University of Houston Athletics
Five Cougars Selected on Final Day of MLB Draft
6/10/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
HOUSTON -- Houston Baseball made noise on the final day of the 2015 MLB First-Year Player Draft as five more Cougars were selected in juniors Chris Iriart, Kyle Dowdy, senior Taylor Cobb, and juniors Ashford Fulmer and Ian Rice. With those five, a total of eight players from Houston were drafted this year.
Iriart and Dowdy were just two picks apart on the Draft Tracker as Iriart was selected by the Oakland Athletics as the No. 368 overall pick in the 12th Round and Dowdy was selected by the Detroit Tigers as the No. 370 overall pick in the 12th Round.
Cobb was a 26th Round selection at No. 795 overall by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Fulmer was a 28th Round pick at No. 846 overall by the San Francisco Giants and Rice, a 29th Round pick at No. 863 overall by the Chicago Cubs.
2015 marked the 14th straight season the University of Houston was represented in the MLB Draft, bringing the total of Cougars all-time drafted (since 1968) to 144.
Since 2011 when head coach Todd Whitting took over the program, Houston Baseball has seen 21 drafted players, led by eight in 2015 and five in 2014. The eight drafted Cougars this year marks the most since 11 were drafted back in 2000.
The first five Cougars drafted this season were among the Top 12 Rounds. 2015 marked the first year five Cougars were drafted that high in the same year since five were taken among the Top 7 Rounds in 2003.
Lemoine, a 4th Round selection, became the highest drafted Cougar since Donnie Joseph was taken in the 3rd Round by Cincinnati in 2009. Weigel, a 7th Round selection and No. 210 overall and Survance, an 8th Round selection and No. 255 overall rounded out Tuesday's Top 10 Rounds.
HOUSTON BASEBALL at the 2015 MLB FIRST-YEAR PLAYER DRAFT
Tuesday, June 9 selections
RHP -- Jake Lemoine -- 4th round (No. 108) -- Texas Rangers
RHP -- Patrick Weigel -- 7th round (No. 210) -- Atlanta Braves
OF -- Kyle Survance -- 8th round (No. 255) -- Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Wednesday, June 10 selections
1B -- Chris Iriart -- 12th Round (No. 368) -- Oakland Athletics
RHP -- Kyle Dowdy -- 12th Round (No. 370) -- Detroit Tigers
RHP -- Taylor Cobb -- 26th Round (No. 795) -- Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
OF -- Ashford Fulmer -- 28th Round (No. 846) -- San Francisco Giants
C -- Ian Rice -- 29th Round (No. 863) -- Chicago Cubs
MORE ON Chris Iriart
Honors:
- Drafted by Oakland Athletics -- 12th Round (No. 368) (2015)
- ABCA/Rawlings South Central All-Region Second Team (2015)
- NCAA Houston Regional All-Tournament Team (2015)
- All-Silver Glove Series vs. Rice (2015)
- USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Watch List
- American Athletic Conference Player of the Week (March 23, 2015)
- College Classic All-Tournament Team (2015)
JUNIOR (2015)
Named a Second Team All-Conference selection after finishing second in the league with 15 homeruns...Had the most homeruns by a Cougar since 2006...Was the first to break the American Conference homerun record this season...Only Cougar to have started and played in all 63 games this season...Led the team with .302 average...Led team with .573 slugging percentage on 15 homeruns, 14 doubles and two triples...Notched on-base percentage of .415 with 28 walks and league-leading 19 hit-by-pitches...Moved into Top 3 all-time in total chances (570) and putouts (543) in a single-season at first base...Opened the year with a hit in nine of the first 10 games...Had a team-long 15 game hit streak...Reached base in 20 consecutive games...Had a team-high 20 multi-hit games and finished second with 12 multi-RBI games...Had a homerun in seven of the 13 weekend series and four weekends with at least two homeruns...Belted a homerun in his first game as a Cougar vs. Minnesota (Feb. 13)...Put Houston ahead with a three-run homerun vs. Alabama (Feb. 20)...Hit two solo homeruns in a single-game at Memphis (April 3)...Drove in all three RBI on a three-run homerun to cap a 3-1 win on the road at Tulane (May 2)...Had a hit in all four games at the American Championship and scored six runs...Had a three-hit game in the NCAA Regional vs. Louisiana-Lafayette where he hit his 15th homerun...Reached back in all but five games this season... Helped Cougars to an American Athletic Conference title, their second consecutive 40-win season and to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
ORANGE COAST COLLEGE
Played for head coach John Altobelli...Helped Pirates to a 36-9 record and a No. 1 ranking in the nation...Named second team All-Orange Empire Conference in 2014...Batted .316 with 10 home runs and 48 RBI.
