Kevin Rhoderick Named To USA Baseball National Team
DURHAM, N.C. – Oregon State freshman closer Kevin Rhoderick has been named to the USA Baseball National (Collegiate) Team, it was announced Tuesday.
Rhoderick becomes the fourth Oregon State player to make the squad, joining Kevin Gunderson and Jonah Nickerson in 2005 and Darwin Barney in 2006.
“It feels great to be named to the team,” Rhoderick said. “It’s a great opportunity to represent my country against some of the world’s best competition. It’s an incredible feeling.”
The Scottsdale, Ariz., native appeared in six games at the USA Baseball tryouts, which consisted of games against New England Collegiate Baseball League teams, the Chinese National Team and intersquad contests. He threw six innings in those appearances, allowing six hits and one earned run while striking out 10. He posted an earned run average of 1.50.
It is the second such USA Baseball honor for Rhoderick, who played for the Junior National Team in 2006. He appeared in two games, throwing 3 2/3 innings, striking out seven.
Sophomore catcher Ryan Ortiz also tried out for the 2008 National club, but was one of the cuts on Tuesday. He played in eight games, batting .316 (6-for-19) with a home run, three runs batted in, a double, four runs scored and three walks. The San Diego native is now scheduled to join the Yarnouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod League and will be a teammate of Oregon State right-hander Greg Peavey.
The USA National Team continues play on Wednesday in Greenville, S.C., for a six-game series against Chinese Taipei that concludes June 30. During the series, the club is also scheduled to play Chinese Taipei in Kannapolis, N.C. (June 26), Durham, N.C. (June 27-29) and Cary, N.C. (June 30).
USA Baseball is also scheduled to play at the Haarlem Baseball Week in the Netherlands from July 5-13, and the IV FISU World Collegiate Baseball Championship in Bmo, Ostrava & Olomouc, Czech Republic from July 17-27. Exhibitions are also scheduled before and after the tournaments. The squad, however, will not comprise the USA Olympic Team roster. The USA Baseball Olympic Team is comprised of the top professional players not on a 25-man roster; that squad will be announced July 16.
The National Team roster currently features 20 players, with two open spots that are scheduled to be announced later this week.
For more information on Oregon State baseball, visit . Available online are archived game notes, a 2008 season in review, final statistics, player biographies and photo galleries.
