UCLA baseball sophomore pitcher James Kaprielian was selected to play for the 2014 USA Collegiate National Baseball Team this summer, USA Baseball announced Monday afternoon.
The reliever-turned-starter is UCLA’s ace on Friday nights this season, posting a 5-3 record with 2.20 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 61.1 innings pitched.
“I am excited to be able to have the chance to play with the U.S. Collegiate National Team this summer,” Kaprielian said in a statement. “It is an honor and a privilege to represent your country and I want to thank the people at USA Baseball for giving me the opportunity to play for them.”
Kaprielian is the eighth UCLA player to be selected for the Collegiate National Team in the last six years and is the ninth selection under coach John Savage. Overall, he is the 14th selection from UCLA to play for the national team.
UCLA has been well represented on the Collegiate National Team the past few years, as Kaprielian joins current junior closer David Berg and former Bruin Adam Plutko as the third selection in the last three years and the fifth UCLA pitcher in the last six years, after Berg, Plutko, Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer.
“Our program has had a great tradition of sending players to play for the National Team and we’re happy that James will be continuing that tradition this summer,” Savage said in a statement. “He has grown from a reliever in his freshman year to our Friday starter in his sophomore year and we know that he will continue to succeed with USA Baseball.”
Compiled by Jason Drantch, Bruin Sports reporter.