| Gerrit Cole | |
|---|---|
Cole pitching for the U. S. national team in the 2010 World University Baseball Championship |
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| Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: September 8, 1990 Newport Beach, California |
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| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
Gerrit Alan Cole (born September 8, 1990 in Newport Beach, California) is an American college baseball pitcher with the UCLA Bruins baseball team at the University of California, Los Angeles. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the 1st overall selection in the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft.
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Cole attended Orange Lutheran High School. He was named to the USA Today All-USA high school baseball team. Baseball America rated him the 17th best prospect. He was named the ESPN Rise Athlete of the Month for three consecutive months in March, April, and May 2010.
Cole was drafted by the New York Yankees in the first round (28th overall) of the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft. The Yankees, planning on offering Cole a bonus above the recommended amount for the slot, waited until the deadline to attempt to sign Cole, by which time Cole had decided to follow through with his collegiate scholarship with UCLA.[1][2] Despite being represented by Scott Boras, and though the Yankees were believed to be ready to offer upwards of $4 million, Cole never negotiated with the Yankees, as he was determined to attend college.[3]
During the 2010 season, he contributed in making the Bruins team the best baseball team (51-17 record) in school history and the second best team in the country. The team went on to play in the 2010 College World Series and was defeated by South Carolina in the NCAA Championship Series. Cole went 11-4 with a 3.37 ERA, collecting 153 strikeouts in 123.0 innings.
In his freshman year, Cole recorded a 4-8 record with a 3.49 ERA, collecting 104 strikeouts in 85.0 innings.
Cole was a member of the 2009 Collegiate National Team (Team USA) and is named to the 2010 Collegiate National Team roster.[4][5]
Cole was selected with the first overall pick in the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He signed a minor league contract with an $8 million signing bonus fifteen minutes before the signing deadline on August 15.[6][7]
Cole features a fastball that he regularly throws between 94 and 98 miles per hour, but has been clocked as high as 102.[8] He also throws a slider and a changeup.[9]
| Awards and achievements | ||
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| Preceded by Bryce Harper |
First overall pick in the MLB Entry Draft 2011 |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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