(7/6/06) The Mankato MoonDogs Baseball Club, a member of the Northwoods League, is proud to announce shortstop Brandon Crawford has been selected to play for the 2006 USA National Team.

Team USA consists of top collegiate players who play exhibition games on both a national and international level. Crawford is one of seven freshmen on the team, joining 14 sophomores and one junior. The team began play on July 4 with a game against Taiwan in Pawtucket, R.I., and will also play a five-game series against the Japanese Collegiate All-Stars at various sites in late-July. In addition, they will participate in the World Baseball Championship in Havana, Cuba in late-August. Joining Crawford on Team USA will be another Northwoods League star, Roger Kieschnick of the St. Cloud River Bats.

Passing up a potential opportunity with various Major League teams to be a top-five round selection in the 2005 MLB Draft, Crawford spent the summer with the MoonDogs. Arriving late as he awaited his high school graduation in June, Crawford played in 42 games for the MoonDogs in 2005. He hit .274 with nine doubles and scored 20 runs. More impressively, Crawford showcased his speed swiping all 17 bases he attempted last season.

"Brandon is game-changing player. He can beat you with his smooth-fielding defense, his potent offensive or his lighting-fast speed,” head coach Jason Nell said.

Following the season, Crawford returned to California where he joined Coach John Savage at UCLA as part of the fifth-ranked recruiting class in the nation, according to Baseball America.

After taking the reigns of the starting shortstop job as a true freshman, Crawford had an impressive 2006 season that resulted in him being named UCLA’s Team MVP and All-Pac-10 Honorable Mention. In 58 games, Crawford hit .318 while leading the Bruins in hits, walks, total bases, triples, stolen bases and at-bats. He finished second on the team in doubles and runs scored, playing a key role in helping the Bruins return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in two years. For his efforts, Crawford was named to Baseball America’s All-Freshman First Team.

"This is a great opportunity for Brandon, and we are extremely excited he has received this honor,” MoonDogs general manager Kyle Mrozek said.