Former Chaps In The Pros
LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY PLAYERS “IN THE SHOW”
Since 1976, 89 Chaparrals have gone on to play professional baseball, with 6 making it to the Major Leagues. In that time, 39 have been drafted by Major League Baseball teams, 21 have signed as free agents with Major League Baseball teams and 29 have signed with independent baseball teams. Since 2000, 40 Chaparrals have become professional baseball players.
1976 - John Harris (1B)
Drafted by the California Angels in the 32nd round, Harris played minor league ball before being called up to the majors in 1979. A backup to Rod Carew, Harris split time between AAA and the bigs in 1980 and 1981. Following the 1982 season, he was traded to Cincinnati, who traded him to Detroit in 1983. Harris retired from professional baseball in 1985 and served as an assistant coach at LCU in 1986 and 1996.
1984 - Keith Miller (SS)
Miller was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 16th round and played minor league baseball in Bend, Peninsula, Reading, and Portland (Maine) before making his major league debut with the Phillies in 1988. He played part of the 1988 and 1989 season with the big club before heading back down to AAA ball in 1990.
1985 - Randy Velarde (SS)
Velarde was drafted in the 19th round by the Chicago White Sox and traded to the New York Yankees in 1986. He began the 1987 season at AA Albany, but was promoted to AAA Columbus in July. He was called up on August 20, 1987 and spent ten days with the big club before going back down to the minors until opening day 1990, when he began the season in New York. In the winter of 1995, Velarde was traded to the California Angels where he played until 1999 when he was traded to Oakland, where he had his best season in the majors. In 2000, Velarde was traded to the Rangers where he played through most of 2001 before he was traded back to New York late in August and helped the Yankees win the World Series. He spent 2002 with the American League West Champion Oakland A’s before retiring from the major leagues.
1992 - Brad Cornett (P)
Signed as a free agent by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992, Cornett was assigned to St. Catherine’s and named Toronto’s minor league pitcher of the month twice in 1993. He pitched for Hagerstown, Syracuse, and Knoxville before being called up to the majors on June 8, 1994. He injured his elbow in 1995 and was on the disabled list for the majority of the 1995 and all of the 1996 seasons before retiring from baseball the next year.
1992 - Tim Belk (IF)
Selected in the 15th round by the Cincinnati Reds in 1992, Belk played Rookie ball in Billings, Montana that same season before moving on to A ball Winston-Salem in 1993. He played AAA ball for two seasons before being called up to the majors late in the 1996 season. He finished that season in the majors, and by 1998, was back in the Red’s minor league system.
1998 - Steve Watkins (P)
Selected in the 16th round by the San Diego Padres, Steve Watkins spent six years in the minor leagues amassing a 38-38 career record with a 4.10 ERA in 183 games before making his major league debut on August 21, 2004. By the end of the 2004 season, Watkins had appeared in 11 games and posted a 6.28 ERA.
FULL LIST OF PLAYERS DRAFTED IN THE MLB DRAFT
FULL LIST OF PLAYERS SIGNING FREE AGENT CONTRACTS
*Does not include "invites" or independent league contracts, unless the player played for the independent league team. The following players were undrafted during their time at LCU, and are listed with their first free agent signing (if signed multiple free-agent contracts).
