WACO, TX — Rising junior shortstop Nick Loftin has officially accepted an invitation to the 2019 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team training camp, it was announced by USA Baseball.
The talented shortstop becomes the 10th Bear in program history to be associated with one of the USA Baseball National Teams and for the first time since 1997-1998 the Bears have back-to-back seasons with participants on the collegiate national team after Shea Langeliers and Cody Bradford participated in 2018.
“It’s a special feeling when you get to put on the Red, White and Blue and play for your country. I couldn’t be more thankful for this opportunity,” said Loftin.
In 2019, Loftin started all 53 games he appeared in on the season at shortstop, slashing .323/.380/.502 in his sophomore campaign. His 41 RBIs were third-best on the team, and he tied for the team lead with 76 total hits on the year. Loftin was a First Team All-Big 12 selection for the first time in his career, finishing the regular season batting .332 with 38 RBIs, six home runs, two triples and 16 doubles on a team-high 69 hits. The Corpus Christi, native, also excelled in the classroom, as he was a Second Team Academic All-Big 12 selection. In 2018 as a true freshman, he played in 55 games, making 53 starts at shortstop and in left field. He earned Freshman All-America honors by Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America, was a unanimous Big 12 All-Freshman Team selection and a 2018 Second Team All-Big 12 honoree.
Loftin currently is playing in the prestigious Cape Cod League for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, batting .273 (6-for-22) through five games played, with two doubles and one RBI.
The USA Baseball Collegiate National Team will participate in series of four intrasquad exhibition games and a game against the Coastal Plain League Select before announcing a 26-man roster prior to the 8th USA vs. Cuba International Friendship Series that will take place July 2-6 in Cary, Charlotte, Durham and Hickory, North Carolina. Team USA's 26-man roster will then travel to Taiwan for the 19th USA vs. Chinese Taipei International Friendship Series after which USA Baseball will announce a final 24-man roster to compete in the 43rd USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series from July 16-21 in Japan.
