Baseball Makes History with Three Top-50 Picks in MLB Draft
Jun 11, 2020 | Baseball
Rob Childress' baseball program made history in the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft, becoming the only school in the country with three top-50 selections. In addition, it marks the earliest in school history that the Aggies had three players taken in a draft.
Lacy's selection marked the earliest an Aggie has been picked in the MLB Draft. Jeff Granger was the fifth overall choice in 1993, also selected by the Royals. The Arizona Diamondbacks grabbed Barret Loux with the sixth pick in 2010.
A two-time All-America, Lacy earned first-team recognition from Collegiate Baseball in 2020 and third-team distinction from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association in 2019.
The burly southpaw notched a 3-0 record with a 0.75 ERA and 46 strikeouts over 24.0 innings in his four starts in 2020. Lacy ranked fifth in the country in strikeouts and seventh in strikeouts per nine innings (17.25). He also placed in the top 30 in hits allowed per nine innings (12th – 3.38), wins (23rd) and WHIP (30th – 0.71).
The Kerrville, Texas, native logged an 8-4 record with 2.13 ERA in 2019, leading the nation in fewest hits allowed per nine innings (4.97). He also ranked eighth in strikeouts per nine innings (13.2) and ninth in strikeouts (130). Lacy was chosen to play for the USA Baseball 2019 Collegiate National Team and was named a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist for his performance as a sophomore. Lacy helped the Aggie pitching staff set a new single-season school record for strikeouts in a season with 673 in 2019.
DeLoach was scorching hot through all four weeks of the season, batting .421 with team highs in runs (25), hits (24), home runs (6), RBI (17), slugging percentage (.789) and on-base percentage (.547). He added 14 walks, three doubles and six stolen bases.
The Lewisville, Texas, native ranked third in the nation with 25 runs along with ranking in the top 50 in home runs (19th), on-base percentage (21st), total bases (23rd – 45) and batting average (50th). He was also one of the toughest in the nation to strikeout, with just one K per 19.0 at-bats, ranking 15th in the country.
DeLoach tore up the Cape Cod League last summer. He led the league with a .353 batting average, pounding out eight doubles, one triple, five home runs and 23 RBI while stealing eight bases in 37 games for the Falmouth Commodores. DeLoach hit .260 as a freshman in 2018, tallying 37 runs, 10 doubles, five triples, two home runs and 27 RBI in 61 games. Last season, he logged 27 runs, four doubles, one triple, three home runs and 16 RBI in 56 games.
On the mound in 2020, Roa posted a 2-1 mark with a 5.85 ERA in 35 strikeouts in 20.0 innings. The northpaw ranked 11th in the nation and second in the SEC in strikeouts per nine innings (15.75), and third in the nation in strikeouts.
For his career, Roa is 5-3 with one save, a 4.25 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 82.2 innings. As a sophomore, he notched a 3-2 mark with one save and a 3.56 ERA. He earned SEC Player of the Week recognition that season after stymieing eventual national champion Vanderbilt.
Roa is also stellar in the classroom where owns a 3.577 grade-point average as a Finance major. He sparkled during the Spring 2020 semester with a 4.00 GPA. The Houston native is a two-time member of the SEC Community Service Team.
Asa Lacy - Round 1, 4th Overall - Kansas City Royals
Lacy's selection marked the earliest an Aggie has been picked in the MLB Draft. Jeff Granger was the fifth overall choice in 1993, also selected by the Royals. The Arizona Diamondbacks grabbed Barret Loux with the sixth pick in 2010.
A two-time All-America, Lacy earned first-team recognition from Collegiate Baseball in 2020 and third-team distinction from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association in 2019.
Lacy is headed to KC!
— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) June 10, 2020
With the 4th pick of the 2020 @MLBDraft, the @Royals select…
??? @The_Ace35#MLBDraft | #GigEm pic.twitter.com/6dRhr4IFr8
The burly southpaw notched a 3-0 record with a 0.75 ERA and 46 strikeouts over 24.0 innings in his four starts in 2020. Lacy ranked fifth in the country in strikeouts and seventh in strikeouts per nine innings (17.25). He also placed in the top 30 in hits allowed per nine innings (12th – 3.38), wins (23rd) and WHIP (30th – 0.71).
The Kerrville, Texas, native logged an 8-4 record with 2.13 ERA in 2019, leading the nation in fewest hits allowed per nine innings (4.97). He also ranked eighth in strikeouts per nine innings (13.2) and ninth in strikeouts (130). Lacy was chosen to play for the USA Baseball 2019 Collegiate National Team and was named a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist for his performance as a sophomore. Lacy helped the Aggie pitching staff set a new single-season school record for strikeouts in a season with 673 in 2019.
Zach DeLoach - Round 3, 43rd Overall - Seattle Mariners
DeLoach was scorching hot through all four weeks of the season, batting .421 with team highs in runs (25), hits (24), home runs (6), RBI (17), slugging percentage (.789) and on-base percentage (.547). He added 14 walks, three doubles and six stolen bases.
The Lewisville, Texas, native ranked third in the nation with 25 runs along with ranking in the top 50 in home runs (19th), on-base percentage (21st), total bases (23rd – 45) and batting average (50th). He was also one of the toughest in the nation to strikeout, with just one K per 19.0 at-bats, ranking 15th in the country.
From Lewisville, TX to Seattle!
— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) June 11, 2020
With the 6th pick in the 2nd round of the 2020 @MLBDraft, the @Mariners select…
??? @zach_deloach7 #MLBDraft | #GigEm pic.twitter.com/k78Y9RtN5F
DeLoach tore up the Cape Cod League last summer. He led the league with a .353 batting average, pounding out eight doubles, one triple, five home runs and 23 RBI while stealing eight bases in 37 games for the Falmouth Commodores. DeLoach hit .260 as a freshman in 2018, tallying 37 runs, 10 doubles, five triples, two home runs and 27 RBI in 61 games. Last season, he logged 27 runs, four doubles, one triple, three home runs and 16 RBI in 56 games.
Christian Roa - Round 2, 48th Overall - Cincinnati Reds
On the mound in 2020, Roa posted a 2-1 mark with a 5.85 ERA in 35 strikeouts in 20.0 innings. The northpaw ranked 11th in the nation and second in the SEC in strikeouts per nine innings (15.75), and third in the nation in strikeouts.
For his career, Roa is 5-3 with one save, a 4.25 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 82.2 innings. As a sophomore, he notched a 3-2 mark with one save and a 3.56 ERA. He earned SEC Player of the Week recognition that season after stymieing eventual national champion Vanderbilt.
Roa's seein' red!
— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) June 11, 2020
With the 11th pick in the 2nd round of the 2020 @MLBDraft, the @Reds select...
??? @Christianroa24 #MLBDraft | #GigEm pic.twitter.com/8ZUknYNkQU
Roa is also stellar in the classroom where owns a 3.577 grade-point average as a Finance major. He sparkled during the Spring 2020 semester with a 4.00 GPA. The Houston native is a two-time member of the SEC Community Service Team.
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