CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Appalachian League announced that it will expand its exhibition schedule against the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team (CNT) to play six games over three days between June 27-29. The exhibition series will feature three days of doubleheaders, including four games played by Appalachian League teams and two featuring the Appalachian League Select Team, with all matchups played against the CNT Stars and Stripes squads.

In place of their regularly scheduled matchup on June 27, the Greeneville Flyboys and Burlington Sock Puppets will each face USA Baseball in a split doubleheader at Burlington Athletic Stadium. On June 28, the Johnson City Doughboys and Danville Otterbots will play a split doubleheader against USA Baseball at American Legion Post 325 Field. The series will conclude June 29 with a doubleheader between the Appalachian League Select Team and USA Baseball at the National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.

The full exhibition schedule is listed below:

• June 27; Greeneville Flyboys vs. CNT Stars; Burlington Athletic Stadium (Burlington, N.C.); 3 p.m. ET
• June 27; Burlington Sock Puppets vs. CNT Stripes; Burlington Athletic Stadium (Burlington, N.C.); 7 p.m. ET
• June 28; Johnson City Doughboys vs. CNT Stars; American Legion Post 325 Field (Danville, Va.); 1 p.m. ET
• June 28; Danville Otterbots vs. CNT Stripes; American Legion Post 325 Field (Danville, Va.); 5:30 p.m. ET
• June 29; Appy League Select vs. CNT Stars; National Training Complex (Cary, N.C.); 3 p.m. ET
• June 29; Appy League Select vs. CNT Stripes; National Training Complex (Cary, N.C.); 7 p.m. ET

“The Appy League has the opportunity to showcase the talent that our league is filled with for the third straight year against some of the very best players in the country,” Appalachian League Executive Director Brian Graham said. “Being able to expand this series to play six games over three days is an opportunity we embrace with open arms.”

This unique matchup marks the third year in a row that the Appalachian League and USA Baseball have organized games against each other. In 2024, the East Select Team won a walk-off thriller, 4-3, on July 1 in Pulaski before the West Select Team lost close, 7-6, in Johnson City the next night. Last summer, the Select Team fell to the CNT prospects, 9-3, in Kannapolis, N.C. on July 4. Five Appalachian League alumni featured on the Select Team have gone on to play professional baseball, including Josh Owens in 2025 and Garrett Hodges, Max Martin, Ryan McCrystal and Callan Moss in 2024.

The Appalachian League Select Team will consist of players from all eight teams. The Select Team will be chosen by league executives and team managers. The roster and coaching staff will be announced at a later date.

“The Appalachian League, in partnership with Major League Baseball and USA Baseball, continues to create unique opportunities to promote the game of baseball within our communities. Hosting the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team is a perfect example of that,” said Anderson Rathbun, President of Burlington and Danville. “It will be a special moment for our fans in both Burlington and Danville to experience a national team in their backyard and showcasing even more of the best collegiate talent in the country.”

Tickets for the doubleheader against the Collegiate National Team at Burlington Athletic Stadium on June 27 are available for purchase here. Tickets for the doubleheader on June 28 at American Legion Post 325 Field can be purchased here. Information on how the game can be streamed will be provided at a later date.

The 2026 Appalachian League regular season starts with Opening Day on June 4. For the Appalachian League’s complete 2026 schedule, click here.

About the Appalachian League

Founded in 1911, the Appalachian League is one of the longest-running baseball leagues in history. The Appy League is the only collegiate summer league under MLB and USA Baseball’s Prospect Development Pipeline (“PDP”) and is an integral part of the identification and development process for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Teams and other future National teams.

For more information about the Appalachian League, visit appyleague.com or follow @appyleague & @appyleaguedata on X, and @appyleague on Instagram.