COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Senior pitchers Jason Jester and Parker Ray and junior first baseman Cole Lankford were selected on the final day of the 2014 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Saturday.
Jester was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 23rd round of the draft. Lankford was scooped up in the 27th round by the St. Louis Cardinals. The Miami Marlins selected Parker Ray in the 38th round.
Jester posted a 2-2 record with three saves and a 5.19 ERA in 24 games, including two starts, as a senior. In 2013, the junior college transfer went 3-4 with a 2.47 ERA and .200 opponent batting average and he set the A&M single-season saves record with 14.
For his career, Jester went 5-6 with a 3.44 ERA and he ranks second on the all-time saves list with 17.
As a junior, Lankford ranked second on the squad with a .319 batting average. He led the team in games played (61) and games started (61). He logged 30 runs, 18 doubles, five home run and 47 RBI. Lankford earned SEC All-Defensive recognition last year.
Last season, Lankford had a breakout year hitting .352 with 18 doubles, four triples, three home runs and 40 RBI
Through three years in College Station, Lankford has played in 149 games, including 126 starts. The junior is batting .317 with 57 runs, 29 doubles, four triples, eight home runs and 93 RBI.
Ray went 4-3 with a 5.68 ERA in 18 games, including nine starts, during the 2014 campaign. As a junior in 2013, Ray ranked in the Top 10 in the SEC in ERA with a 1.73 mark and notched postseason wins over Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament and UTSA at the NCAA Regional. He held opponents to a .213 batting average and logged a 2-1 record as a junior. In 2012, Ray notched a 2-1 record with a 1.29 ERA and .191 opponent batting average in 16 relief appearances.
For his career, Ray went 8-5 with a 3.51 ERA in 57 games, including 15 starts. He logged 118 strikeouts in 151.1 innings and held opponents to a .242 batting average.
Yesterday, Daniel Mengden was selected by the Houston Astros in the fourth round with the 106th overall pick, the first selection of the round. Corey Ray was chosen by the Kansas City Royals in the fifth round with the 153rd overall selection. The Colorado Rockies selected Troy Stein in the 10th round with the 293rd overall selection.
Two Aggie signees were selected in the draft. Jake Jarvis was selected in the 10th round by the Chicago White Sox with the 288th overall pick. Turner Larkins was chosen by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 28th round.
2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel, who did not play baseball at Texas A&M, was selected in the 28th round by the San Diego Padres.
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics