Texas Tech University Athletics
Arizona Selects Smith in 36th Round of MLB Draft
June 10, 2015 | Baseball
June 10, 2015
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech senior left-handed pitcher Cameron Smith became the first Red Raider in program history to be drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday as he was taken in the 36th round (No. 1,066 overall) of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
Smith's selection rounded out a successful draft for the Red Raiders, who had six players picked, four of which that were seniors, for the second-straight year and 10th time in program history.
Smith was the fifth Red Raider pitcher to have his name called in the draft, joining right-handers Matt Withrow (6th Round/Atlanta Braves), Corey Taylor (7th Round/New York Mets), Dominic Moreno (8th Round/Detroit Tigers) and Matt Custred (31st Round/Atlanta Braves). Fellow senior Tim Proudfoot was selected just a round earlier than Smith by the Oakland A's.
This is the second time in program history where five Tech pitchers have been selected in the draft. Tech also had five hurlers picked in 2012 but none of those came within the first 10 rounds.
The Diamondbacks were previously the only major league organization who had yet to draft a Red Raider until picking Smith with the first selection of the 36th round.
Smith, a native of Seabrook, Texas, earned All-Big 12 first team honors this season after going 6-5 overall with a 2.83 ERA as Tech's primary Saturday starter. He set a school record midway through the season by earning his third Big 12 Player of the Week honor.
Smith concludes his Red Raider career with a 14-8 overall record and 2.81 ERA in 39 career appearances after transferring to Tech from New Mexico Junior College prior to the 2014 season. Opponents hit just .227 off Smith, who totaled 156.2 innings, 89 of which that came this season.
The southpaw recorded several of the most memorable outings in school history during his two seasons, including a complete-game shutout of Miami a year ago that lead the Red Raiders past the NCAA Regional round for the first time in program history and eventually on to the College World Series.
36 (1066): @Dbacks select Texas Tech LHP Cameron Smith. http://t.co/G1q4p5w7OD #MLBDraft
-- MLB Draft Tracker (@MLBDraftTracker) June 10, 2015
TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS IN THE MLB DRAFT
Matt Withrow - No. 180 overall/6th Round (Atlanta Braves)
Corey Taylor - No. 209 overall/7th Round (New York Mets)
Dominic Moreno - No. 250 overall/8th Round (Detroit Tigers)
Matt Custred - No. 930 overall/31st Round (Atlanta Braves)
Tim Proudfoot - No. 1,058 overall/35th Round (Oakland A's)
Cameron Smith - No. 1,066 overall/36th Round (Arizona Diamondbacks)
TEXAS TECH SIGNEES IN THE MLB DRAFT
Josh Naylor - No. 12 overall/First Round (Miami Marlins)
Trent Clark - No. 15 overall/First Round (Milwaukee Brewers)
Tony Santillan - No. 49 overall/Second Round (Cincinnati Reds)
Justin Maese - No. 91 overall/Third Round (Toronto Blue Jays)
Chandler Eden - No. 512 overall/17th Round (Toronto Blue Jays)
Blaine Prescott - No. 828 overall/28th Round (Texas Rangers)
Aaron Coates - No. 941 overall/31st Round (St. Louis Cardinals)