MORE ON Kyle Dowdy
Honors:
- Drafted by Detroit Tigers -- 12th Round (No. 370) (2015)
- NCAA Houston Regional All-Tournament Team (2015)
- Second Team All-American Athletic Conference (2015)
- 2x - American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week (2015)
- Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week (April 20, 2015)
RS-JUNIOR (2014)
Played an integral role in the Cougars' starting rotation, being named a Second Team All-Conference selection...Tied for the staff lead in wins with a 9-2 record...Made 19 appearances and 12 starts, mostly as Houston's Saturday weekend starter...Finished year with a 2.45 ERA and three complete games...Had two complete game shutouts and one combined shutout...Fanned 72 in a total of 95.1 innings...Held opponents to a .227 average...Lasted at least 6.0 innings in 10 of his 12 starts...Fanned 10 or more in three starts...Had a career-high 13 strikeouts in win over Cincinnati (April 18)...Notched two 10-strikeout performances vs. Rice in the NCAA Regional (May 31) and vs. Tulane (April 11)...Pitched first complete game shutout vs. Cincinnati, and was named National Player of the Week for that performance...Tallied second complete game shutout at Tulane (May 2)...Allowed a combined six hits in 14.0 innings in two wins vs. UConn (May 15) and vs. Memphis (May 23)...Didn't allow an earned run in first four appearances...Won seven of his last nine starts...Earned first win as a Cougar in an 8.0-inning relief effort at Sam Houston State (March 10), allowing just one run on two hits with five strikeouts... Helped Cougars to an American Athletic Conference title, their second consecutive 40-win season and to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament... Was part of a pitching staff that ranked first in the conference with a 2.89 ERA.
JUNIOR (2014)
Earned a redshirt in 2014 after suffering season-ending injury...Did not make an appearance.
PREVIOUS SCHOOLS
Played freshman season at the University of Hawaii at Manoa under Mike Trapasso...Notched a 3.06 ERA with three saves in 32.1 innings of work...Transferred to Orange Coast College for sophomore campaign under John Altobelli...Was 6-3 with one save and three complete games with a 2.38 ERA...In 75.2 innings, struck out 62.
MORE ON Taylor Cobb
SENIOR (2015)
Made nine appearances and five starts in his final season as a Cougar...Finished year with a 2.45 ERA...Was 1-1 with one save...Combined for two shutouts...Struck out 17 in 25.2 innings...Earned win against Buffalo (March 15)...Notched a save in first midweek game of the year vs. Texas Southern (Feb. 18)...Went a season-long 6.0 innings in win over Buffalo...Struck out a season-high five vs. Texas Southern...Did not allow an earned run in first four appearances, which spanned 12.2 innings... Helped Cougars to an American Athletic Conference title, their second consecutive 40-win season and to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament... Was part of a pitching staff that ranked first in the conference with a 2.89 ERA.
JUNIOR (2014)
Made four relief appearances on the bump...Owned a 1.80 ERA in 5.0 innings...Struck out two and held opponents to a .125 average...Struck out two in 1.0 inning in relief vs. Louisville (April 13)...Opened the season, tossing 3.0 hitless frames in relief...Helped Houston to a 48-win season, an American Conference tournament title, Regional Championship and appearance in an NCAA Super Regional for the first time since 2003.
BLINN JUNIOR COLLEGE
Played two previous seasons at Blinn JC under Harvey McIntyre...Saw action as an infielder and pitcher...Helped team to two Regional Tournament appearances...Made three pitching appearances during sophomore campaign...Struck out 12 in 11.0 innings...Hit .346 for second-best on the team with 22 RBI in 24 games played in 2013.
