Cooper Rummel, Dripping Springs ace pitcher and Texas Longhorns commit, makes US national team

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Dripping Springs pitcher Cooper Rummel will trade his Tiger stripes for the Stars and Stripes this summer.

Rummel was named to the 18U Team USA roster Sunday and will play in the World Baseball Softball Confederation Baseball World Cup Americas qualifying tournament Aug. 2-11 in Panama City, Panama. Rummel made the final cut after the national team’s training camp July 17-21 at USA Baseball’s headquarters in Cary, North Carolina.

“This is a once in a lifetime experience, I get to go visit another country that I probably otherwise wouldn’t have visited, you know I get to meet all of these amazing athletes,” Rummel said. “I’m super excited.”

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Rummel participated in USA Baseball’s National Team Development Program last summer. He helped lead the Tigers to a second-place finish in District 26-6A and a bi-district championship over Cedar Ridge. Dripping Springs dropped the area series against New Braunfels 2-1 to exit the 6A playoffs. Rummel pitched 56 2/3 innings with an ERA of 0.87 for the Tigers in his junior season. He was named District 26-6A co-pitcher of the year with Lake Travis’ Kadyn Leon and Bowie’s Cole Miller.

“I work really hard, so having these awards and stuff and these accomplishments, they’re gratifying, I feel as if I belong on that stage,” Rummel added. “Making this national team is like the pinnacle of what I can do in amateur baseball…like I can’t even say how excited I am because I’ve put in all of this work.”

He is one of five players with verbal commitments to the Texas Longhorns to be selected for the 18U national team. Kayson Cunningham, Gavin Fien, Brady Murrieta and Xavier Mitchell are the others.

His family history suggests he was destined to play for Texas, as his mom, two sisters, aunt and uncle all graduated from UT.

Rummel is also excited about playing for new head coach Jim Schlossnagle, who led his previous school Texas A&M to the Men’s College World Series finals.

“All of those coaches that I’ve talked to on the new staff, they are super great, first off, they’ve been super nice to me during this change and their history as well has been one of winning.” Rummel said. “They brought that program over here so I’m excited.”

Rummel was also selected as a Perfect Game All-American , the organization announced Tuesday. He’ll play for the East team in the Perfect Game All-American Game on Aug. 18 at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.

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