Baseball Sports

New additions to Cougars’ roster likely to impress

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Junior pitcher Andrew Lantrip had a 9-3 record in the 2015 season, with a 2.62 earned run average, collecting 115 strikeouts in 113.1 innings pitched. | File photo/The Cougar

It’s a clean slate for the Cougar baseball team as they get ready for the season with promising prospects stepping onto Cougar Field for the first time.

With the disappointing finish at the 2015 NCAA Houston Regional behind them, the Cougars have been busy during the offseason as the scouts searched for new talent to add to the roster, with some of the seniors graduated or drafted to the major leagues.

The offseason proved to be eventful as Houston managed to get some good prospects.

Houston’s pitching staff consists of sophomore Seth Romero and junior Andrew Lantrip, however, the pitching rotation will be a treat to watch this season as the Cougars signed three pitchers — a left-hander in Tanner Lawson and two righties, Mitch Ullom and Nolan Bond.

Lawson pitched a perfect game in his freshman year and a no hitter in his sophomore year of high school, while Bond was ranked 35th in Texas. Ullom doesn’t fall far behind as former Co-Player of the Year and an All-District MVP.

But if the rotation isn’t enough to warrant your attention, then UH’s freshman catcher Joe Davis will be sure to impress.

Davis was ranked second in the state and sixth in the nation in his position. His hitting prowess is impressive as well, as he led Texas in home runs and won the 2014 Area Code Home Run Derby.

The Cougars also managed to land some players that are multi-sport athletes, including Wendell Champion was a starting running back at St. Thomas High School.

Wendell’s running back past will give the Cougars an advantage on the base path.

Although the new prospects will face the challenge of transitioning from the high-school level to college, they’re sure to be solid additions to Todd Whitting’s squad.

It’ll still be an interesting season as the new prospects can showcase their skills that earned them their accolades and improve under the watchful eye of Whitting.

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