There were a pair of NC State players on the USA Baseball roster this past summer, but it appears that neither of them made the checklist for the Panini Stars & Stripes product. Jacob Dudan and Derrick Smith were both freshman for the Wolfpack and played a starring role in helping the team reach the College World Series last spring. When Stars and Stripes originally dropped, they were the first two players I tried to find, unsuccessfully.
Amazingly, Panini included a third Wolfpack player who never appeared in a game for USA Baseball Collegiate team, sophomore pitcher Dominic Fritton. According to what I can find on the internet, Dominic Fritton was at the Collegiate National Team Training Camp, but did not make the team. Apparently, that earns you a baseball card.
It sounds like I am complaining, which I am to a degree. Yes, I wish there were cards of the two NC State players who were on the College National Team this summer. They're really good players with bright futures. No, I am not complaining that Panini made a card of Dominic Fritton for trying out for the team. In fact, I hope Fritton got a whole pile of NIL money for signing these autographs and ends up have a long and prosperous professional baseball career.
I have two Fritton cards, the first is a red patch card with a red ink autograph.
Obviously the preferred card color for anything involving the Wolfpack. Flipping the thickly stocked card over and it's serial numbered out of 25. You can also check out the bio on Fritton who was a Freshman All-American at State. There are no Sophomore All-Americans and he had kind of a rough year.
I also picked up a jersey relic card with a blue (boooooo) autograph.
This card has a thinner card stock and no serial number on the back of the card. Did UNC or Duke even have a player on the College National Team roster last summer?
No.
Go Pack!
I like his name π
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