CARY, N.C. – California Golden Bears sophomore right-hander Daulton Jefferies was officially selected to the Collegiate National Team by USA Baseball, the national governing body announced on Tuesday. Jefferies had a breakout year for the Bears in 2015; posting a 6-5 record with a 2.92 ERA with a team-high 74 strikeouts. He also was instrumental for Cal in the NCAA Regionals, earning a win in the opening game of the College Station Regional against Coastal Carolina (7 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 5 K’s) and a no decision in the final game of the Regional, striking out a pair in one inning of work.
“I am very humbled and very thankful to represent my country while playing the game that I love,” Jefferies said. “It is an honor and a privilege to wear the uniform and it is something that I will never take for granted. Little kids call us their heroes, but the real heroes are those that are fighting for our freedom.”
Jefferies, an Atwater, California native, has appeared in two games thus far for Team USA (1-1), allowing a pair of runs in a four-inning start against Chinese Taipei on June 23, and pitching three perfect innings in another start against Chinese Taipei on June 28, striking out one. He struck out six hitters and allowed just one hit. The Team USA roster is comprised of 26 players, four of which hail from the Pac-12.
“We are very proud to have Daulton on the U.S. national team representing Cal and the United States,” Cal head coach David Esquer said on Tuesday. “It will be a great experience for him and I know how excited he is to wear USA across his chest.”
The USA Collegiate National Team roster will include Jefferies, Nick Banks (Texas A&M), Bryson Brigman (San Diego), Zack Burdi (Louisville), Bobby Dalbec (Arizona), Anfernee Grier (Auburn), Garrett Hampson (Long Beach State), KJ Harrison (Oregon State), Ryan Hendrix (Texas A&M), Tanner Houck (Missouri), Ryan Howard (Missouri), Anthony Kay (UCONN), Brendan McKay (Louisville), Stephen Nogosek (Oregon), Chris Okey (Clemson), A.J. Puk (Florida), Corey Ray (Louisville), Buddy Reed (Florida), JJ Schwarz (Florida) Mike Shawaryn (Maryland), Logan Shore (Florida), Robert Tyler (Georgia), pitchers Bailey Clark (Duke) and Tommy DeJuneas (N.C. State)
Team USA and Jefferies will continue on with a series of exhibition games against Cuba and Canada throughout the first week of July. Following the Cuba series, the roster will be trimmed to 24 players. The Americans will then be competing against Canada and the US Pan-Am Games Team in the Americas Baseball Festival, which will be held at the National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.
