Although the Stros have been one of Major League Baseball’s best clubs over the past 12 years of the Biggio-Bagwell era, what is not as well-known outside of baseball circles is that the Houston area has become one of the leading sources of young baseball talent in the nation.
Most folks already know about Coach Wayne Graham and Rice University’s outstanding baseball program, which won the College World Series in 2003. However, not as many folks realize that the University of Houston and its fine baseball coach Rayner Noble also have an excellent program, which this season is competing neck-and-neck with Rice for the Conference USA regular season title and — along with Rice — is likely to receive a spot in the upcoming NCAA Baseball Tournament. Finally, one of the local high school programs in my hometown of The Woodlands, about 30 miles north of downtown Houston — The Woodlands High School baseball program — is currently the number one-ranked high school baseball program in Texas and the United States by Baseball America.
With that backdrop, the Chronicle’s Richard Justice profiles UH pitcher Brad Lincoln, who Baseball America currently ranks third among college players and is likely to be one of the top 10 picks in the upcoming Major League Baseball draft. Lincoln is 7-1 with a 1.68 ERA this season, has allowed just 70 baserunners in 75 innings and has 92 strikeouts compared to only 18 walks. Lincoln is just the most recent in a long-line of outstanding pitchers developed at UH by Coach Noble, who was a fine pitcher in his day before a Major League career was doomed by an arm injury.
But not mentioned in the Justice column is that Kyle Drabek of The Woodlands — the son of former Cy Young-award winning and Stros pitcher Doug Drabek — is also currently projected as a top 10 pick in the MLB draft. During the current high school season, Drabek has already thrown four shutouts, two no-hitters and two one-hitters, and did not allow an earned run through his first 36 innings this season.
I think it’s safe to say that baseball is booming in Houston.
Houston's Clear Thinkers
Longtime Houston attorney Tom Kirkendall's observations on developments in law, business, medicine, culture, sports, and other matters of general interest to the Houston business, professional, and academic communities.
Linc has been a lot of fun to watch this season. He’s having one of those dominant seasons that you don’t see that often from college pitchers AND he’s leading the team in homers and RBIs. Cougar Field is the place to be on Friday’s when the Coogs are in town!
Noble’s pitching staff has really rounded into form. His weekend starters all have ERAs under three, and his fourth starter (a weekend starter last year) has been coming on of late (his era is just a bit over four). The weakness so far has been an inconsistent bullpen, although a closer finally seems to have emerged.
Come out to a UH game one of these weekends! This team is really starting to gel. I believe they’ve won 9 of 11, or some such. I think it’s also the case that Graham has won 11 in a row. 🙂
No doubt the end product of so many well organized select programs, which give kids far more opportunities than traditional youth baseball.