Gyorko Accepts Team USA Invitation
May 26, 2009 11:30 AM | General
By Steve Stone for MSNsportsNET.com
May 26, 2009
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University baseball player Jedd Gyorko has formally accepted an invitation to the USA Baseball National Team Trials.
Gyorko, a Morgantown native, is one of 36 players invited to the trials, which begin on June 14 at the National Training Complex in Cary, N.C., and end with the final selection of the 22-man roster on June 24.
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| Jedd Gyorko is one of three BIG EAST players invited to try out for Team USA.
Brian Persinger photo |
“It is an honor to be invited to try out for Team USA,” Gyorko said. “This is a tremendous opportunity for me to represent my country first and foremost, as well as better myself as a player by playing against some of the best competition in the world.”
The national team is the defending gold medalists in the last three FISU World Collegiate Baseball Championships. The 2008 USA Baseball National Team won a 12-inning gold medal versus Japan in the finals of the IV FISU World Collegiate Championship to finish a historic 24-0 campaign.
Gyorko is one of three BIG EAST players invited to the Team USA tryouts. Utility player Phil Wunderlich and pitcher Tony Zych, both from Louisville, are also part of the 36-man tryout roster.
A Brooks Wallace Award semifinalist, Gyorko followed his breakout freshman campaign with an even better season in 2009. The converted shortstop finished the year batting .421 with eight home runs, 58 RBIs, a school record 28 doubles, 96 base hits and 74 runs scored.
Gyorko also posted a .658 slugging percentage and reached base nearly 50 percent of the time (.487). He ended his sophomore season by being named an All-BIG EAST First Team performer.
Through his first two seasons at WVU, Gyorko is batting .415 with 16 home runs, 121 RBIs, 45 doubles, 136 runs scored and has already totaled 191 hits.
“We’re extremely proud of Jedd and what he has accomplished so far,” Coach Greg Van Zant said. “This is quite an honor and it will be a great experience for him. We wish Jedd the best.”
Should Gyorko make the final 22-man roster, he would join the USA Baseball National Team in several national and international tours. The first National Team Tour consists of playing a five-game series against Canada from June 25-29 in Cary and Durham, N.C., followed by a four-game series against Guatemala from July 1-4.
Team USA also faces Japan several times in Tokyo, Matsuyama, Sendai and Tsuruoka. The season concludes with the World Baseball Challenge in Prince George, British Columbia in Canada beginning July 19. Team USA is scheduled to face Canada, Bahamas, USA-Reno, Prince George Axemen, Chinese Taipei, the Beijing Tigers and Germany before going on to the final rounds.
Gyorko also holds the option of playing in the Cape Cod League, known as the most competitive summer baseball league in the country. He is slated to play with the Brewster Whitecaps, but would likely have to forgo his invite if he is selected to the USA National Team.
