THE FLATS – Georgia Tech baseball’s rising sophomore catcher Kevin Parada (Pasadena, Calif./Loyola) will be one of the 48 college baseball players to represent the United States this summer, getting selected to 2021 Collegiate National Team, it was announced today.
The Collegiate National Team will not face an international opponent this summer, but will instead feature 48 players split into two 24-man rosters – the Stars and Stripes – who will face off in 11 intrasquad games this July in the cities of the Appalachian League.
The Yellow Jackets’ primary catcher as a true freshman, making 48 starts behind the dish, Parada led the ACC in hitting the entire first half of the season before cooling slightly to finish top 20 with a team-best .318. The California native is the first freshman to lead Georgia Tech in hitting since Matt Murton in 2001. Parada also led the ACC with 20 doubles on the season, and recorded four four-hit games on the season – only two other ACC players had games three.
Throughout the season, the true freshman catcher was recognized nationally, receiving ACC Player of the Week honors to start March as well as twice being named the Midseason Freshman of the Year by Perfect Game and D1Baseball. He was also one of just five freshmen to be named to the Buster Posey Award watch list as well as the Golden Spikes midseason watch list.
Parada has been lauded for his freshman campaign, being named a freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball and ABCA/Rawlings All-Southeast Region second-team selection, as well as third-team all-ACC and the ACC’s all-freshman team.
He becomes the second-straight Yellow Jacket to make the Collegiate National Team after Luke Waddell was selected in 2019. He joins Matt Wieters (2005), Mike Nickeas (2003) and Jason Varitek (1991-92) in Georgia Tech catchers to represent Team USA.
Full 2021 Collegiate National Team Schedule:
- Friday, July 2; Stars vs. Stripes; Danville, Virginia; 7 p.m.
- Saturday, July 3; Stars vs. Stripes; Burlington, North Carolina; TBD
- Sunday, July 4; Stars vs. Stripes; Cary, North Carolina; 1:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, July 6; Stars vs. Stripes; Greeneville, Tennessee; 7 p.m.
- Wednesday, July 7; Stars vs. Stripes; Johnson City, Tennessee; 7 p.m.
- Thursday, July 8; Stars vs. Stripes; Bristol, Virginia; 7 p.m.
- Friday, July 9; Stars vs. Stripes; Elizabethton, Virginia; 7 p.m.
- Saturday, July 10; Stars vs. Stripes; Kingsport, Tennessee; TBD
- Tuesday, July 13; Stars vs. Stripes; Pulaski, Virginia; 7 p.m.
- Wednesday, July 14; Stars vs. Stripes; Princeton, West Virginia; 7 p.m.
- Thursday, July 15; Stars vs. Stripes; Bluefield, West Virginia; 6:30 p.m.
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Support The Swarm Fund, which helps Georgia Tech athletics offset the significant financial challenges associated with Covid-19, and the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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