Joseph Gonzalez is undoubtedly taking advantage of being selected for the USA Collegiate National Team. The Auburn right-hander has made three appearances so far for the red, white and blue and has yet to allow a run in 6 1/3 innings while fanning eight batters.

He's also been clutch for his team so far, entering Sunday's game against Italy in the top of the third with the bases loaded, two outs and the score still 0-0. Gonzalez induced a groundout to shortstop to end the Italian threat, following that with two scoreless frames, allowing just two hits and whiffing three to earn the victory as Team USA put eight runs on the board in the bottom of the fourth.

His coach, Butch Thompson, knows this experience will be a significant difference-maker for the righty.

"He couldn't have done better for them to this point," Thompson said. "I think personally for Joseph, it just puts him in another category of pitcher."

That category includes returning as a junior in 2023 as Auburn's ace after serving as the Tigers' Sunday starter for most of the season. If his status as the team's best pitcher was in question before the season ended, Thompson left no doubt when he sent Gonzalez out for the first game of the College World Series. Despite struggling against eventual national champion Ole Miss in that outing, it was still a breakout season for the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Gonzalez. The native of Puerto Rico led the Tigers with seven wins while posting a 3.22 ERA over 78 1/3 innings.

Now putting up goose eggs for Team USA, he's assured his status in the Tigers' rotation.

Still, Thompson hopes that Gonzalez isn't the only piece returning for his staff.

"Solidifies one spot, and then sitting here waiting on (Trace) Bright," the coach said. "I'd like to have two-thirds of our rotation back instead of a third of our rotation back."

While Bright returning, which Thompson puts at 50/50 heading into next week's MLB draft, is up in the air, having Gonzalez back is a massive boost for the Tigers as they try to make another run at Omaha and the program's first national title. More than that, the coach is looking at what this run for Team USA and the experience it brings will mean for Gonzalez in the long run.

"I think it puts him in another category of being drafted for next year's draft," Thompson said.