Right-handed pitched Ben Sears was the first UH baseball player off the board in the 2022 MLB Draft, going in the 14th round to the Kansas City Royals. | James Mueller/The Cougar
Ben Sears, Logan Clayton and Jaycob Deese moved one step closer to getting to the big leagues as the three former UH baseball right-handed pitchers were all selected on the final day of the 2022 MLB Draft on Tuesday afternoon.
Sears, the first Cougar to be picked in the draft, went in the 14th round to the Kansas City Royals. The 6-foot-5-inch right-hander emerged as the Cougars’ best bullpen weapon during the 2022 season, finishing the year with a 3.10 ERA, 1.005 WHIP and 48 strikeouts in 66 2/3 innings pitched.
Former UH baseball RHP Logan Clayton will sign with the Arizona Diamondbacks after being selected in the 17th round of the 2022 MLB Draft. | James Mueller/The Cougar
Clayton, who transferred to UH from the College of Central Florida, was the next Cougar taken off the board, going in the 17th round to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 6-foot-5-inch righty spent time as both a starter and reliever for UH during the 2022 season, posting a 5.80 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 53 strikeouts in 59 innings pitched.
Jaycob Deese, 17th round pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates, finished second on the team in strikeouts (62) for the Cougars during the 2022 season. | James Mueller/The Cougar
Deese, who spent the majority of the 2022 season as UH’s Friday night starter, heard his name called two picks after Clayton by the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 6-foot-1-inch right-hander went 5-3 in 85 innings for UH in 2022, finishing with a 5.19 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 62 strikeouts.
Sears, Clayton and Deese selections make it two consecutive years that at least one UH pitcher has been drafted as southpaw Robert Gasser went 71st overall to the Padres in the 2021 draft.
