By Adam Young
NMStateSports.com

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – NM State incoming recruit Jonathan Groff is gearing up to pitch in the 82^nd National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series for the NJCAA National Team. The World Series is slated to take place in Wichita, Kansas with Groff and the NJCAA National Team playing their first game on Saturday, Aug. 6.

Groff was selected to the team in late June after a remarkable season for Tyler (TX) Junior College, where he was named Spalding NJCAA Division III Baseball Pitcher of the Year.

A prized recruit in another impressive recruiting class for head coach Brian Green and his staff, Groff will join some of the best two-year college players from across the country, representing 22 colleges from 11 states. Groff is also one of 11 NJCAA All-Americans on the roster.

"Jonathan, along with the entire recruiting class has given us a huge reason to be excited about 2017," Green said. "To bring an NJCAA Pitcher of the Year into Las Cruces speaks volumes about the work Coach Mangrum and the staff continues to do on the recruiting trail. Not only is Jonathan extremely talented, but he's also a man of character and we are fired up for him to first go get that NBC World Series title and then to get to Las Cruces. He should have a big role for us in the spring."

In 2016, Groff went 12-0 with a miniscule 1.06 ERA in 15 starts. The left-hander from Castroville, TX helped the Apaches to their third consecutive national championship and was named tournament MVP.

In 2016, Groff led the nation in innings (102.1), tied for first in wins (12) and finished second in ERA (1.06) and strikeouts (125). 

The NJCAA National Team will compete against elite amateur teams from Aug. 6-13 at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.