HOUSTON, TEXAS (June 9, 2010) Six University of Houston baseball players were selected during the three-day Major League Baseball Draft, ending Wednesday. With their selections in the draft it marked the ninth consecutive season and the 12th time in the last 13 years that at least one Cougar player was chosen in the annual draft.
The six selections in the draft also are the most in a single season since eight Cougars were taken in 2004.
Junior shortstop Blake Kelso was the Cougars’ top selection by being taking in the 10th round of the draft by the Washington Nationals. With his selection, Houston has now had three players taken in the first 10 rounds during the last two years.
Kelso, a stable in the Cougar infield at shortstop, has started 181 consecutive games in his three-year career at Houston. He holds a .319 batting average with 41 doubles, 11 triples and eight home runs. The Plugerville, Texas, native also is the school career record holder in assists with 588.
Sophomore pitcher Michael Goodnight followed in the 13th round when he was chosen by the Cleveland Indians. Goodnight was also chosen in the draft out of high school before coming to UH.
The Houston, Texas, native was a member of the weekend pitching rotation, earning 16 starts in his sophomore campaign. He holds a 4.96 ERA in two seasons at Houston with 148 strikeouts. Following his freshman season, Goodnight was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman Team. Early in the 2010 season, he pitched the Cougars to a 1-0 shutout win over Texas and went on to be named the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Player of the Week.
The Cougars’ third selection in the draft came in the 16th round when senior catcher Chris Wallace was selected by the Houston Astros. Wallace spent four seasons behind the plate for Houston, posting a .291 career batting average. He was selected to the All-C-USA Second Team in 2009 and led the Cougars in his final season with 10 home runs.
Houston closed out the second day of the draft with its fourth selection. Junior pitcher Ty Stuckey was taken by the Cincinnati Reds in the 26th round. The Spring, Texas, native made 16 starts in three seasons at UH. During his junior season, Stuckey made four starts with 31 strikeouts. Stuckey also saw action at first base as a sophomore, posting a .254 batting average in 15 starts.
Senior pitcher William Kankel was the first Cougar chosen on the final day of the draft. He was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 33rd round. The Brenham, Texas, native spent two years at Houston after transferring from Seminole State College in 2008. He made 10 starts as a senior and was a regular in the weekend rotation.
Also taken in the draft’s final day in the 38th round by the Minnesota Twins was junior pitcher Jared Ray. The Waco, Texas, native sat out the 2010 season following shoulder surgery. As a sophomore he finished with a 4-4 record. Ray pitched 31 scoreless innings during the season for the third longest streak in school history. He would go on to earn a spot on the All-C-USA Second Team.
In addition, Cougar signees Mitchell Taylor (seventh round, Toronto Blue Jays), Jacob Dahlstrand (10th round, Boston Red Sox), Ryan Broussard (18th round, Los Angeles Angles), Chad Rogers (28th round, Cincinnati Reds), Lucas Moran (45th round, Milwaukee Brewers) and Landon Appling (47th round, Colorado Rockies) were also selected in the draft.
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