Smith makes USA Baseball Collegiate National Team roster
While the postseason honors continue to roll in for Arkansas left-handed pitcher Hagen Smith, he is getting set to pitch for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team as part of a 31-man roster that will play in a pair of five-game series with Chinese Taipei and Japan from June 30-July 12.
The Bullard, Texas, native joins recent Hogs such as Robert Moore, Dominic Fletcher, Heston Kjerstad, Casey Martin and Casey Opitz to be named to the Team USA roster.
Smith also picked up his latest All-American honor Tuesday from D1Baseball, which gave the Razorback lefty a nod as a second team starting pitcher. Smith was named a First Team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Collegiate Baseball.
During his First Team All-SEC sophomore campaign in 2023, Smith posted an 8-2 record to go with a 3.64 ERA in 71.2 innings pitched. The lefty walked 42 batters and struck out 109, the most of any Arkansas pitcher.
For the second year in a row, Smith earned an invite to the Collegiate National Team training camp and this year he made the final roster after throwing 2.1 innings, striking out three and walking six on Sunday. In 2022, Smith likely would've made the roster, but he needed rest after throwing 77.1 innings as a freshman.
Smith is one of nine SEC players on the roster, which will be led by manager Larry Lee, who serves at the head coach at Cal Poly.
“After the most talented and competitive Training Camp, the staff completed a grueling selection process to get to the final roster today,” Lee said. “Our roster is full of extremely talented and capable baseball players, and we are focused on representing the United States well in international competition. We are looking forward to getting our series against Chinese Taipei started tomorrow night here in Cary.”
Lee's staff includes Brady Austin (East Carolina), Reggie Christiansen (Sacramento State), Thomas Eager (Stanford), Andy Stankiewicz (USC) and José Vázquez (Alabama State).
The 20th USA vs. Chinese Taipei International Friendship Series is set for June 30-July 4. Games will be played within the Carolinas at the National Training Complex, the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, Atrium Health Ballpark in Kannapolis and Segra Stadium in Fayetteville.
The National Training Complex will also host the opening three games of the 44th USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Championship Series July 7-9, while games four and five of the series will be played at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Ballpark in Charleston, South Carolina, on July 11 and 12.
All time, the Collegiate National Team boasts a record of 135-32-2 in North Carolina dating back to 1987, including a 38-14-1 mark at the National Training Complex in Cary.
Below is the full 2023 Collegiate National Team roster, via the USABaseball website.
Ben Abeldt; LHP; McKinney, Texas; TCU
Matt Ager; RHP; Pleasanton, Calif.; UC Santa Barbara
Drew Beam; RHP; Murfreesboro, Tenn.; Tennessee
Jac Caglianone; LHP/1B; Tampa, Fla.; Florida
Charlie Condon; 1B/OF; Marietta, Ga.; Georgia
Christian Coppola; RHP; Galloway, N.J.; Rutgers
Kaelen Culpepper; INF; Memphis, Tenn.; Kansas State
Duce Gourson; INF; San Diego, Calif.; UCLA
Rodney Green, Jr.; OF; Richmond, Calif.; Cal
Luke Holman; RHP; Sinking Spring, Pa.
*Carter Holton; LHP; Guyton, Ga.; Vanderbilt
Ryan Johnson; RHP; Red Oak, Texas; Dallas Baptist
Seaver King; INF; Athena, Ga.; Wake Forest
Jace LaViolette; OF; Katy, Texas; Texas A&M
Michael Massey; RHP; Suwanee, Ga.; Wake Forest
Xavier Meachem; RHP; Winterville, N.C.; NC A&T
Omar Melendez; LHP; Cayey, P.R.; Alabama State
Braden Montgomery; OF/RHP; Madison, Miss.; Stanford
^Malcolm Moore; C; Sacramento, Calif.; Stanford
^Christian Moore; INF; Brooklyn, N.Y.; Tennessee
Brandon Neely; RHP; Seville, Fla.; Florida
Tyson Neighbors; RHP; Royse City, Texas; Kansas State
Griff O'Ferrall; INF; Richmond, Va.; Virginia
Fran Oschell III; RHP; Phoenixville, Pa.; Duke
Kyle Robinson; RHP; Vienna, Va.; Texas Tech
Hagen Smith; LHP; Bullard, Texas; Arkansas
Ryan Stafford; C; Folsom, Calif.; Cal Poly
JJ Wetherholt; INF; Mars, Pa.; West Virginia
Nicholas Wilson; RHP; Carrollton, Texas; Southern
Jay Woolfolk; RHP; Chesterfield, Va.; Virginia
Trey Yesavage; RHP; Boyertown, Pa.; East Carolina