Announcement

**emkayseven** · 06-08-2011, 09:33 PM

Zach Cooper, a former Central Michigan pitcher, is the latest to be selected in the Major League Baseball draft.

The Florida Marlins picked the right hander in the 46th round.

“I was riding in the car trying to take my mind off the draft and found out when I was there,” Cooper said.

With this being Cooper’s junior year much like Mount Pleasant High School senior Tyler Higgins and fellow junior Trent Howard they have choices on whether or not they will go into the minor league system or continue on with CMU.

“We are going to talk to each player individually from there and see what will happen,” said CMU baseball coach Steve Jaksa.

The Marlins weren’t the only team looking at Cooper. He was kind of surprised that Florida took him. Cooper saw interest from the Cardinals, Dodgers, Blue Jays and Rangers.

“They were a team that was interested, but I wasn’t sure what team was going to draft me but I’m happy,” Cooper said about the Marlins selecting him. “I thought I would go a little earlier, but I’m happy to get the opportunity to possibly pursue a professional career.”

Cooper started in 15 games this season for the Chippewas and recorded an ERA of 2.95 putting up a 5-2 record in Mid-American Conference play. He struck out a career-high 11 batters at Ball State and nine against Navy.

“He really had a nice year for us and we really like Zach,” Jaksa said. “He is coming along and getting better every year. It’s just one of those things where somebody thought he deserved to be drafted.”

With Cooper being drafted, it could mean that CMU will be without its top three pitchers from this season for next year. Howard and Cooper have the opportunity to return next season.

http://www.cm-life.com/2011/06/08/co...the-mlb-draft/

**emkayseven** · 06-09-2011, 08:15 AM

After a fruitless day of waiting for his name to be called in Major League Baseball's annual draft on Tuesday, Hartlad native Zach Cooper took a different route.

"I didn't go where I was projected to go in rounds 10-20, and I didn't want to go through that again," he said. "So I went to see 'Bridesmaids' with my girlfriend, and on the ride home I got the message."

In this case, the message was he had been drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 46th round.

Cooper, a right-handed starting pitcher, recently concluded his first full season as a starter at Central Michigan, where he was 6-3 with a 3.26 ERA in 15 starts, striking out 88 batters in 91 innings.

He is the second Hartland graduate in four years to be drafted. Sean Hoorelbeke, an infielder-outfielder, was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2008. His career ended the next year when he was released by Traverse City of the Frontier League.

Another Hartland graduate, Lee Gardner, was a reliever with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2002 and 2005, then pitched for the Toledo Mud Hens in 2006 and with Florida in 2007 and 2008.

"When I came to Central, they told me I had some big shoes to fill," Cooper said, laughing. "They were all teasing me about following in their footsteps."

Cooper, who has three semesters left before earning a degree in sports management, says he is willing to talk to the Marlins about the possibility of leaving school early.

"I haven't talked to them yet," he said. "I'll need some kind of incentive to leave CMU. We'll see what happens."

Hartland coach Brian Morrison heard the news separately on Wednesday.

"Everyone associated with the program was kind of following it," he said. "Everyone feels a sense of pride. We have a lot of guys out there playing. We keep track of how they're doing. When they graduate, they don't necessarily leave."

Morrison gave Cooper some financial advice, of a sort.

"I told him to give us some of that bonus money and we can have a press box (at the Hartland field). The one I want wouldn't cost that much," he said, laughing.

"He's a hard worker and had a great attitude," Morrison continued. "I knew good things would happen to him. He just had to keep his head on straight, and he's done that."

Cooper leaves today for Hyannis, Mass., to play for the Hyanis Harbor Hawks of the Cape Cod League, a summer league considered the best of its kind in the U.S.

"I'll get to play against a lot of top teams," he said.

And when he's not working to extend his career on the field, he'll be thinking about his baseball future off it.

"It's going to be an exciting but decently stressful next few months," Cooper said.

http://www.livingstondaily.com/artic...ORTS/106090313

**LocoMarlinFan** · 06-16-2011, 10:47 AM

First Cape Cod appearance: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K's

http://www.pointstreak.com/baseball/...layerid=150102

**LocoMarlinFan** · 06-22-2011, 12:30 PM

Call to arms: Losing players to draft part of college game

It's always good for Steve Jaksa to see the Central Michigan name prominent in the annual Major League Baseball Draft.

But, as the Chippewas continue to find success in the majors, the eighth-year head coach knows he can be losing out on players that could help his team in the future.

Such is the case this year, as three CMU pitchers, including two juniors, were selected in the 2011 MLB Draft.

"It's a good problem to have because it means your program is successful and you are recruiting good players that are improving while they are with the program," Jaksa said. "It makes me proud for the whole program to see these kids get a chance to move on to the majors and really do some great things."

In this year's draft, junior lefty Trent Howard was selected in the seventh round with the 215th overall selection by the Baltimore Orioles.

Senior righty Jake Sabol was then drafted in the 36th round by the Detroit Tigers while junior righty Zach Cooper was picked in the 46th round by the Florida Marlins.

Sabol, a native of Shelby, gets the chance to play for his hometown team in the Tigers after finishing this season with a 5-3 record and a 4.13 ERA. He recorded 53 strikeouts to just 13 walks as he pitched 80 2/3 innings.

While Sabol would be leaving the program anyway, Jaksa may have had some hope for Cooper and Howard to return.

However, Howard has already signed with the Orioles and has already been plugged into the organization.

"I think we kind of knew late in the season that Trent was going to be a pretty high draft pick and wouldn't be back next season," Jaksa said of Howard, who went 4-4 last season with a 2.78 ERA and 96 strikeouts. "He was able to get a nice deal and a nice signing bonus and it was the right move for him to move on."

As of now, Cooper hasn't agreed to a contract with the Marlins, leaving the door open for him to come back and play his senior season. Cooper went 6-3 in 2011 with a 3.26 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 91 innings of work.

"I know Zach had a figure in mind of what he wanted in order to leave college and if the Marlins give him that, then he should move on, but if they don't, I think he can improve even more his senior year and have a great opportunity for next year," Jaksa said. "We would love to have him back for next season, but Zach has to do what is best for him."

Since taking over as coach, Jaksa has had 20 players drafted or signed by a Major League Baseball team. In the last three years, he has had six pitchers selected.

Of the former players, the most notable has been Josh Collmenter, who was called up to the Arizona Diamondbacks this season and currently sports a 4-3 record with a 2.09 ERA. Collmenter has struck out 39 and walked just 11 in 60 1/3 innings of work.

"You always need good pitching to have a good program and I think the success of the pitchers we have had is a credit to our coaches and most recently, Jeff Opalewski, who really prepares the guys for how to take care of themselves on and off the field," Jaksa said. "He does a great job of preparing them for what life will be like at the next level and how to get themselves mentally and physically prepared to pitch."

http://www.themorningsun.com/article...mode=fullstory

Announcement

Round 46 | Zach Cooper | RHP | Central Michigan

Round 46 | Zach Cooper | RHP | Central Michigan

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