Texas Tech University Athletics
Four Red Raiders Drafted by Major League Baseball
June 21, 1999 | Baseball
June 2, 1999
LUBBOCK, Texas - Four current Texas Tech baseball players were drafted Wednesday in the Major League Baseball draft- junior catcher Josh Bard, junior shortstop Chris Sampson, senior pitcher Shane Wright and junior pitcher Brandon Roberson. Wednesday was the first day of the MLB draft. Day two will be announced tomorrow.
Bard was taken as the No. 100 overall pick in the third round by the Colorado Rockies. A native of Englewood, Colo., just outside of Denver, Bard has been a Rockies fan ever since the team was created. Sampson also was drafted by his hometown team, the Houston Astros, the No. 263rd pick in the eighth round. Wright was selected as the No. 272nd pick in the ninth round by the Pittsburgh Pirates and Roberson went to the Seattle Mariners, the No. 575th pick in the 19th round.
Texas Tech fall baseball signee John Lackey (Grayson J.C.) was selected the No. 68 overall pick in the second round while Texas Tech football signee Shaud Williams was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 13th round as the No. 414 pick.
Bard finished the 1999 season at Texas Tech as a career .366 hitter (268-733) with 73 doubles, 43 home runs and 232 runs batted in. The six-foot-three catcher was named a consensus All America in 1998 and 1999, a consensus All Big 12 selection over the last three seasons and was selected as one of 12 Rotary Smith Award semifinalists in 1999 (college baseball's player of the year award). Bard, a three-year USA Baseball player who was named the 1998 Big 12 Tournament Most Oustanding Player, concluded his junior season at Texas Tech with a .353 average, 28 doubles, 13 home runs and 92 runs batted in. Bard also became one of only two players in Texas Tech history to hit over 40 career home runs and drive in over 200 RBI (the other player was Clint Bryant, also a 1996 Colorado Rockies draftee).
A native of Channelview, Texas (suburb of Houston), Sampson played only the 1999 season at Texas Tech after transferring from Lon Morris Junior College. He was named the Big 12's "Fastest Player" by Baseball America before even stepping foot on Dan Law Field. He contributed at shortstop, rightfield and as a closer. The six-foot junior hit .281 (9-32) with five RBI and registered a 2-2 record with a 12.60 ERA and nine strikeouts in 10 innings pitched.
Wright ended his career at Texas Tech with a 34-7 overall record, 24 complete games, a 3.42 ERA, 281 strikeouts and only 53 walks in 368.2 career innings. He completed his three-year career as the school's leader in career victories, career innings pitched, career complete games, career bases on balls per 9IP, career games started and career winning percentage. A 1998 consensus All America and three-year all conference player, Wright also played one season for the USA Baseball National team. He finished his senior season at Texas Tech with a 10-4 record, 3.93 ERA, seven complete games and 100 strikeouts in 126.0 innings pitched and became the first pitcher in Texas Tech history to win 10 games in three different seasons.
Roberson was a 1999 consensus First Team All Big 12 selection and is still being considered for All America honors. He led Texas Tech and was ranked nationally in several categories including in ERA (2.45), saves (10) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.1). The native of Aledo/Fort Worth, Texas, Roberson became Texas Tech's season save leader with his 10th save on the season. He finished the season with a 3-4 record, 77 strikeouts in 69.2 innings pitched and held opponents to an oustanding .236 batting average.
Texas Tech concluded its 1999 season with a 42-17 overall record.
1999 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL DRAFT- TEXAS TECH
*John Lakey (Abilene, Texas/Grayson J.C.), RHP- 2nd Round (No. 68), Anaheim
Josh Bard (Englewood, Colo.), JR/Catcher- 3rd Round (No. 100), Colorado Rockies
Chris Sampson (Channelview, Texas), JR/SS/RHP- 8th Round (No. 263), Houston Astros
Shane Wright (Topeka, Kansas), SR/RHP- 9th Round (No. 272), Pittsburgh Pirates
%Shaud Williams (Andrews, Texas), OF- 13th Round (No. 414), Atlanta Braves
Brandon Roberson (Aledo, Texas), JR/RHP- 19th Round (No. 575), Seattle Mariners
*Texas Tech fall baseball signee
%Texas Tech football signee
--TTU--
