West Point Graduate Nick Hill Goes From Army to Team USA

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Nick Hill has served his country. Now he's playing for his country. It's a stars and stripes two-step.

Hill, a left-handed pitcher in the Seattle Mariners' organization who three years ago became West Point's highest-drafted baseball player, is a member of Team USA. Comprised of 24 minor league players not currently on major league 40-man rosters, the club is participating in the Pan American Games/World Cup Qualifier that begins here Friday.

The United States, one of 13 teams, opens against Puerto Rico Saturday night.

For Hill, this is his second go-round on a national team. He competed with the USA Baseball National Team that captured the International University Sports Federation World Championship in 2006, becoming the first Army player since Steve Reich (1993) to play for Team USA.

Yet, much has transpired since 2006. This is a much different experience for the 25-year-old Hill.

"Getting to do this, just getting the opportunity to put the uniform on is really a privilege," Hill told FanHouse. "I am just soaking up every minute of it and enjoying it. It's a pretty cool experience just getting to play with all of these other guys.

"I am grateful every day just to be playing, period."

An Army policy aimed at balancing the needs of the individual solider with the military's overall goals has allowed Hill and other officer-athletes to pursue to their dreams of playing sports professionally.

Hill, an engineer officer in West Point's class of 2007, has concluded his two years of active duty for the Army. He held an administrative position within the athletic department at the U.S. Military Academy. Hill is now on the Army's inactive reserves list and must report in every six months.

At the moment, however, Hill is focused on winning gold.

The top seven teams in the tourney will qualify for the 2011 Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. United States and rival Cuba are in opposite brackets.

The Kansas City Royals led all major league teams with six players on the Team USA roster -- a record for the most players from one organization on a USA Baseball professional team.

Hill recently completed his second season at the Double-A level -- he was 2-1 with a 4.22 ERA for the Jackson (Tenn.) Generals -- and was preparing for the Fall Instructional League when told he had been selected to Team USA.

It's another step he hopes leads to the big leagues.

"I understand it's a process, and I am just taking it day-by-day and being thankful for what I've gotten right now," Hill said.

Needless to say, Hill often thinks of his West Point classmates and remains in contact with many of them. They have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq since gradation. Hill says their motivation helps on the baseball field, reminding him that service to our nation is in so many areas.

Hill also acknowledges the debate and understands those who believe he should serve in the military. He says if baseball was taken away tomorrow, he would consider returning to active duty and making the military his career.

"My decision to even play professionally wasn't an easy one," said Hill, polite and soft-spoken.

"Most of the people I talked to encouraged me to go play and take the opportunity I have. It's not just for yourself, no way. I wouldn't be able to do this without their support. ... I mean, the things that we had to go through together (at West Point) obviously brought us closer.

"You have to lean on each other so much, just to get through it and work together. That bond is much like what you experience on an athletic team."

Just like Team USA.

Editor's Note: Jim's son Bryan, a pitcher in the Arizona Diamondbacks' organization, also was selected to Team USA.

Jim Henry is a senior writer for FanHouse. Contact him at jim.henry@teamaol.com or please follow at Twitter.com/jimhenryAOL