Locals in running for USA Baseball squads

By Staff (90000)

Tuesday, June 28, 2011
© Copyright 2013 Gwinnett Daily Post

Photo by Jason Braverman

Three Gwinnett products are in the pool for USA Baseball National Teams, including two players competing this week in Cary, N.C., at the organization's national complex.

Brookwood's Lucas Sims, a rising senior, is one of 40 players (and only three Georgians) at the 18-and-under National Team Trials that run through Saturday. He's vying for one of 20 spots on the team, which trains later this year in Cary before playing in the Sept. 23-Oct. 2 COPABE Pan-Am AAA 18-and-under Championships in Cartagena, Colombia.

Sims, a right-handed pitcher, was 4-1 with three saves, a 2.38 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 321/3 innings this past season. The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder also hit .429 with three homers and 21 RBIs as the Broncos' shortstop.

The 18-and-under team at Trials this week will play the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Friday and Saturday. The college team features Brookwood grad Ronnie Freeman, who has been playing with the team as an alternate at catcher.

USA Baseball also recently tabbed another Gwinnett prospect in Grayson's Austin Meadows, one of 38 players selected for 16-and-under National Team Trials. He is the only Georgia player in the group that will be pared down to 20 for the Aug. 19-28 IBAF AA 16-and-under Youth Championships in Lagos de Moreno, Mexico. The 16-and-under trials will be held Aug. 7-17 in Cary.

Meadows, an outfielder and left-handed pitcher, hit .388 with 18 RBIs this past spring for the Rams.

Gwinnett Daily Post