Texas Tech University Athletics
Moreno Heads to the Detroit Tigers in Eighth Round
June 09, 2015 | Baseball
June 9, 2015
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech senior right-handed pitcher Dominic Moreno completed a busy day for Red Raider hurlers in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Tuesday as he was selected with the 250th overall pick (eighth round) by the Detroit Tigers.
Moreno was the third Red Raider pitcher drafted on the day, joining Matt Withrow, who was selected in the sixth round by the Atlanta Braves, and Corey Taylor, a seventh-round pick by the New York Mets.
This is the first time in program history where three Tech pitchers were all chosen in the top 10 rounds of the draft. Tech had not previously boasted three players drafted in the top 10 rounds since 2008 when Roger Kieschnick, Zach Stewart and James Leverton were all selected.
Moreno, a native of Farmington, N.M., is the fifth Red Raider all-time to be drafted by the Tigers and the first since Miles Durham was selected in the fifth round following the 2000 season.
Moreno helped his draft stock throughout his senior year as he finished 3-3 overall with a 1.85 earned-run average primarily out of the bullpen where he recorded a team-leading seven saves. He earned All-Big 12 second team honors after allowing just 12 earned runs in 58.1 innings and 24 appearances, including two starts.
The return for his senior season was a beneficial one for Moreno, who was selected in the 33rd round (No. 1,005 overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals during the 2014 MLB Draft. He is the sixth Red Raider all-time and the first since Reid Redman (2011-12) to be picked in back-to-back drafts.
Moreno concluded his Tech career with a 10-12 overall record and a 2.97 ERA after moving back-and-forth between the starting rotation and the bullpen. He also struck out an impressive 183 hitters during that time while allowing just 66 walks.
Moreno was part of a Tech program that has now had a player selected in the MLB Draft following each of the past 28 seasons. Tech is the only original Big 12 Conference school to have a player drafted in the first 14 rounds every year in league history.
The MLB Draft wraps up with the final 30 rounds Wednesday afternoon. Selections will resume at 11 p.m. CT with coverage provided once again on MLB.com.
With their 8th round selection, the #Tigers select RHP Dominic Moreno of Texas Tech University.
- #VoteTigers (@tigers) June 9, 2015
