Pittsburgh, PA - In the past few weeks, Cougars junior outfielder Devin Fluhmann represented the Switzerland National Baseball team at the 2025 European Baseball Championship.
"It was an honor to represent my country on such a big stage once again," commented Fluhmann. "Being with ballplayers from various levels (pro, collegiate, men's league) and all coming together to strive towards one goal was truly an amazing experience. The chemistry that this year's national squad built are bonds that will last forever and are rooted in our love for our country."
"Playing for the Swiss National Team is an incredible opportunity for Devin, and speaks to the work that he has put into his game over the years," said Head Baseball Coach Nic Rush. "Not only has he secured a spot on the team, but he has been a valuable contributor for the Swiss in the lead-off spot and in center field."
Team Switzerland wrapped up pool play with a record of 2-1, advancing them to the knockout rounds and automatically qualifying them for the next European Baseball Championship, set to take place in 2027. During the knockout stage, they suffered two tough losses but ended the tournament on a high note, defeating France by a score of 11-3. Switzerland ultimately finished 11th out of 15 teams, the best finish in the country's history, thanks in large part to Fluhmann's leadership and contributions.
Fluhmann started in 5 out of the 6 games, coming in as a defensive replacement for one of them. He ranked 5th on the team in runs scored, scoring 3 times throughout the tournament. He also finished the championship with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.
The junior outfielder's ability to rise to the occasion on the international stage was built on previous strong contributions with the Switzerland National team. Earlier in the summer, he competed with them at the Prague Baseball Week event. There, he led the event in average, hitting .643, on-base percentage with a .750 mark, runs scored with 11, as well as finishing top 5 in 3 other major offensive categories. He also added 1 home run, 9 RBI, 2 doubles, and 6 BBs, to round out an impressive week of baseball. In 2024, Fluhmann competed with the national team at the Under-23 European qualifiers.
Events like these have gone on to grow the game of baseball in Switzerland and Europe as a whole. Fluhmann lamented, "To have been around such amazing talent from all over Europe and to see how much the game has grown over the years of me pursuing baseball in America is very impressive." He went on to mention "the fact that my team and I were able to put Swiss baseball on the map with our historic 11th-place finish will always be cherished by the Swiss baseball community. More to come in 2027!"
"We are looking forward to seeing what experiences Devin brings back from the European Championships and how that will help him as a leader in our program." Coach Rush said regarding Fluhmann's return stateside.
The junior outfielder will rejoin the Cougars as the baseball program progresses through their fall schedule and as they gear up for the 2026 season, slated to start at the end of February.
