June 7, 2010
CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Texas A&M junior pitcher Barret Loux was chosen by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the sixth pick of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft on Monday evening.
Loux became the second-highest draft pick in Aggie baseball history and ninth overall. Jeff Granger was chosen fifth in 1993 by Kansas City, and the most recent top-round A&M selection was Cliff Pennington, who went to Oakland in 2005. Loux found out while waiting out a rain delay prior to the NCAA Regional final against Miami, and was mobbed by his teammates inside the UM weight room as his name was called on MLB Network's live telecast.
"It means a lot," said Loux of the selection. "I've worked really hard and just very excited about the opportunity to go play. When my name was called, I was just really excited...everyone jumped on me, kind of a mini dogpile. It was pretty exciting and a great way to start the night."
The Houston native ranks fourth all time at A&M with 279 career strikeouts in just three seasons. A product of Stratford High School, Loux is 11-2 this year with a 2.60 ERA, and has fanned 136 hitters and allowed just 30 earned runs in 104 innings of work. He is holding opposing hitters to a .197 average.
Loux and his teammates are preparing to play Miami in the NCAA Coral Gables Regional Final. The winner of the game will meet Florida next weekend in Gainesville in super regional action with a trip to the College World Series on the line.
A&M'S ALL-TIME FIRST-ROUND DRAFT PICKS (9)
• 2010: Barret Loux, Arizona Diamondbacks (sixth pick overall)
• 2005: Cliff Pennington*, Oakland A's (21st)
• 2004: Zach Jackson*, Toronto Blue Jays (32nd - sandwich)
• 1999: Chance Caple, St. Louis Cardinals (30th)
• 1998: Jason Tyner*, New York Mets (21st)
• 1994: Chris Clemons*, Chicago White Sox (33rd - sandwich)
• 1993: Jeff Granger*, Kansas City Royals (fifth)
• 1993: Kelly Wunsch*, Chicago White Sox (26th)
• 1989: Chuck Knoblauch*, Minnesota Twins (25th)
* appeared in the major leagues