From left, Rodgers, Naemark and Altamirano.
Three former Cochise College baseball players have signed professional contracts. Xavier Altamirano, who transferred to Oral Roberts University, and Steve Naemark, who transferred to Angelo State, were each selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft last week. Zach Rodgers, who transferred to the University of Central Florida, signed as a free agent.
Altamirano went in the 27th round to the Oakland Athletics. The junior right-handed pitcher earned Summit League Pitcher of the Year honors after going 8-2 during the season and a team best 2.94 ERA. He led Oral Roberts with 81 strikeouts and walked just 14 in 85.2 innings pitched during the season.
Junior left-handed pitcher Naemark was selected in the 40th round by the Houston Astros. He went 11-1 and finished the season second in the nation with 138 strikeouts while establishing a new Lone Star Conference record with a 1.37 ERA. He allowed only 19 earned runs and walked only 23 batters in 125 innings this season.
Rodgers signed with the Toronto Blue Jays. As a senior with Central Florida, he earned Collegiate Baseball/Louisville Slugger Second Team All-America honors and was named First Team All-Conference in the American Athletic Conference. He finished his final collegiate season with a 2.35 ERA and 10-1 overall record with one save. Rodgers totaled 94 strikeouts and held opponents to a .231 batting average.