Daulton Jefferies earns spot on USA Baseball Collegiate National Team

Daulton Jefferies will wear a USA jersey for a little longer this summer. The junior pitcher at Cal was selected to the Collegiate National Team by USA Baseball on Monday.

The former Buhach Colony High School star was one of 26 players named to the team, which will play the Cuban National Team on Wednesday in the opener of a five-game series in Cary, N.C. The roster will be trimmed to 24 before Team USA hosts the USA Pan Am Games Team America Baseball Festival beginning July 8.

“The plan is for me to pitch in the Cuba series,” Jefferies said. “To make the team is pretty humbling. This is awesome. This is something I’ve been working toward since I was a kid. I’ve always wanted to play for Team USA. At the same time, it’s also a business. I’m representing my country in games against other countries.”

Jefferies was 6-5 with a 2.92 ERA and a team-high 74 strikeouts for Cal this spring.

The right-hander arrived in Cary, N.C., on June 18. Jefferies allowed two runs in four innings in a start against Chinese Taipei on June 23. He pitched three perfect innings against Chinese Taipei on June 28. In two appearances, Jefferies struck out six and allowed just one hit in seven innings.

Jefferies learned he made the team Monday night.

“They called us down to the lobby of the hotel, and we were sitting at a round table,” Jefferies said. “I’m sitting at the edge of my chair. The coaches told me they brought me in as a tryout guy. They said I earned a full roster spot. Welcome to Team USA. I got chills.”

The first person Jefferies told was his mother, Lisa.

“I knew if my mom found out from anyone else she would kill me,” Jefferies said. “She was still at work when I called. She had to go into another office so she could scream and yell when I told her. She was so happy.”

Before tryouts, Jefferies made two appearances for the Wareham Gatemen in the Cape Cod League. Jefferies was 1-0 with a 1.12 ERA, eight strikeouts and five hits allowed in eight innings.

Jefferies may return to the Cape Cod League after his time with the national team. The Cal coaching staff wanted to limit Jefferies to around 28 innings this summer.

Jefferies enjoyed his time in Wareham.

“It’s a cliche in the Cape Cod League that everyone in town knows you, but it’s true,” Jefferies said. “It truly is one big family. They’re all pretty small towns. You really feel a part of the town. It was an awesome experience.”

Jefferies ranks making the national team as one of his top baseball experiences.

“The best part of this experience is putting the uniform on,” Jefferies said. “Hearing the national anthem with the uniform on, that’s something that doesn’t happen every day.”

This story was originally published June 30, 2015 at 9:58 PM with the headline "Daulton Jefferies earns spot on USA Baseball Collegiate National Team."