MORE ON Ashford Fulmer
Honors:
- American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team (2014)
- Commissioner's Honor Roll (2013)
JUNIOR (2015)
Appeared in 61 games, making 48 starts in centerfield for the Cougars...Finished 10-for-13 in stolen bases...Hit .238 with 40 hits and 29 RBI...Slugged .345 with five doubles, two triples and three homeruns...Had a clutch two-RBI triple in Game 1 of the American Championship vs. Cincinnati (May 19) to cap a comeback...Drove in two RBI on a double in a win at McNeese State (April 21)...Had eight multi-RBI games and six multi-hit games...Homered in win vs. East Carolina (May 10), driving in three in that game...Had four hits and five RBI in series win over East Carolina...Notched hits in five of the seven postseason games...Tallied five RBI in American Championship...Had seven outfield assists on the year...Committed just two errors en route to .983 fielding percentage... Helped Cougars to an American Athletic Conference title, their second consecutive 40-win season and to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
SOPHOMORE (2014)
Appeared in 64 games, making 52 starts in centerfield for the Cougars...Hit .267 with a four homeruns for second-most on the team...Drove in 32 RBI and scored 26 runs, while tallying 50 hits...Finished third on the team with 12 stolen bases in 15 attempts...Notched nine multi-hit and nine multi-RBI games...Belted the game-tying homerun on a pinch hit to knock off then-conference leader UCF (May 3)...Drove in a season-high three RBI in a win over Michigan (Feb. 23)...Homered against Texas Tech, Memphis, Louisville and UCF...Totaled eight outfield assists...Went 3-for-3 with two RBI in the Baton Rouge Regional Championship game over LSU (June 2)...Had a season-best four hits in win over Towson (March 15)...Had three hits, scored three runs, and drove in two RBI in a win at Texas A&M (April 1)... Helped Houston to a 48-win season, an American Conference tournament title, Regional Championship and appearance in an NCAA Super Regional for the first time since 2003...Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 27th round at No. 820 overall.
RS-FRESHMAN (2013)
Appeared in 50 of Houston's 58 games, making 39 starts in right field...Hit 224 with 28 hits and 19 RBI, while scoring 18 runs...Tallied three triples for second-most on the team...Was 5-for-5 in stolen bases...Had eight multi-hit games and five multi-RBI games...Had a season-high three hits and two RBI in win over Harvard (March 20)...Hit two triples in that game...Notched first ever collegiate homerun in win at Marshall (April 7)...First career hit came on an infield single in the fourth inning in win over Northeastern (Feb. 16)...First career RBI came on an eighth-inning sacrifice fly on Opening Day vs. Northeastern (Feb. 15)...Was 2-for-4 with two RBI, a triple and run scored in win over East Carolina (March 22)...Had two outfield assists, vs. Northeastern (Feb. 15) and at Memphis (March 31)...Scored the eventual game-winning run at Tulane on a suicide squeeze (May 5) to cap the series win.
FRESHMAN (2012)
Received a medical redshirt following an early season hand injury.
MORE ON Ian Rice
Honors:
- American Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team (2015)
JUNIOR (2015)
Was Houston's starting catcher, appearing in 55 games with 51 starts behind the dish...Led team and finished second in the conference with a .427 on-base percentage...Tallied a team-high 46 walks to rank eighth all-time in a single-season...Hit .255 on the year with nine doubles and three homeruns, slugging .364...Belted his first career homerun as a Cougar in his first at-bat of the year vs. Minnesota (Feb. 13)...Went on to drive in a season-high four RBI in that game...Crushed a game-tying homerun in the ninth vs. UConn to force extra innings (May 14)...Had 11 multi-hit games and seven multi-RBI games...Finished the year on an 11-game active on-base streak...Had three, 3+ RBI games...Went 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored in win at Tulane (May 3)...Drove in a pair on three hits in a 17-3 win vs. Memphis in the American Championship (May 23) en route to being named to the All-Tournament Team...Had a hit in all three NCAA Houston Regional games... Helped Cougars to an American Athletic Conference title, their second consecutive 40-win season and to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
CHIPOLA JUNIOR COLLEGE
Played two seasons for Chipola College in Marianna, Florida out of the Panhandle Conference...Hit .330 with 11 homeruns and 51 RBI during spring 2014...Named First Team All-State...Honored as Panhandle Conference Defensive Player of the Year...Drafted in the 21st Round of the 2014 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Boston Red Sox...Played summer 2014 in the Cape Cod League...Was named the Cal Ripken Collegiate League MVP and All-Star in summer 2013.
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