Two Cajuns pitchers taken in first 10 rounds of draft
LAFAYETTE — For the fourth time in program history, the University of Louisiana baseball team had two pitchers selected in the first 10 rounds of the Major League Baseball Draft.
During Monday’s second day of the draft, Ragin’ Cajuns pitchers Spencer Arrighetti and Connor Cooke were selected. Arrighetti was drafted by the Houston Astros with the 178th overall pick in the sixth Round. Cooke was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays with the 302nd pick in the 10th round.
The 6-foot-2, 186-pound Arrighetti led the Ragin’ Cajuns with 83 2/3 innings pitched in 2021, posting a 7-6 record with a 3.12 ERA and a team-high 91 strikeouts. Arrighetti had previously played at Navarro Community College and TCU.
“Spence is an overachiever and ultimate competitor,” Ragin’ Cajuns coach Matt Deggs said. “His stuff always plays up because of the intent and belief that is coming off of it. Because of that, I could very easily see him pitching in the big leagues one day.”
The 6-foot-1, 203-pound Cooke, who earned All-SBC First Team honors, posted a 2.04 ERA in 67 1/3 innings pitched with 90 strikeouts during the 2021 season. In SBC play, Cooke was even better. The Sulphur native recorded a 1.64 ERA, while ranking first in opposing batting average (.146) and second in strikeouts (60).
“Cookie reminds me of a young David Cone,” Deggs said. “He has multiple ways to attack hitters with plus stuff, great makeup and off the charts athleticism. This is the culmination of a burning desire and work ethic. Connor Cooke deserves everything that comes his way.”
The Ragin’ Cajuns had two more former players selected in the draft.
Conor Angel was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays with the 461st pick in the 15th round.
The 6-foot-5, 190-pound right hander appeared in five games during the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season when he went 1-2 overall with a 3.74 ERA in 21 2/3 innings pitched and struck out 26 batters.
Angel went 0-1 overall with a 6.48 ERA this season and appeared in only seven games before departing the team.
Ragin’ Cajuns senior catcher Drake Osborn was also selected on Tuesday. Osborn was selected by the New York Mets with the 562nd pick in the 19th round.
“I couldn’t be happier for Ozzie,” Deggs said of the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi transfer. “He is as deserving of this opportunity as much as any player I have coached. Drake is a throwback, hard-nosed, tough player that left everything he had out there for us. It was truly an honor to get to coach Drake. I hope he gets to the Big Leagues because he’s more than capable.”
The 5-foot-11, 195-pound Osborn batted .339 with 24 runs scored, 17 doubles, 3 home runs and 24 RBI last season.
The Ragin’ Cajuns have now had at least one player drafted in 40 of the last 41 drafts.