Junior right-handed pitcher Niko Leontarakis was recently named to Greece's National Baseball team.
Leontarakis found out the news in October as he and his father received a phone call from the team to deliver the news.
"I told them I was extremely honored and excited for the opportunity. I was excited to represent my family, my heritage and ultimately Post," Leontarakis said.
Leontarakis said he was discovered through social media sites like Twitter. From there, they tracked his statistics and contacted him.
There were a few hiccups along the way as Leontarakis said it took a little longer than normal to confirm his nationality and his family's citizenship. He said he could have been on the team a year earlier.
Leontarakis – who will be playing in his first season with the Eagles after transferring from Palm Beach State Community College – was drafted in the 40th round by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2017 MLB Draft. He was 2-0 and struck out 16 batters in 13.1 innings at Palm Beach CC. As a freshman in 2017, he played at Tallahassee Community College, where he was 1-1 with 12 strikeouts in 16 innings.
The Greek National Team plays in European events and recently played in a qualifying tournament for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. They finished second in their group, which did not qualify them for the Olympics.
For right now, Leontarakis has his sights set on the upcoming season.
"I'm looking forward to winning the conference title with Post."
Coach Ray Ricker was excited for Leontarakis.
"I am very happy for Niko and the opportunity that has been presented for him and for the chance to represent Post University on an international level."
Asked if the Greek National team were to qualify for either the World Baseball Classic or the Olympics in the future, Leontarakis said "I would have the green light to go."
