CARY, N.C. – Georgia Tech baseball rising junior Luke Waddell will be one of the 26 college baseball players to represent the United States this summer, getting selected to the 2019 Collegiate National Team, USA Baseball announced today.
The Yellow Jacket middle infielder is one of five ACC student-athletes to make the team, which begins action in a five-game international friendly series against Cuba before traveling to Taiwan and Japan next week.
Team USA leaves for Taiwan on July 7 to face Chinese Taipei in a series from July 9-12 before traveling to Japan for the 43rd USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series, which takes place in various cities from July 16-21.
Three of the U.S. vs. Cuba games will be streamed live on USABaseball.com (July 3, July 4, July 6), with the remaining domestic Collegiate National Team games broadcast on USA Baseball’s Facebook channel.
Waddell improved his hitting by almost 40 points during his sophomore year, hitting .322 for the season in 2019. In just half a year at the position, the Loveland, Ohio native earned the reputation as one of the top shortstops in the country, making the finalist list for the Brooks Wallace Shortstop of the Year award after moving to the position full-time on March 9.
He was one of six Jackets to hit north of .300 this season, amassing 75 hits, 12 doubles, two triples and two homers for 34 RBI out of the leadoff position, scoring 57 times himself. Waddell was the third-toughest to strikeout in the ACC, averaging 10.6 at-bats per strikeout, reaching base in 39-consecutive games to finish the season.
The 26-man roster will be cut to 24 prior to the series in Japan.
ACC Network – Coming Aug. 22
The ACC Network is a linear and digital platform dedicated to 24/7 coverage of ACC sports. It will exclusively televise approximately 450 live events each year, including approximately 40 football games (beginning with Georgia Tech’s 2019 season opener at Clemson on Aug. 29), as well as 150 men’s and women’s basketball contests.
Don’t get shut out! For more information and to learn if your cable/satellite/digital provider is committed to carrying the ACC Network, visit GetACCN.com. Georgia Tech fans whose cable/satellite/digital providers aren’t already committed to carrying the ACC Network are urged to contact their providers and ask for the ACC Network to be a part of their subscription.
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech baseball team, follow us on Twitter (@GTBaseball), Facebook, Instagram (@gt_baseball) or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com.
