Rosters set for Appy vs. USA game tonight
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Appalachian League announced its East and West Select Team rosters for its two exhibition games against USA Baseball’s College National Team on July 1 and July 2 in Pulaski, Va., and Johnson City, Tenn.
The Collegiate National Team’s Summer League Tour will head to Calfee Park in Pulaski, Va., on July 1 to take on the Appalachian League East Select Team at 7 p.m. ET.
Pulaski manager Bill Kinneberg will lead the East Select Team along with the rest of the River Turtles’ coaching staff: Ted Power (Pitching Coach), Carlos Varela (Hitting Coach) and Tommy Murphy (Fourth Coach). The East roster also features five players from the host River Turtles: RHP Nate Gray, RHP Max Martin, C Troy Reader, INF Austen Jaslove and INF Joe Kinneberg.
Appy League East Select Team roster:
Pitchers: RHP Kaleb Appleby (Bluefield), RHP Nate Gray (Pulaski), RHP James Guyette (Danville), LHP Jerek Hobb (Burlington), RHP Garrett Hodges (Danville), RHP Trey Lawrence (Tri-State), RHP Max Martin (Pulaski), LHP Cyle Phelan (Danville), RHP Aidan Smith (Bluefield), RHP David Stich (Tri-State)
Catchers: Ryan McCrystal (Burlington), Troy Reader (Pulaski, Jacob Smith (Danville)
Infielders: Spencer Barnett (Tri-State), Austin Jaslove (Pulaski), Cole Johnson (Danville), Joe Kinneberg (Pulaski), Michael Callan Moss (Danville), Addison Smith (Danville), Noah Smith (Bluefield)
Outfielders: Tyler Albright (Burlington), Alex Conover (Danville), Nick English (Bluefield), Alexander Wright (Bluefield)
The Summer League Tour wraps up with a matchup between Team USA and the Appalachian League West Select Team at 7 p.m. ET on July 2 at TVA Credit Union Ballpark in Johnson City, Tenn. Tickets for the Appy League’s contest against the Collegiate National Team on July 2 in Johnson City are available for purchase here.
Kevin Mahoney, who garnered Appalachian League Manager of the Year honors in 2023 after leading Johnson City to an Appy League title, will serve as the skipper for the West Select Team against the Collegiate National Team on July 2. Joining Mahoney’s coaching staff are Kingsport pitching coach Josh Lucas (Pitching Coach), Greeneville manager Jack Wilson (Third Base Coach) and Elizabethton manager Jeremy Owens (First Base Coach).
Johnson City is well-represented on the West Select Team’s roster, with four Doughboys helping comprise the 23-player squad: RHP Griffin Howell, LHP Weston Rouse, INF Gunner Boree and OF Colby Backus.
Appy League West Select Team roster:
Pitchers: LHP Dane Bjorn (Elizabethton), RHP Caden Carroll (Elizabethton), RHP Brady Frederick (Greeneville), RHP Jacob Gholston (Kingsport), RHP Griffin Howell (Johnson City), RHP Blake Julius (Greeneville), RHP Duke McCarron (Kingsport), LHP Weston Rouse (Johnson City), RHP Miles Smith (Bristol), RHP Brock Toney (Greeneville)
Catchers: Jayden Lobliner (Elizabethton), Riley Orr (Kingsport)
Infielders: Nick Arias (Greeneville), Gunner Boree (Johnson City), Lee Ellis (Bristol), Brodie Johnston (Greeneville), Adam Magpoc (Elizabethton), Tyler Zedalis (Bristol), Devin Zirwas (Kingsport)
Outfielders: Colby Backus (Johnson City), Max Knight (Greeneville), Dylan Mass (Bristol), Cal Sefcik (Kingsport)
Founded in 1911, the Appalachian League is one of the longest-running baseball leagues in baseball history and recently completed its third season as a collegiate summer baseball league in partnership with MLB and USA Baseball. The Appy League is the only collegiate summer league under MLB and USA Baseball’s Prospect Development Pipeline (“PDP”) and is an integral part of the identification and development process for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Teams and other future National teams. The league plays a 48-game schedule and is comprised of ten teams from West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee.
For more information about the Appalachian League, visit appyleague.com or follow @appyleague and @appyleaguedata on Twitter, and @appyleague on Instagram.
