The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Teagarden named to U.S. Olympic Baseball Team
07.21.2008 | Baseball
July 16, 2008
AUSTIN, Texas -- Former Texas Longhorns standout Taylor Teagarden was named to the 2008 United States Olympic Baseball Team as announced by USA Baseball on Wednesday. The organization announced 23 of the 24 roster members with the final spot to be filled by Tuesday, July 22.
Teagarden was a three-year letterwinner at Texas from 2003-05. The catcher was leading catalyst on the Longhorns' 2005 National Championship squad, batting .333 with 52 runs, 22 doubles, seven home runs and 33 RBI. He was clutch en route to the College World Series in 2005, earning Most Outstanding Player honors at the NCAA Regional and being named to the CWS All-Tournament team.
In 2004, Teagarden played in all 73 games, hitting .273 with 50 runs, 17 doubles, 10 home runs and 51 RBI to help the Longhorns advance to the College World Series championship game.
Teagarden began his career with a Freshman All-America campaign in 2003. He hit .315 with 13 doubles, three triples, five home runs and 41 RBI in 62 games.
For his career, Teagarden was a three-time All-Big 12 performer with honorable mention status in 2003 and 2004 and first-team recognition in 2005. He ranks ninth on UT's career doubles list with 52, fifth in hit-by-pitches with 25 and sixth in sacrifice bunts with 28.
Teagarden is a member of the Texas Rangers organization and is currently with the Triple-A Oklahoma RedHawks. He is hitting .238 with 23 runs, four doubles, three triples, six home runs and 15 RBI in 49 games. He was selected to play in the 2008 XM All-Star Futures Game held last Monday at Yankee Stadium. He walked in his only plate appearance and threw out a runner trying to steal second base.
Teagarden will be the third former Longhorn to play baseball at the Olympics. Calvin Murray was a member of the 1992 team that finished fourth in Barcelona and Kip Harkrider played for the 1996 squad that earned a bronze medal at the Atlanta Games in 1996.
The squad, which will be led by former Major League Manager Davey Johnson, is set to participate in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games with the baseball competition slated for Aug. 13-23.
