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Lifelong Frog
Quartet Headed To USA CNT Training Camp
Camp is slated to begin June 29
FORT WORTH – The TCU baseball program will be well-represented when USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team Training Camp kicks off on June 29. A trio of players - Noah Franco, Tommy LaPour and Nolan Traeger - along with associate head coach Bill Mosiello are headed to Cary, N.C.
A first-team all-conference performer and a two-time Freshman All-American, Franco had a productive first season on campus. He hit .313 on the year and ranked fourth on the team with 68 total hits. He led the team with 16 doubles and was tied for second with 11 home runs and 49 RBIs. He tied for second on the team with 20 multi-hit games and 13 multi-RBI contests. Franco also saw action on the mound, making three starts as part of eight appearances. In 12 1/3 innings of work, he racked up 18 strikeouts and limited opponents to a .245 batting average against.
LaPour, an NCBWA second-team All-American, was a dominating force as a starter this season. He ranks second in the Big 12 with a 3.09 ERA over 16 starts. Earlier this season, LaPour put together a stretch of six consecutive quality starts, the first such streak since Nick Lodolo in 2019. He led the team in wins (8), innings pitched (90.1) and strikeouts (88) while limiting opponents to a .231 average.
Traeger, a Perfect Game Second-team Freshman All-American, made 43 starts as part of 47 games played on the season. His .327 average ranked third on the team. He racked up 52 hits including eight doubles, three triples and three home runs while driving in 17. He posted a .995 fielding percentage behind the plate and registered a team-high three pickoffs.
Franco is a two-time USA Baseball alum having been a member of the 2022 and 2023 18U squads. Traeger is also a two-time alum as a member of the 202115U team and the 2023 18U squad.
Mosiello will serve as the third base coach for the Stars team. This will mark his second stint as a coach for USA Baseball having served as an assistant in 2017 with the U18 squad. The Stars staff will coach the Stars team in the Stars vs. Stripes series (Training Camp) and the team that will compete in the 45th USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Championship Series in various locations across Japan on July 8-13.
About USA Baseball
The USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Training Camp will feature 56 of the premier non-draft-eligible college players for a five-game Stars vs. Stripes intrasquad series in North Carolina from June 29-July 3. USA Baseball will name the final Collegiate National Team following Training Camp on July 3.
The first game will be held at Atrium Health Ballpark in Kannapolis at 5:35 p.m. ET, the next three games will be played at USA Baseball's National Training Complex in Cary at 6:30 p.m. ET, and the series finale will be hosted at Segra Stadium in Fayetteville at 6:35 p.m. ET. The Collegiate National Team will play in the 45th USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Championship Series in various locations across Japan on July 8-13. The remaining players from the Collegiate National Team Training Camp will form a Collegiate National Team Prospects squad that will play in a Fourth of July game against the Appalachian League Select Team at Atrium Health Ballpark in Kannapolis at 6:35 p.m. ET.
TCU and USA Baseball
TCU has a successful history with USA Baseball. Jake Arrieta was the first Horned Frog to earn a spot on the National Team roster, doing so in 2006, the same year former head coach Jim Schlossnagle served as an assistant coach. In 2010, Kyle Winkler pitched for Team USA. TCU had a pair of representatives in 2011 as Josh Elander and Andrew Mitchell participated on the squad. The Frogs had three player representatives in 2013 as Riley Ferrell, Brandon Finnegan and Preston Morrison were on the squad that was managed by Schlossnagle. Evan Skoug earned a spot on the team in 2016 and Sean Wymer was a member of the squad in 2017. Former associate head coach Bill Mosiello served as an assistant on the 2017 U18 squad. In the summer of 2022, Brayden Taylor earned a spot on the 26-man roster, while River Ridings attended the training camp. The summer of 2023 saw three Horned Frogs, Abeldt, Karson Bowen and Anthony Silva earn invites to the training camp with Abeldt earning a roster spot. For the second time in as many years, Abeldt was a member of the 2024 Collegiate National Team.
