Aggies Outfielder Jace LaViolette Named to Collegiate National Team Final Roster

As a freshman, Jace LaViolette crushed his way into Texas A&M baseball's history books. And while his teammates have turned their sights toward 2024, the 6-6 outfielder will still be looking at the 2023 season.

LaViolette was named to the official 31-man roster for the 2023 Collegiate National Team, USA Baseball announced on Thursday. The squad will represent Team USA in a pair of five-game series with Chinese Taipei and Japan from June 30 to July 12 at various venues across the Carolinas.

The announcement comes after the completion of the 2023 CNT Training Camp, a four-game intrasquad series played at the National Training Complex. LaViolette was among several high-profile SEC players ineligible for the 2023 MLB Draft invited to work out at Team USA's training facility in Cary, N.C.

From the jump, LaViolette looked like a lock to make the final 31-man roster. His skills were on display during the Stars & Stripes Intrasquad series where he went 6-for-16 with a pair of RBI.

“After the most talented and competitive Training Camp, the staff completed a grueling selection process to get to the final roster today, “CNT manager Larry Lee said in a statement. “Our roster is full of extremely talented and capable baseball players, and we are focused on representing the United States well in international competition. We are looking forward to getting our series against Chinese Taipei started tomorrow night in Cary."

LaViolette becomes the first A&M player to make the Collegiate National Team since Asa Lacy in 2019, and the first Aggies position player to do so since Braden Shewmake in 2018. His selection marks the 33rd time an Aggie has been chosen for the team, tying Texas A&M with Cal State Fullerton for the fourth most all-time selections to the team.

A towering five-tool player from Katy Tompkins, LaViolette became a staple for second-year coach Jim Schlossnagle's offense in 2023. The left-hander put together a .287/.414/.632 slash line in 2023, leading A&M in home runs (21), RBIs (63) and stolen bases (18).

In the series finale against Mississippi State, he broke Aggies' icon John Byington's freshman home run record set in 1987 with his 18th blast. LaViolette was just two steals away from becoming A&M’s second player ever with 20 homers and 20 steals in the same season.

LaViolette is one of eight SEC players to be named to the squad and one of six native Texans. Joining him from the SEC includes: Tennessee pitcher Drew Beam, Florida first baseman/pitcher Jac Caglianone, Georgia infielder Charlie Condon, Vanderbilt pitcher Carter Holton, Tennessee infielder Christian Moore, Florida pitcher Brandon Neely and Arkansas pitcher Hagen Smith.

Among Texas talent, LaViolette will be featured alongside: TCU pitcher Ben Abeldt, Dallas Baptist pitcher Ryan Johnson, Texas Tech pitcher Kyle Robinson, and Texas Southern pitcher Nicholas Wilson.

Team USA leads the series with Chinese Taipei 15-0-4 (Overall: 80-13-2). Against Japan, the Stars and Stripes lead the series 24-19 (Overall: 133-107-2), including a 21-1 (Overall: 87-33-2) series record in the United States.

All-time, the Collegiate National Team boasts a record of 135-32-2 in North Carolina dating back to 1987, including a 38-14-1 mark at the National Training Complex in Cary.

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