Skip to main content
Florida

Florida's Liam Peterson makes 2025 USA Collegiate National Team

On3 imageby: Zach Abolverdi07/04/25ZachAbolverdi
Liam-Peterson-Florida-Gators
Florida pitcher Liam Peterson. (Photo by @GatorsBB/UAA Communications)

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — For the second year in a row, Florida Gators pitcher Liam Peterson has made the USA Collegiate National Team. He was announced on Friday as one of 26 players on this year’s team by USA Baseball.

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

The games begin on July 8 and 9 at Es Con Field in Hokkaido, Japan, at 4 a.m. ET. The next two games will be July 11 (3 a.m. ET) and July 12 (10 a.m. ET) at Hard Off Eco Stadium in Niigata, Japan. The series ends with a lone game in Tokyo at Jingu Stadium at 3 a.m. ET.

Peterson, the No. 1 pitcher for the 2026 MLB Draft per Baseball America, served as Florida’s ace throughout the 2025 season and led the Gators in victories (eight), games started (15) and strikeouts (96). He posted a 4.28 ERA, .250 BAA, 1.43 WHIP and four quality starts in 69 1/3 innings while striking out 11 or more batters in three outings. His 12.5 strikeouts per nine ranked fifth in the SEC and 20th nationally.

Peterson had his best game of the year in Florida’s 6-4 win over No. 5 Arkansas in Gainesville. He tossed a career-high 13 strikeouts, with his 12th and 13th punch-out coming in a clutch sixth inning after the Gators took a four-run lead. Peterson threw 114 pitches with 72 strikes in 6.0 frames.

“What do you say about Liam’s performance? I mean, that was as good as he’s ever pitched here,” Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan said after the series-opening win over the Hogs. “He was still throwing 95, 96 there in the six, so it’s not like he lost any velocity. Awfully proud of the way he pitched.”

Liam Peterson was invited to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Training Camp last month along with UF pitcher Aidan King, who did not make the 2026 roster. King is one of 30 players that will make up a Collegiate National Team Prospects squad, which plays the Appalachian League Select Team on Friday at 6:35 p.m. ET at Atrium Health Ballpark in Kannapolis, N.C.

2025 Collegiate National Team

(Name – Position – School)

*Eric Becker – INF/OF – Virginia
Tyler Bell – INF – Kentucky
*Drew Burress – OF – Georgia Tech
Roch Cholowsky – INF – UCLA
*Jason DeCaro – RHP – North Carolina
*Jacob Dudan – RHP – NC State
*Gabe Gaeckle – RHP – Arkansas
Cole Gibler – LHP – Arkansas
*AJ Gracia – OF – Virginia
Ryder Helfrick – C – Arkansas
Ethan Kleinschmit – LHP – Oregon State
Vahn Lackey – C – Georgia Tech
Mulivai Levu – INF – UCLA
Ryan Lynch – RHP – North Carolina
Ryan Marohn – LHP – NC State
*Ryan McPherson – RHP – Mississippi State
Lucas Moore – OF – Louisville
Blake Morningstar – RHP – Wake Forest
Ethan Norby – LHP – ECU
Ricky Ojeda – LHP – UC Irvine
*Liam Peterson – RHP – Florida
Ace Reese – INF/OF – Mississippi State
Chris Rembert – INF – Auburn
*Brett Renfrow – RHP – Virginia Tech
*Zion Rose – OF – Louisville
Dax Whitney – RHP – Oregon State

* USA Baseball alum

You may also like