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CJ Cummings Commits to 2018 International Team

By AAU Baseball, 12/19/17, 10:45AM CST

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Press Release | December 16, 2017

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.—Christopher Cummings Jr. is joining the AAU USA International Collegiate Team as the newest member of that collegiate summer baseball initiative, manager Mike Graham announced.

CJ Cummings was sold on the AAU USA International Collegiate Team as his 2018 summer collegiate baseball option after his dad, Chris Cummings, was named to lead the coaching staff along with fellow Coach Mike Graham, both of AAU Baseball’s Maryland RBI advanced skills development team and veteran international collegiate summer baseball partners.

"I love the coaches first of all," Cummings said. "They work hard for their players and are close. I like the atmosphere of their teams and feel at home in their system, and to get the opportunity to take my game overseas again is awesome."

Ireland will host the AAU USA International Collegiate Team as part of the Ireland International Baseball Festival at Ashbourne International Baseball Centre, County Meath, July 10-15. Opponents include the Ireland National Team, Irish Baseball League All-Star Team, USA Military Blue Devils, and non-tournament matchups to be announced later.

Scotland will host the AAU USA International Collegiate Team for an international friendly series at Edinburgh and Glasgow July 5-10. Opponents in Scotland include the Scotland National Team and the Edinburgh (Giants, Diamond Devils, Cannons) and Glasgow (Galaxy, Comets) clubs of the Scotland National Baseball League.
Cummings has proven to be a versatile player—playing 3B, Catcher, 2B, and pitching, utilized in both the starter and closer roles. CJ plays for the University of Mary Washington (Va.) Eagles in the NCBA intercollegiate club baseball D2 Chesapeake South Conference.

This will be Cummings’ third collegiate summer campaign in Europe. He played summers 2017 and 2016 for the Sant Boi Barcelona Falcons (Spain) with Coaches Graham and Cummings in the Collegiate Baseball League Europe (CBLE) in Great Britain, France, Spain, Netherlands, and Belgium. As a CBLE All-Star selection, he played against the French National Team.

The Falcons won back to back CBLE regular season championships playing in the league affiliated with the NORTHWOODS LEAGUE, one of America’s premier summer collegiate baseball leagues comprising teams of top college players from the Midwestern United States and Canada.

He was named the team’s Offensive Most Valuable Player. The 5-foot-7, 180-pound junior at Mary Washington had an eye-popping .476/.574/.524 slash line with two doubles, 10 walks, and nine runs scored. He was second on the team in total production (runs, RBIs, OPS). He also finished among the league leaders in BA (#2), OPS (#3), 1.098, and SLG (#4), and his 19 RBIs were an all-time new league record.

"We expect our teams to play up to the caliber of a champion no matter what, all the way to the last pitch,” Graham said. “CJ's a great competitor who demands a lot of himself and has always been an excellent fit for our program through the years. We're excited to see what the future might have in store—he’s only 20 years old.”
Last summer in AAU 19U travel ball, he hit .452 for Maryland RBI with 4 doubles, 1 triple, 17 runs, and 14 RBI’s in the Mid-Atlantic Wood Bat League. He played scholastic baseball for Coach Bobby Gibbons at Northern HS (Md.).

“Some people are baseball players and some people are just guys who play baseball,” Graham said. "That’s a distinction because CJ is a rare triple-threat. He hits well, plays solid defense, and contributes to pitching as an innings eater.”
In the infield, Cummings is known for his ability partnering with catchers to pick off runners at third base.

"CJ has been someone who has helped his teams earn distinction at every level,” Graham said. “He has always been a plus defender. In terms of his bigger-picture contributions, he's a lead-by-example type who stays pretty even keeled. Lots of athletic ability, good feet, incredibly soft hands, and a live arm, he's really refined a large portion of his game over the past three years and truly turned into a complete baseball player."

Cummings joins Daniel Keating (Wellington HS, Fla.), Connor Graham (Anne Arundel CC, Md./Virginia Wesleyan University), and Drew Ventrelle (University of Chicago, Ill.) as early commits to the international collegiate team.

About the Team
The AAU USA International Collegiate Team is a premier international collegiate summer team followed by college coaches and pro scouts. The roster includes players ages 18-23 representing all NCAA college divisions and national team, MLB academy, and club players from all over the world. The experience offers high-level baseball and cultural exposure to the world at the same time.

Notable alumni of the AAU USA International Collegiate Team coaching staff’s previous collegiate summer teams include Brian Reed (Rochester Tech, NY),
D3baseball.com All-New York Region Pitcher of the Year; Jordan Ellis (Virginia Wesleyan University); Jimmie Gentry (Albright College, Pa.), NABF All-America; Mac McGrath (Shenandoah University, Va./Eastern University, Pa.); CJ Cummings (University of Mary Washington, Va.); Josh Matthews (Hood College, Md.), AAU All-America; Netherlands pro Dave Janssen (MLB Bixie Baseball Academy, Nl.).
Brandyn Vogtsberger (Towson University, Md.); Maryland junior college Anne Arundel CC’s Dominic Stanbery, AAU All-America; Brandon Snow (St. Mary’s College, Md./Farmingdale State University, NY); MLB Prospect Guide select Stewart Rich (Georgia State University), former teammate of MLB Atlanta Brave Danby Swanson, MLB’s No. 1 pick in 2015; and Northwest Missouri State University teammates James Holler and Nikko Pablo.

For more information about the AAU USA International Collegiate Team, visit
https://aauusaict.wixsite.com/aauusabaseball.
To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan and follow AAU USA International Collegiate Team baseball on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AAUGlobal and Twitter https://twitter.com/AAUGlobal.
The AAU USA International Collegiate Team is recruiting for summer 2018. Apply to play at https://aauusaict.wixsite.com/aauusabaseball.