Yasmani Grandal Named to 2009 USA Baseball National Team
June 30, 2009
CARY, N.C. – University of Miami sophomore catcher Yasmani Grandal has been named to the 2009 USA Baseball National Team. Grandal, one of two catchers named to the team, will compete this summer alongside 23 other collegiate players on the national team leading up to the World Baseball Challenge, July 18-26.
Grandal emerged this past season as one of the top power hitters in the Atlantic Coast Conference, leading the Hurricanes with 16 home runs. The Miami native ranked second on the team in slugging percentage (.599) and total bases (118), while hitting .299 with 45 RBI and 48 runs scored in 59 games.
The National Team was selected after 10 days of trials that included eight intrasquad games and practices at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.
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 37th Annual USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series and the World Baseball Challenge in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada.
“This is the most productive trials period that I have ever been a part of,” said Eric Campbell, General Manager of USA Baseball National Teams. “I would like to congratulate all of the players and the staff for putting together a competitive 10 days in Cary.”
The 2009 team will be coached by Tulane University head coach Rick Jones, who previously served as an assistant coach for the red, white and blue on the 1989 Presidential Cup Team and 1990 National Team. Jones is joined by pitching coach Mike Kennedy (head coach, Elon University) and assistant coaches Dan McDonnell (head coach, Louisville University) and Rob Cooper (head coach, Wright State University; 2007 USA Baseball National Team assistant coach).
“Making the decision on who to select for the 2009 National Team has been the toughest I have ever had to make as a head coach,” said the club’s skipper Rick Jones (Tulane). “I give a lot of credit to my coaching staff. They put together a very organized and productive trials that allowed us to successfully choose the right players for this team.”
Click here for a complete summer schedule for the 2009 USA Baseball National Team (Collegiate). The complete roster is below.
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