Junior transfer picked by Texas Rangers in 35th round

LOUISIANA La. - University of Louisiana baseball pitcher Austin Faught was chosen by the American League's Texas Rangers during the second and final day of the 2003 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft Wednesday.

The Houston native played two seasons at the University of Houston before transferring to Louisiana last summer. He is a junior and has one more year of eligibility remaining at UL.

His selection by the Rangers gives the Cajuns baseball program three players taken in the amateur draft, joining Corey Coles (5th round, New York Mets) and Jordy Templet (17th round, Toronto Blue Jays) as Cajuns drafted in the 2003 MLB Amateur Draft.

The three selections for UL Lafayette are the most since 2000 when Tony Robichaux's program had six players taken in the draft.

Since Robichaux took over the reigns at Louisiana-Lafayette in 1995 a grand total of a grand total of 27 players have been drafted and at least one player has been drafted each year.

The Rangers selected Faught at the 1,036th overall pick.

Trey Poland was the last Cajuns player selected by the Rangers when he went in 1997.

The lefthander went 4-3 with a 4.08 ERA in his first season with the Cajuns in 2003. He made 14 appearances and had nine starts.

He struck out 43 batters over 46 1/3 innings and collected the win in the Cajuns series-clinching win over Florida International on Easter Sunday going the distance and allowing the Golden Panthers just four hits while fanning seven hitters.

Before joining Louisiana in 2003, Faught was a Freshman All-American at UH and was an All-Conference selection for the Cougars during that freshman campaign.

LOUISIANA SI
Cajuns Drafted in 2003
Corey Coles, P/OF, 5th round, New York Mets, pick 139
Jordy Templet, P, 17th round, Toronto Blue Jays, pick 500
Austin Faught, P, 35th round, Texas Rangers, pick 1,036