Red Wing's Boldt named MVP at Perfect Game All-American Classic

The accolades keep rolling in for Red Wing’s Ryan Boldt.

He was named Most Valuable Player of 2012 Perfect Game All-American Classic. Former San Diego closer Trevor Hoffman presented the honor Sunday in San Diego, Calif.

Boldt secured the award with a 2-for-3 night at the plate, including a triple and an outfield assist. Boldt threw out a runner from center field trying to advance to second base.

“Getting it from Trevor Hoffman, I don’t even know what to say,” Boldt said. “I struggled with words at the end. I’m just so thankful to be given opportunities to come out. It just has been great and a really fun experience this summer. I honestly can’t believe it.”

He laced a single over the second baseman’s head in the second inning and roped a triple down the left-field line in the fifth inning. Both hits came off pitchers he’d faced earlier this summer as part of Team USA Baseball’s tryouts or at the Area Code Games in Long Beach, Calif.

“I’ve seen a lot of guys before,” Boldt said. “I kind of knew what to expect. I wasn’t really hoping to face one guy or another.”

Boldt’s West team defeated the East team 7-6 in the 10th Classic, with Kacy Clemens, the son of 11-time Major League Baseball All-Star Roger Clemens, getting a save in the ninth inning.

While Boldt keeps gaining national attention, he said hasn’t had time to stop and think about all he’s accomplished this summer.

“I just go out and play and whatever happens, happens,” Boldt said. “Maybe I’ll be able to think about it once everything slows down. I didn’t even know what to think. Obviously I want to be able to keeping playing as long as I can this summer. I want to make the USA team and go to Korea.”

The final 18U National Team trials and training phase for Team USA Baseball takes place Aug. 17-22 in Fullerton and Los Angeles.

Playing well at the All-American Classic has another nice side-effect. All nine previous MVPs were taken in the next year’s Major League Baseball Amateur draft, including 2008 No. 1 pick, Tim Beckham.

“Before this summer, I didn’t really think about (getting drafted) at all,” Boldt said. “It’ll definitely be a dream of mine. It’d be a dream just to be drafted.”

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