittsfield, MA. Earlier that day, Team USA played its first Red-Blue intrasquad game of the Trials. Frazier and University of Tennessee's Julio Borbon led all hitters with three hits for the Blue Team, who lost 4-3 to the Red Team in the game.
A two-time All-BIG EAST shortstop, Frazier earned First Team honors in 2006 after completing his sophomore campaign with the Scarlet Knights with a .366 batting average, 83 hits, 14 doubles, three triples and 11 home runs for a .599 slugging percentage. The versatile shortstop also walked 42 times, scored 62 runs and drove in another 51 runs, while stealing 21 bases on the season. He earned First Team New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association All-State honors for the second straight season in 2006. . The 6-4, 215-pound slugger led Rutgers and was among the BIG EAST leaders in virtually every offensive statistical category. He has started every single game for Rutgers in his first two seasons with the Scarlet Knights and is approaching the top-10 in several career categories in the RU record book.
Frazier, who was named the 12th-best professional prospect from the sophomore class by Baseball America entering this past season, becomes the second Scarlet Knight to make the USA National Team since 2000 when former Rutgers All-American Bobby Brownlie led Team USA with a 7-0 record and a 0.84 ERA as the club's top pitcher. Brownlie was the first selection of the Chicago Cubs and 21st overall pick in the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft. He is currently pitching for the Cubs' Double AA affiliate, West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx.
The USA Baseball National Team consists of the top collegiate baseball players in the country. The team performs each summer in a schedule of exhibition games across America and overseas, versus the world's top baseball talent. They also take on the Japanese Collegiate All-Stars in an annual five-game series, and lead the all-time series between the two countries by a 20-14 margin - having never lost the series on home soil. The 2006 USA Baseball National Team will look to defend their FISU World University Baseball Championship this August in Havana, Cuba. Team USA will also participate in the 35th Annual USA vs. Japan Collegiate Championship Series here in the USA, July 25-29 and several Friendship Series at their home ballpark - Durham Bulls Athletic Park this summer.
The team will play its first game since announcing the final roster on Independence Day against Taiwan at 6:05 p.m. at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, RI.
USA Baseball annually selects 35-40 non-draft eligible players to the National Team Trials. On occasion, non-drafted juniors and seniors - and in very rare situations, drafted but unsigned players -have been included in the trials and have made the team. From the trials, a 20 to 22-man National Team is selected.
2006 USA National Team
Name Pos. Cl. School
Borbon, Julio OF So. Tennessee
Kieschnick, Roger OF Fr. Texas Tech
Clark, Preston C RFr. Texas
Cozart, Zack SS/3B So. Ole Miss
Frazier, Todd INF/OF So. Rutgers
Price, David LHP So. Vanderbilt
Weeks, Jemile INF Fr. Miami
Moskos, Daniel LHP So. Clemson
Detwiler, Ross LHP So. Missouri State
St. Clair, Cole LHP So. Rice
Crawford, Brandon SS Fr. UCLA
Schmidt, Nick LHP So. Arkansas
Hill, Nick LHP Jr. Army
Doolittle, Sean LHP/INF So. Virginia
Augenstein, Bryan RHP So. Florida
Barney, Darwin INF/OF So. Oregon State
Arrieta, Jake RHP So. TCU
Federowicz, Tim C/1B Fr. North Carolina
Hunter, Tommy RHP Fr. Alabama
Arencibia, J.P. C So. Tennessee
Roemer, Wes RHP So. Cal State Fullerton
Alvarez, Pedro 3B Fr. Vanderbilt
