Trio of Diamond Hogs named to USA National Team that will play in Japan July 8-13

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

FAYETTEVILLE – Three current Arkansas baseball players found out on Independence Day that they will be playing for their country later beginning next week.

Catcher Ryder Helfrick and pitchers Gabe Gaeckle and Cole Gibler learned they were three of the 26 players that have been named to the USA National team.

The trio from Arkansas is the most from any college while Georgia Tech, Louisville, Mississippi State, North Carolina State, Oregon State, UCLA, North Carolina, and Virginia all have two players on the roster.

The group will play June 8-13 in the 45th USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series at various locations in Japan.

The team was selected after the USA Training Camp in Kannapolis, N.C. that also featured Razorback infielder Cam Kozeal, but he did not make the final roster.

Kozeal was one of 30 players that did make the Collegiate National Team Prospects squad that was slated to play an Appalachian League All-Star squad on Friday night in Kannapolis.

“After a very competitive Stars versus Stripes series, we are excited to announce the twenty-six players who will represent the United States on international soil in the USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series,” said Eric Campbell, USA Baseball’s Professional and Collegiate National Team General Manage, said in a release.

“We are confident that the roster assembled will represent our country well, and we look forward to making the trip back to Japan for the first time since 2019 and continuing this long-standing series, which dates back to 1972.”

The 45­­th USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Championship Series will begin with games on July 8 and 9 at Es Con Field in Hokkaido, Japan, at 4 a.m. ET/6 p.m. local. The next two games will be held July 11 and 12 at Hard Off Eco Stadium in Niigata, Japan, at 3 a.m. ET/5:00 p.m. local and 10 p.m. ET/12 p.m. local, respectively. The series will wrap up with a lone game in Tokyo at Jingu Stadium at 3 a.m. ET/5:00 p.m. local.

Team USA leads the series with Japan 24-20 (Overall: 135-110-2).

The 2025 Collegiate National Team will be led by manager Andy Stankiewicz, and he will be joined by Rusty Filter (pitching coach), Omar Johnson (first base coach), Bill Mosiello (third base coach), Carlos Muñoz (bullpen coach), and Don Wakamatsu (bench/hitting coach).