Oklahoma State University Athletics
Four Cowboys Drafted Into MLB
June 05, 2001 | Cowboy Baseball
June 5, 2001
STILLWATER, Okla. - Senior outfielder Luke Scott was the first of four Cowboys drafted in Major League Baseball's amateur baseball draft Tuesday and Wednesday.
Scott was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the ninth round with the 278th overall pick. Junior catcher Ryan Budde was picked by the Anaheim Angels in the 12th round with the 360th overall pick, while senior pitcher Josh Merrigan rounded out the Cowboys picked when he was selected in the 17th round by the St. Louis Cardinals. Senior pitcher/catcher Darren Heal was the final Cowboy taken, when the Toronto Blue Jays selected him with the 661st overall pick in the 22nd round.
Scott led the Cowboys with 20 homers and 62 RBIs in 2001 while also batting .323.
Budde, who was a first-team preseason All-American, batted .209 with two homers and nine RBIs before suffering a season-ending knee injury in the 14th game of the year.
Merrigan finished the season with an 8-4 ledger on the mound with a 4.76 ERA. He went undrafted last season after leading the team with eight wins and a 2.91 ERA.
Budde is the only player with college eligibility remaining as the other three were drafted as seniors.
