News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
FORT WORTH – Texas A&M right-hander Chris Cortez has been drafted by the Los Angeles Angles as the 45th pick in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft Sunday evening.
With the selection, the Aggies have had at least two players taken in every draft since 1984, which is the longest streak in the nation. The righty is the sixth member of the Maroon & White to be drafted by the Angels and the first since Andrew Vinson in 2016.
Cortez put together an All-America campaign in 2024 as the junior logged a 10-3 record and a 2.78 ERA in 25 appearances. The flame-throwing righty struck out a whopping 102 batters in 64.2 innings of work and held opposing batters to a .187 average. Of his 25 appearances, 19 were for multiple innings and 12 were scoreless.
In the postseason, Cortez went 2-0 with a 1.15 ERA in five relief outings. The righty punched out 29 batters in 15.2 innings of work and held opponents to a .148 batting average.
Throughout his three-year Texas A&M career, Cortez logged 69 appearances and a 4.67 ERA. The right-hander totaled 173 strikeouts in 150.1 innings and recorded a .237 batting average against.