Brent Jones signs with AAU USA International Collegiate Team for summer 2018 vs Ireland and Scotland
Press Release | February 24, 2018
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.—New Jersey Tech RHP Brent Jones (Woodstock, Ga.) has committed to play collegiate summer baseball for the AAU USA International Collegiate Team vs Ireland and Scotland this summer.
Playing for the Highlanders under Coach Brian Guiliana in NCAA Division 1’s Atlantic Sun Conference, the 6-5, 215 pound Jones has appeared in 22 games on the mound for NJIT (2015-2017), including 33.1 innings with 29 strikeouts, allowing 23 walks.
Jones, who flashes a high-80s mph fastball with movement, joins a team with a history of talented pitchers with elite-level ability.
Marked as “Pitcher U.” in the international collegiate summer baseball circles, the team's pitching dominance produced the past two Top Gun pitchers of the year in the Collegiate Baseball League Europe as the Sant Boi Barcelona Falcons (Spain).
D3baseball.com’s NY Region Pitcher of the Year Brian Reed (Rochester Institute of Technology, NY) in 2017 and Brandyn Vogtsberger (NCAA D1 Towson University, Md.) in 2016 each won the award, the league’s equivalent of the Major League Baseball© Cy Young Award given annually to the best pitcher in the pros.
Other notables included MLB Prospect Guide select Stewart Rich (NCAA D2 Georgia College & State University) and former East Cobb Astros travel-select team teammate of Atlanta Brave Danby Swanson, MLB’s No. 1 pick in 2015; Northwest Missouri State University's Nikko Pablo, two-time NCAA D2 Pitcher of the Week; and Maryland NJCAA D2 Anne Arundel CC's Dominic Stanbery, Underclassmen AAU All-American.
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.
Last summer Jones played for the Winchester Royals (Va.) in the collegiate summer Valley Baseball League. He had a 5.07 ERA in 5 game appearances and with 4 strikeouts and 1 walk for the Royals.
Before college, he was a highly rated prospect when NJIT signed him out of Etowah HS (Ga.) where he played baseball and basketball.
He played travel baseball with Nelson Baseball School (Ga.), a premiere showcase program for elite prospects in the Southeast, in 2012-2014; and was named 2014 Perfect Game USA All American and All-Southeast Region; 2013 and 2012 Underclassmen All American and All-Southeast Region.
Jones said the AAU USA international collegiate opportunity felt like his best choice for summer collegiate baseball to continue his career in the sport.
“Being able to have this opportunity to play in Europe, I'm just very excited to show what I can do at the international level and see more of the world,” Jones said. “I think this is a good fit for me and what I'm trying to do in the sport and life. I come from a winning athletic background and can help as soon as I step off the plane.”
Jones joins a group of talented players recruited to play in Europe by the veteran coaches of AAU’s Maryland RBI advanced skills development team, head coach Chris Cummings and manager Mike Graham.
Jones joins NJIT teammate RHP James Sofield who is also committed to playing for the AAU USA International Collegiate Team and returners Mac McGrath (Shenandoah University, Va.), Connor Graham (Anne Arundel CC, Md.), Jimmie Gentry (Albright College, Pa.), CJ Cummings (University of Mary Washington, Va.), and Daniel Keating (Wellington HS, Fla.).
Newcomers include Ryan Cunningham (Old Bridge HS, NJ), Drew Ventrelle (University of Chicago, Ill.), Scott Mudd (Salisbury University, Md.), Conor Cochran (University of Maryland), and Joe Schipsi (Cabrini University, Pa.), who also have committed to the AAU USA International Collegiate Team. Others are considering.
“We’re very excited to have Brent in Europe with us this summer,” Graham said. “He’s a highly recommended player and person, and projects to be an experienced and athletic contributor to our team.
“We had one of the most effective rotations and bullpens in the international collegiate summer league in 2016 and 2017 and have one arm returning this summer,” Graham said.
“In addition to the high level experience and leadership he brings to the mound, to be able to add Brent is exciting for us. He’s a veteran of the collegiate summer leagues and played in the Valley collegiate league, one of the top rated.”
Jones is ready to embrace the challenge. The coaching staff has all the confidence that the newest edition to Pitcher U.’s rotation will carry his success in the college, travel and high school circuits to the international collegiate summer play “across The Pond,” as many Europeans refer to the Atlantic Ocean.
“We’ll see what it all looks like when the team gets together and into action in Scotland and Ireland, but everything we’ve developed about Brent Jones is positive,” Graham said. “We think he’s somebody capable of helping make us championship caliber, and he’s clearly talented and a hard worker.”
About the Team
The AAU USA International Collegiate Team is recruiting players ages 18-23 representing all college divisions and graduating high school seniors. The experience offers high-level baseball and cultural exposure to the world at the same time.
For more information about the AAU USA International Collegiate Team, visit https://aauusaict.wixsite.com/aauusabaseball.
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