NEWS

KEENE, N.H. – For the ninth time in franchise history, the Keene Swamp
Bats will host the Team USA Collegiate National Team at Alumni Field –
later this week on Thursday, June 23 at 6:30 pm – providing fans with
the closest look at Major League Baseball’s (MLB) future players.

Since the Swamp Bats and the Collegiate National Team started playing
against each other in exhibition matchups for the first time on July 20,
2001, Team USA has produced 33 current major league players that have
starred not only at Alumni Field, but also later in their MLB careers.

That list is highlighted by Boston Red Sox second baseman and three-time
All-Star, Dustin Pedroia (2002 & 2003). Pedroia has garnered many
accolades during his career including the American League Rookie of the
Year award in 2007, one Gold Glove award, one Silver Slugger of the Year
award, the American League Most Valuable Player award in 2008 and one
World Series title.

Other notable major leaguers that have donned the Team USA uniform at
Alumni Field include Red Sox utility infielder Jed Lowrie (2004),
Durham, New Hampshire native and Tampa Bay outfielder Sam Fuld (Durham,
NH/2001), Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (2004) and Colorado
Rockies closer and 2005 American League Rookie of the Year award winner
Huston Street (2002).

From the list of the 33 current major league players that have starred
at Alumni Field, there have been four Silver Slugger award winners
(Pedroia, Tulowitzki, Micah Owings & Aaron Hill), two Gold Glove award
winners (Pedroia & Tulowitzki), two American League Rookie of the Year
honorees (Pedroia & Street), one Most Valuable Player (Pedroia) and four
All-Stars (Hill, Pedroia, Tulowitzki and Carlos Quentin).

Listed below is the complete list of players currently in the Majors
that have played at Alumni Field.

Year    Current Major Leaguers
2001    Rickie Weeks, Sam Fuld, Chris Snyder and Jeff Baker
2002    Dustin Pedroia, Carlos Quentin, Huston Street, Eric Patterson,
Aaron Hill, Connor Jackson and Landon Powell
2003    Mike Nickeas, Brent Lillibridge, Seth Smith, Tyler Griffin and
Micah Owings
2004    Troy Tulowitzki, Jed Lowrie, John Mayberry, Jr., Alex Gordon and
Drew Stubbs
2005    Ian Kennedy, Max Scherzer, Mark Melancon and Matt LaPorta
2006    JP Arencibia, Julio Borbon and Tommy Hunter
2007    Pedro Alvarez, Justin Smoak, Danny Espinosa and Tyson Ross
2008    Mike Minor

The Collegiate National Team will play seven games against New England
Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) teams starting with the Keene Swamp
Bats on Thursday, June 23 and concluding on Wednesday, June 29 against
the New Bedford Bay Sox at Paul Walsh Field in New Bedford, MA at 6:30
pm.

In between its New England tour, the Collegiate National Team will play
the NECBL All-Stars in an exhibition contest at Fenway Park in Boston,
MA at 12:00 pm on Monday, June 27.


Shawn Medeiros
Castleton State College
Sports Information Graduate Assistant
Keene Swamp Bats
Director of Media Relations and Broadcasting
Cell: (774) 526-5805
Office: (802) 468-6172