Baseball's Bengochea Ready To Begin USA Team Trials

June 14, 2000

Coral Gables, FL (www.hurricanesports.com) – USA Baseball has extended invitations to six more players to participate in the 2000 U S WEST USA Baseball National Team Trials – to be held at the U S WEST Sports Complex at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson beginning Thursday.

The trials will be held from June 15-21 and the National Team will be selected from a pool of 35 players – 29 of which have already been announced by USA Baseball in earlier press releases. Seven of the players invited to participate in the trials will remain in Omaha, Nebraska at the 2000 College World Series until their season is finished. In addition, threecoaches will remain in Omaha as well, including Southern California’s Mike Gillespie – who will serve as the head coach for the National Team.

The National Team will play approximately 30 games on the U S WEST Red, White and Blue Summer Tour. The list of the final six invites is shown below, plus a list of the previous 29 players invited to camp. Two players who had already been invited are now unable to attend: Ozzie Lugo of Florida International and Darrell Rasner of Nevada.

Player         Pos  Ht   Wt  B/T  DOB      Yr   School              HometownBrazelton, Dewon  RHP  6-4  205 R/R  6-16-80  So   Middle Tenn. State  Tullahoma, TNCarson, Matt      OF   6-2  185 S/R  7-1-81   Fr   BYU                 Yucaipa, CAKent, Mailon      OF   6-1  180 R/R  9-2-78   Jr   Auburn              Birmingham, ALMyers, Casey      C    5-11 190 R/R  10-23-78 Sr   Arizona State       Casa Grande, AZRabelo, Mike      C    6-1  195 R/R  1-17-80  So   Tampa               New Port Richey, FLSaarloos, Kirk    RHP  6-0  180 R/R  5-23-79  Jr   Cal St. Fullerton   Long Beach, CA*Baker, Jeff      IF   6-1  195 R/R  6-21-81  Fr   Clemson             Woodbridge, VABengochea, Kiki   RHP  6-2  195 R/R  12-4-80  Fr   Miami               Miami, FLBudde, Ryan       C    5-10 182 R/R  8-15-79  So   Oklahoma State      Midwest City, OKBurke, Chris      IF   5-11 180 R/R  3-11-80  So   Tennessee           Louisville, KYButler, Keith     OF   5-11 180 R/R  8-11-80  Fr   Liberty             Marietta, GACarlson, Zane     RHP  5-10 160 R/R  8-11-80  Fr   Baylor              Dallas, TXCrosby, Bobby     IF   6-3  190 R/R  1-12-80  So   Long Beach State    Cypress, CADinardo, Len      LHP  6-4  190 L/L  9-19-79  So   Stetson             High Springs, FLGarcia, Danny     OF   6-1  180 R/R  4-12-80  So   Pepperdine          San Bernardino, CAGautreau, Jake    IF   6-0  180 L/R  11-14-79 So   Tulane              McAllen, TX*Gosling, Mike    LHP  6-2  210 L/L  9-23-80  So   Stanford            Salt Lake City, UTGreenberg, Adam   OF   5-9  165 L/R  2-21-81  Fr   North Carolina      Guilford, CTGross, Gabe       OF   6-3  205 L/R  10-21-79 So   Auburn              Dothan, ALHoward, Ryan      IF   6-4  215 L/L  11-19-79 So   SW Missouri State   St. Louis, MOKarp, Josh        RHP  6-5  195 R/R  9-21-79  So   UCLA                Bothell, WAKeppinger, Jeff   IF   6-0  170 R/R  4-21-80  So   Georgia             Auburn, GALewis, Richard    IF   6-1  180 R/R  6-29-80  So   Georgia Tech        Marietta, GALowry, Noah       LHP  6-2  190 L/L  10-10-80 So   Pepperdine          Ojai, CA*Lynch, Matt      LHP  6-1  190 L/L  1-14-81  Fr   Florida State       Ft. Pierce, FLMerritt, Tim     IF/OF 6-0  180 R/R  2-7-80   So   South Alabama       Cantonment, FLParrott, Rhett    RHP  6-2  185 R/R  11-12-79 So   Georgia Tech        Dalton, GA*Prior, Mark      RHP  6-5  220 R/R  9-7-80   So   USC                 Bonita, CA*Reyes, Anthony   RHP  6-1  200 R/R  10-16-81 Fr   USC                 Whittier, CARouse, Mike       IF   6-0  170 L/R  4-25-80  So   Cal State Fullerton San Jose, CA*Sager, Brian     RHP  6-5  230 R/R  10-30-79 So   Stanford            Branford, CT*Schmidt, Jarrod  RHP  6-1  215 R/R  10-2-80  Fr   Clemson             Marietta, GAShoppach, Kelly   C    5-11 210 R/R  4-29-80  So   Baylor              Fort Worth, TXSwitzer, Jon      LHP  6-2  180 L/L  8-13-79  So   Arizona State       Houston, TXTeixeira, Mark    IF   6-2  215 R/R  4-11-80  So   Georgia Tech        Severna Park, MD

* Players will remain in Omaha at the College World Series until theircollege season ends.

NOTE: This is NOT the team nor the players that will represent the UnitedStates in the 2000 Summer Olympics.