School Record Ten Red Raiders Selected in MLB Draft

LUBBOCK, Texas – In the midst of the fourth-longest NCAA Super Regional game ever, Texas Tech set a school record with 10 players selected in the 2016 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft that concluded this past Saturday.

After three players – Ryan Moseley, Hayden Howard and Stephen Smith – were taken Friday, seven other Red Raiders had their name called Saturday during Texas Tech's 3-1 victory over East Carolina to even the NCAA Lubbock Super Regional. Tech went on to win the Super Regional with a 11-0 rout on Sunday.

The 10 selections break the Tech single-season record from 2012 when nine Red Raiders were drafted by MLB organizations. Tech finished tied for the Big 12 lead and fourth nationally with 10 MLB draftees.

Ryan Moseley – Baltimore Orioles
Moseley, an eighth round pick by Baltimore (No. 241 overall), is the first Red Raider to be selected by the Orioles since Zach Fowler was drafted in the 34th round in 2011. A Lubbock native, Moseley is currently 6-4 this season with a 5.40 earned-run average entering his second trip this weekend at the College World Series in Omaha.

Moseley leads all active Red Raiders with 11 wins over his career as he has gone back and forth between the bullpen and the weekend rotation. His selection marks the second time in his career where he's heard his name called during the MLB Draft as the Tampa Bay Rays previously picked the right-hander in the 36th round in 2013.

Tyler Neslony – Atlanta Braves
Neslony, meanwhile, was drafted for the first time in his career as he is third Red Raider in the past two seasons to be selected by the Braves, who chose the outfielder in the ninth round at No. 259 overall. Atlanta previously used picks a year ago to take Matt Withrow in the sixth round and then Matt Custred in the 31st round.

Neslony, who homered for the 10th time this year a few hours after being selected, shares the Big 12 lead with 58 RBI this season as he is hitting .314 overall with 21 doubles entering the College World Series opener against TCU. An All-Big 12 second team honoree, Neslony's 10 home runs match his combined total from his three previous seasons as a Red Raider.

Stephen Smith – Arizona Diamondbacks
Smith joins 2015 draftee Cameron Smith as the only Red Raiders in program history to be selected by the Diamondbacks as he was taken in the 10th round at No. 299 overall. A Lubbock native like Moseley, Stephen Smith was drafted for the first time in his career after hitting .318 this season with 10 home runs and 39 RBI.

An All-Big 12 first team honoree this year, Smith has connected on 10 home runs in each of his past two seasons as he is hitting .301 over his career with 40 doubles, eight triples, 21 homers and 91 RBI. He is also among the most patient hitters in program history as he has drawn 123 career walks, fifth-most in program history.

Hayden Howard – Washington Nationals
Howard was the first Red Raider to be selected Saturday as the Washington Nationals picked the left-hander with the 364th overall pick in the 12th round. He is the first Red Raider to be drafted by the Nationals since Jeremy Mayo was chosen in the 31st round of the 2010 draft.

Howard has been instrumental for the Red Raiders out of the bullpen this season as he enters the College World Series with a 9-3 record and 2.95 ERA. He currently shares the Big 12 lead in wins this season while his eight saves are tied for third overall. Howard, the second Red Raider pitcher to be selected in the draft, has made 33 appearances this season, the most in Tech single-season history.

This is the second time Howard has heard his named called during the MLB Draft as the Oakland A's previously selected the southpaw during the 39th round in 2013.

Ty Damron – Oakland A's
Damron was drafted for the second time in his career when the Oakland A's selected the left-hander with the 442nd overall pick in the 15th round. Damron, who was taken out of high school in the 13th round of the 2013 draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers, is the second Red Raider to be selected by the A's in as many years as Tim Proudfoot was picked by the organization in the 35th round a year ago.

The junior is 4-2 this season with a 6.52 ERA entering Tech's second appearance at the College World Series during Damron's tenure. Damron has recorded 10 wins over his career, one shy of the team high. He is 10-4 overall his Red Raider career with a 4.99 ERA.

Robert Dugger – Seattle Mariners
Dugger became the fourth Red Raider pitcher to have his name called this weekend when the Mariners selected him with the 537th overall pick in the 18th round. It marked the first time in Dugger's career where he has been selected in the MLB Draft. He is the first Red Raider to be drafted by the Mariners since Jamodrick McGruder was selected in the ninth round of the 2012 draft.

Dugger's selection came just an hour or so before he tossed five shutout innings out of the Red Raider bullpen in a 3-1 victory over East Carolina. The win was Dugger's sixth this season as he is a perfect 6-0 overall with a 2.34 ERA. He also has three saves this season over his 28 appearances, all of which that have come in relief.

Eric Gutierrez – Miami Marlins
Gutierrez joined Dugger as a first-time draftee as the Miami Marlins selected the senior at No. 593 overall in the 20th round. He is the first Red Raider to be drafted by the Marlins since Chris Sadberry was taken in the sixth round of the 2014 draft.

Gutierrez, the Big 12 Player of the Year and a first-team All-America honoree, connected on the game-winning hit in the 13th inning of Tech's 3-1 victory over East Carolina in the NCAA Lubbock Super Regional. The senior boasts the longest consecutive games started streak in the country as he's been in the lineup for all 241 games of his career.

Gutierrez has helped lead Tech to Omaha twice in his career as he hitting .300 over his four seasons with 35 home runs, 59 doubles and 191 RBI. He is among the Tech career leaders in practically every offensive category in the school record. Gutierrez has compiled a .326 average this season to go along with 12 home runs and 17 doubles. His 58 RBI are tied with Tyler Neslony for the Big 12 high entering the College World Series.

Chandler Eden – Los Angeles Dodgers
Eden was drafted for the third time in his career as the Dodgers selected the right-hander in the 25th round (No. 761 overall). A native of Yuba City, California, Eden was previously selected in the 36th round of the 2013 MLB Draft by the Miami Marlins and then the 17th round of the 2015 draft by the Toronto Blue Jays.

The junior has made 12 appearances for the Red Raiders out of the bullpen where he has compiled an 8.00 ERA while striking out 10 hitters in his nine complete innings this season.

Dalton Brown – Milwaukee Brewers
Brown continued Tech's success of pitchers being drafted when the Brewers selected the right-hander in the 30th round (No. 891 overall). It was the first time in Brown's career where he has been selected by a major league organization.

Brown has been a mainstay for the Red Raiders out of the bullpen the past four seasons as has made 55 appearances during that time. Brown is 3-2 over his career with a 4.93 ERA. He has appearances 14 times in relief this season where he is 0-1 overall with a 4.11 ERA.

Zach Davis – Chicago Cubs
Davis was a steal in the 32nd round for the Cubs, who selected the speedy senior with the 974th pick. Easily one of the fastest players in the country, Davis has made an impact in every way possible for the Red Raiders over his four seasons, most noticeably on the base paths.

Davis is hitting .275 over his career as he has totaled 10 doubles and driven in 29 runs. He has appeared in 163 games during his career, including 43 this season where he has compiled a .250 average and a career-best 13 stolen bases entering his second appearance at the College World Series in Omaha. Davis is a perfect 13-for-13 in stolen bases this season and is 30-for-33 over his career.

Texas Tech University Athletics

School Record Ten Red Raiders Selected in MLB Draft

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Players Mentioned

Dalton Brown

Matt Custred

Ty Damron

Zach Davis

Robert Dugger

Chandler Eden

Eric Gutierrez

Hayden Howard

Ryan Moseley

Tyler Neslony

Tim Proudfoot

Cameron Smith

Stephen Smith

Matt Withrow

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