Lewis & Teixeira Named to Final 22-Man 2000 USA Baseball National Team Roster

TUCSON, AZ (June 22) – USA Baseball has finalized its 22-man roster for the 2000 USA Baseball National Team, the organization announced this morning. Georgia Tech second baseman Richard Lewis and third baseman Mark Teixeira were among the players that made the cut at the USA Baseball National Team Trials, which were held at the U S WEST Sports Complex at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson from June 15-21.

Teixeira, who led the Atlantic Coast Conference with a .427 batting average and 18 home runs during the 2000 season, was the winner of the Dick Howser Trophy as the national collegiate player of the year. Lewis, who batted .398 during the regular season, was a second-team All-America honoree.

The team was selected from a pool of 35 players. Southern California’s Mike Gillespie will serve as the head coach for the USA National Team, which will play approximately 30 games on the U S WEST Red, White and Blue Summer Tour. Team USA has already played four games against the Mexican National Team and have a 4-0 record. They will play the final game of this five-game series on Thursday night before traveling to Hawaii Friday. The 29th annual USA vs Japan Collegiate All-Star series begins Sunday in Honolulu.

2000 USA BASEBALL NATIONAL TEAM ROSTERPlayer  Pos      B/T     Yr      SchoolBaker, Jeff      IF      R/R     Fr      ClemsonBurke, Chris     IF      R/R     So      Tennessee Bengochea, Kiki  RHP     R/R     Fr      MiamiBoyd, Patrick    OF      S/R     Jr      Clemson Brazelton, Dewon RHP     R/R     So      Middle Tenn. State  Budde, Ryan      C       R/R     So      Oklahoma StateCarlson, Zane    RHP     R/R     Fr      BaylorCrosby, Bobby    IF      R/R     So      Long Beach State        DiNardo, Len     LHP     L/L     So      StetsonGautreau, Jake   IF      L/R     So      TulaneGosling, Mike    LHP     L/L     So      StanfordHoward, Ryan     IF      L/L     So      SW Missouri State   St. Karp, Josh       RHP     R/R     So      UCLA Lewis, Richard   IF      R/R     So      Georgia Tech Merritt, Tim     IF/OF   R/R     So      South Alabama       Myers, Casey     C       R/R     Sr      Arizona StateNady, Xavier     IF      R/R     Jr      California Prior, Mark      RHP     R/R     So      USCReyes, Anthony   RHP     R/R     Fr      USCSaarloos, Kirk   RHP     R/R     Jr      Cal State FullertonSwitzer, Jon     LHP     L/L     So      Arizona StateTeixeira, Mark   IF      R/R     So      Georgia Tech

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