SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Sacramento State pitcher Ethan Katz was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 26th round (777th selection) of the Major League Baseball draft today. It was the third-consecutive season that at least one Hornet player has been selected.Katz competed two seasons for the Hornets after transferring from East Los Angeles Junior College. He finished his collegiate career at Sacramento State with a 15-14 record, and in the past two years, he garnered three victories over top-10 teams. The Los Angeles native was also named to the Division I Independent first team in both 2004 and 2005.
“I am very proud of Ethan and what he has accomplished in the last two years,” Sacramento State head coach John Smith said. “I am certain that he is ready to take the next step and we are very excited for Ethan now that he has the opportunity to play professional baseball. I know he is going to make the most of his chance.”
Katz ended his career at Sacramento State with 205.2 innings pitched, cracking the program''s top-10. He also sits eighth all-time with 157 career strikeouts.
In 2005, the senior right-hander was Sacramento State''s No. 1 pitcher, making a team-high 16 starts on the mound. He led the staff in innings pitched (95.2) and strikeouts (67), while finishing the year with a 4.52 ERA and 6-9 record. Katz also pitched in two victories over top-10 teams this year.
In Sacramento State''s 4-3 upset win over then 10th-ranked Stanford on March 25 , he pitched eight innings and faced two batters in the ninth, allowing just three hits and two runs. After that performance, he was named Division I Independent Pitcher of the Week and was also named Hornet Bookstore student-athlete of the week.
Later in the year, Katz pitched seven innings allowing just four runs on nine hits in a 7-4 victory over then fifth-ranked Arizona on April
23.
In 2004, Katz finished the season with two Independent Pitcher of the Week awards after registering wins against second-ranked Stanford and Cal Poly.
Against the Cardinal, Katz allowed one unearned run on four hits while walking four and striking out seven in 9.0 innings.
He led the Hornet pitching staff with a 9-5 record, a 4.01 ERA, five complete games, one shutout, 110.0 innings pitched and 90 strikeouts in 16 starts. He also became the first Hornet to pitch back-to-back complete-game victories since Jeff Groeger accomplished the feat during the 2002 season (May 4, May 10).
