Oregon State baseball's Ethan Kleinschmit (24) delivers a pitch against Coastal Carolina at the 2025 Men's College World Series. Kleinschmit and his teammate, Dax Whitney, made their collegiate national team debuts this week. Courtesy photo: Karl Maasdam, Oregon State Athletics

Oregon State baseball’s Dax Whitney and Ethan Kleinschmit made their debuts for Team USA’s Collegiate National Team, combining for five scoreless innings.

The duo were announced as two of college baseball’s premier 56 underclassmen invited to the national team’s training camp on June 24, and are competing for a roster spot ahead of Team USA’s trip to face Japan in the 2025 collegiate all-star series. As a part of Team USA’s training camp process, the 56-man roster was divided into two halves and competed in the “Stars vs. Stripes Series”, four-game set of seven-inning scrimmages across North Carolina. The series is used as a tryout to whittle down the rosters ahead of the overseas trip.

The pair of Beavers were separated between the two sides, with Whitney sorted into the Stripes roster and Kleinschmit joining the Stars.

Whitney was the first of the two to toe the rubber, making his USA Collegiate National Team debut Monday as the Stripes’ starter. The right-hander worked just one inning out the gate. He allowed just one hit and struck out one, tossing 15 of his 20 pitches for strikes as his squad picked up a 3-0 win.

While the freshman all-American’s workload was minimal, he faced some of the best talent Team USA could muster on offense. Whitney punched out fellow freshman all-American Tyler Bell of Kentucky and allowed a single to Mississippi State’ all-American infielder Ace Reese. Whitney retired the other two batters he faced — 2025 Golden Spikes Award semi-finalists Daniel Cuvet of Miami and Drew Burres of Georgia Tech — on balls in play.

Kleinschmit didn’t have to wait long to get his opportunity, debuting for the Stars roster Tuesday and leading the team to a 12-0 win.

The sophomore left-hander only punched out two batters, but put together an impressive four-inning shutout. Kleinschmit’s first pitch of the game was shot back into the field for a leadoff single by Auburn infielder Chris Rembert, but the Oregon State sophomore bounced back quick. Kleinschmit managed to retire the side after catching Rembert stealing, grounding out Arkansas second baseman Cam Kozeal. A strikeout of Georgia-transfer Juan Cruz ended his first frame of work, opening the second by punching out Louisville first baseman Tague Davis.

Kleinschmit allowed just three hits and one walk in his four innings of work, tossing just 54 pitches.

The final Team USA Collegiate Team’s roster will be announced on July 4, with the selected players traveling to Japan while those who remain will stay stateside to face an Appalachian League all-star roster.

2025 Team USA Collegiate National Team schedule

(All times listed in PT and are subject to change)

Collegiate National Team prospects vs. Appalachian League Select Team

Atrium Health Ballpark; Kannapolis, North Carolina — 3:30 p.m., July 4

Team USA vs. Team Japan Collegiate all-star series

Es Con Field; Hokkaido, Japan — 1 a.m., July 8

Es Con Field; Hokkaido, Japan — 1 a.m., July 9

Hard Off Eco Stadium; Niigata, Japan — 12 a.m., July 11

Hard Off Eco Stadium; Niigata, Japan — 7 p.m., July 11

Jingu Stadium; Tokyo, Japan — 12 a.m., July 13