Matt Hobbs, the pitching coach for the University of Arkansas, has accepted an assistant role with the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, a position that will also see him guide the squad at the inaugural World Collegiate Baseball Championship in Taichung City, Taiwan, from July 11 to 15.
The tryouts will be held in Cary, North Carolina, and the coaching staff assembled for the event reflects a blend of current college head coaches and seasoned former players, including Dan Hartleb, Tracy Smith, Tom Walter and Jonathan Hernandez, as well as former Houston Astros bullpen catcher Carlos Muñoz.
A Dream Realized
For Hobbs, the appointment fulfills a lifelong dream; he once attended tryouts as a spectator, watching the team assemble from the sidelines before now stepping onto the field as a coach.
His coaching trajectory began as a pitching coordinator for an 18‑under team several years ago, later serving under Tom Walter at Wake Forest before joining Dave Van Horn’s staff at Arkansas, where he has contributed to the program’s recent rise.
Van Horn, who has previously served as an assistant coach for Team USA in 2011 and as head coach in 2014, brings additional experience to the roster, underscoring the collaborative nature of the upcoming championship.
The World Collegiate Baseball Championship will feature exhibition games along the East Coast before culminating in Taichung City, offering a global showcase for collegiate talent and reinforcing the growing partnership between USA Baseball and international federations.