Texas Collegiate League

Righthanded pitcher Jacob Marceaux of McNeese State became the first Texas Collegiate League alumnus to ever be selected in the first round of Major League Baseball’s First Year Player Draft on Tuesday.

The junior, who pitched for the McKinney Marshals last summer, was selected by the Florida Marlins with the 29th pick in the opening round. Seven players with TCL connections were taken in the first nine rounds of Tuesday’s draft.

Marceaux compiled a 2-4 record and 3.31 era in 11 games with McKinney in 2004. He pitched in the Dr Pepper Futures Game last August at Ameriquest Field in Arlington. The righthander was 6-5, 3.05 with 105 strikeouts in 100.1 innings at McNeese State this spring. Marceaux had originally signed to pitch for McKinney again this summer but decided not to play summer ball in April.

Righthander Clay Buchholz of Angelina College was a sandwich round pick between the first and second rounds, taken with a 42nd overall selection by the Boston Red Sox. Buchholz has signed to play for the Weatherford Wranglers this summer.

Righthander Josh Geer of Rice University was a third round choice by the San Diego Padres, the 98th overall selection. Geer, 11-4 for the Owls this spring, pitched for the McKinney Marshals last summer, going 3-3, 3.00 in 10 games. He also appeared in the Dr Pepper Futures Game. Geer originally had signed to return to McKinney in 2005 but decided not to play summer ball last month.

Two other players with TCL ties went in the sixth round. Infielder German Duran was the 189th overall pick as the Texas Rangers selected the junior from Weatherford College. He was a TCL All-Star in 2004, batting .290 with five homers and 34 rbi in 43 games for the Coppell Copperheads.

Righthander Tyler Bullock of Baylor, who had signed to pitched for the Euless LoneStars this summer, was also a sixth round pick, taken with the 197th overall choice by the Atlanta Braves.

In Round 7, the Baltimore Orioles selected outfielder Bobby Andrews from Cal State-Fullerton with the 213 overall pick. Andrews had 10 steals in 11 attempts in 24 games for the Highland Park Blue Sox last summer. The 2004 Texas Collegiate League Player of the Year, first baseman Erik Lis of the University of Evansville was picked by the Minnesota Twins in Round 9, the 285th overall selection. Lis topped the TCL with a .418 average and had six homers and 35 rbi in 47 games for the Coppell Copperheads last summer.

The Texas Collegiate League begins its full schedule of action tonight with four games. The second year wooden bat summer league is comprised of over 200 of the nation’s top collegiate prospects from more than 90 schools.