Irving and Papi Invited to Try Out for Team USA

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June 24, 2013

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia outfielder/first baseman Mike Papi (So., Tunkhannock, Pa.) and catcher Nate Irving (So., Yonkers, N.Y.) each have been invited to try out for the 2013 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. The duo reported for training camp Thursday (June 21) in Cary, N.C.

Twenty-four players will comprise the national team. The team will be announced July 3 prior to the squad’s departure for the USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series, a five-game series which is slated for July 5-11 in various cities across Japan. The national team also is scheduled for a five-game series against Cuba in July in sites in the U.S.

Coaching the Collegiate National Team this summer will be TCU’s Jim Schlossnagle. The hitting coach/3rd base coach is Arizona State’s Tim Esmay. Ole Miss’ Mike Bianco will serve as the pitching coach, while Creighton’s Ed Servais will coach first base and the defense. Brett Basham will serve as the bullpen coach.

Papi was named a First-Team All-American this year by the ABCA and Baseball America. He hit an ACC-best .381 this season while earning First-Team All-ACC honors. He hit seven home runs, 15 doubles and three triples and drove in 57 runs in spearheading a Virginia offense which hit an ACC-leading .312 for the year. He also scored 57 runs.

He ranks second nationally in on base percentage at .517, the second-best mark in program history. He also ranks 28th nationally in batting and 31st in slugging (.619). Papi drew 45 walks this season, which is sixth most in the Virginia annals. He was named the ACC Player of the Week each of the last two weeks of the regular season.

Irving hit .284 this year while starting and catching 56 of Virginia’s 62 games. He racked up 52 hits, including 11 doubles, while driving in 33 runs. He struck out just 17 times – second fewest among the team’s starters. He was named to All-Charlottesville Regional Team after batting .400 with a pair of RBI as UVa won the regional championship.