Sanders Looks to Build on Experience with U.S. Collegiate National Team
South Carolina baseball rising sophomore pitcher Will Sanders recently had a chance to represent his country, and while his time on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team lasted about a month, the experience is something he’ll remember a lot longer.
“It was a very cool experience,” Sanders said. “Being there with the best players in the country and the best coaching staff in the country, it really was a blessing. It will help me for many years to come.
“It was a true honor to be able to wear that uniform, especially on the Fourth of July. Wearing those colors and that beautiful uniform, it was a blessing.”
The 48-player roster was split into two teams, the Stars and Stripes, which played an 11-game series against each other in July. In addition to playing a game at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina, 10 of those games were played in the cities of the Appalachian League in Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina, which is in its first year as a summer collegiate league and is part of Major League Baseball and USA Baseball’s Prospect Development Pipeline.
“Usually, the Collegiate National Team plays Cuba, but because of COVID, we split into two teams (Stars and Stripes) with 24 players on each side,” Sanders said. “We went a lot of places. Then we came back to Cary to play the U.S. Olympic Team. Some members of the Olympic Team are Major Leaguers, like Todd Frazier. Most are free agents or highly talented minor league players.
“It was very inspiring to watch them play and to be able to play against them.
“I think the best part of the travels was just going to different stadiums and playing in different locations every day. It was just cool to play in front of new fans every night.”
“My goal, personally, is to be the best pitcher in the country.”
He was the first South Carolina player on the Collegiate National Team since Tyler Johnson was on the team in 2016. Sanders, who was named a Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball and was selected to the Freshman All-SEC team, went 6-3 with a 3.54 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 53.1 innings last spring as a rookie for the Gamecocks. Still, Sanders said he has a lot to improve upon before next season.
“Something I pride myself in is being able to learn from almost anybody in the world,” Sanders said. “I think being able to listen and take in information from others is the best way to better yourself. The coaches and players; everybody is there for a reason. Soaking up anything I can, will change the outcome of the year for me.
“The big thing I needed this year was to develop a slider and a curve ball, and at USA, I was able to do that. It was very cool to see. I think that will help me this year because now I know how to throw each pitch and when to throw each pitch. Being able to watch the Olympic players play and seeing the difference in guys that age was unbelievable with how much discipline each player has in addition to their talent and execution. All the pitchers on the Olympic Team can throw whatever pitch they want in any count they wanted. That’s something I know I can work on, and now I know how to get better at it.”
While he noted that he had some ups and downs in his appearances for the Collegiate National Team, he believed the experience will make him a better pitcher.
“I feel like I put myself in a good situation,” Sanders said. “The cool part of that was that I showed how I respond to failure. There is a very big difference between respond and react. Reacting is quick. It’s impulsive. Responding is calculated and putting yourself in the correct state of mind and being able to adjust quickly. It’s making a plan for attack and being able to execute that. I think I responded to failure the way I wanted to after not having a good outing and then having a very good outing. I think it showed everybody what I’m about.”
Sanders is currently studying retail management and is also interested in studying business and possibly getting into real estate. As he prepares for his second year at South Carolina, Sanders is setting a high standard for himself.
“My goal, personally, is to be the best pitcher in the country,” Sanders said. “That’s something I work for every single day. The team goal is to win as many games as possible. We had a lot of close games last year that were based on one play or one pitch. That’s how baseball goes, but if we can win that one pitch or one play, then we’ll be in a better position as a team. That’s what I want for my team. I want to help people grow with their experience in Columbia and help South Carolina baseball win games!”
Looking beyond that, Sanders would like for his name to be on the list for the Collegiate National Team again next year.
“It was a great experience and a great culture. It’s what baseball is about. It’s what hard work and dedication is all about, and there’s only more to come!”
