Ole Miss' Hunter Elliott and Jacob Gonzalez selected to USA Baseball Collegiate National Team

Hunter Elliott and Jacob Gonzalez became national champions along with the rest of the Ole Miss baseball team nine days ago. They can now also add Team USA members to their summer résumés.

On Tuesday the Team USA Collegiate National Team announced its final 26-man roster that will travel to Haarlem, Netherlands this weekend. Elliott and Gonzalez each made the cut that was selected by Team USA, and Ole Miss, head coach Mike Bianco.

“A week ago, as I sat with the 51 players that we invited to Cary (N.C.), I told them what a tremendous honor this is because you are 51 of the best amateur baseball players in the United States of America,” Bianco said in a statement. “To narrow it down nearly in half is quite a task. We shared with all of them, as honestly and candidly as we could, that there are players that will go home that will play in the big leagues and be All-Americans next year. I commend these coaches and the USA Baseball committee on the selections we have made. We can’t wait to get to work today and on the road to winning the championship at Honkbalweek.”

Elliott worked two scoreless innings on Monday in the final intrasquad scrimmage before the roster was trimmed down on Tuesday. He gave up one hit while striking out four and issued one walk.

Playing in four games over the last week, Gonzalez went 5-for-16 (.313) with four runs batted in, two doubles and scored two runs. This is Gonzalez’ second straight year to make Team USA. In 2021 he was joined by Ole Miss teammates Hayden Dunhurst and Derek Diamond.

Ole Miss pitcher Mason Nichols was a late addition and invite to go to Cary in an effort to try out and make the team. Nichols did not make the cut to join his Rebel teammates and coach.

Bianco will be joined by his son, Drew, on the coaching staff along with Xan Barksdale, Scott Brown (Vanderbilt), Cliff Godwin (ECU), and Josh Holliday (Oklahoma State).

Team USA will travel to the Netherlands on Wednesday and begin Honkbalweek Haarlem on Saturday. The first game will be against Japan at 8 a.m. ET and follow with games against Italy, Cuba, the Netherlands, and Curacao to complete group play. All games will be streamed online via HonkbalSoftbal.tv.

The full Team USA Collegiate National Team is listed below

(Name; Position; Hometown; School)

• Zach Agnos; RHP/INF; Haymarket, Va.; ECU
• Maui Ahuna; INF; Hilo, Hawaii
• ^Enrique Bradfield Jr.; OF; Hialeah, Fla.; Vanderbilt
• Ryan Bruno; LHP; Wellington, Fla.; Stanford
• *^Dylan Crews; OF; Longwood, Fla.; LSU
• Wyatt Crowell; LHP; Cumming, Ga.; Florida State
• ^Ross Dunn; LHP; Salt Lake City, Utah
• Hunter Elliott; LHP; Tupelo, Miss.; Ole Miss
• *^Jacob Gonzalez; INF; Glendora, Calif.; Ole Miss
• Joseph Gonzalez; RHP; Humacao, P.R.; Auburn
• Tanner Hall; RHP; Zachary, La.; Southern Mississippi
• Carter Holton; LHP; Savannah, Ga.; Vanderbilt
• Jack Hurley; OF; Boalsburg, Pa.; Virginia Tech
• Cade Kuehler; RHP; Waxhaw, N.C.; Campbell
• Wyatt Langford; OF/C; Trenton, Fla.; Florida
• Rhett Lowder; RHP; Albemarle, N.C.; Wake Forest
• Teddy McGraw; RHP; Oneota, N.Y.; Wake Forest
• Carson Montgomery; RHP; Windermere, Fla.; Florida State
• *^Yohandy Morales; INF; Miami, Fla.; Miami
• Tre’ Morgan; INF; New Orleans, La.; LSU
• Jack Payton; C; Orland Park, Ill.; Louisville
• *Paul Skenes; RHP/INF; Lake Forest, Calif.
• Brayden Taylor; INF; West Jordan, Utah; TCU
• *Kyle Teel; C/OF; Mahwah, N.J.; Virginia
• Hurston Waldrep; RHP; Thomasville, Ga.
• Jacob Wilson; INF; Thousand Oaks, Calif.; Grand Canyon

*denotes national team alumnus

^denotes National Team Development Program (NTDP) participant