It’s been a wild ride for Texas A&M flamethrower Chris Cortez in his three years in Aggieland. The last 12 months have been even more interesting for Cortez, as he went from entering the transfer portal last year after a poor 2023 season to being a second-round draft pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.
The Los Angeles Angels selected the Aggie pitcher with the 45th pick, capping off a great 2024 season for Cortez. Last season, there was a lot of talk about Cortez’s big-league stuff and lack of command of his pitches. After being convinced to pull out of the transfer portal and stay at A&M, the work began to transform Cortez into one of the most feared relievers in the SEC.
With a fastball that tops out at over 100 MPH and a wicked slider, former A&M pitching coach Max Wiener helped him learn to control his money pitches. That led to him having his best season in the Maroon & White with over 100 strikeouts and an opponent batting average of .187.
https://twitter.com/MLBDraft/status/1812674373020528745
CAREER STATS
- Record – 19-7
- Saves – 1
- ERA – 4.67
- Innings Pitched – 150.1
- Strikeouts – 173
- Walks – 90
- Opposing Batting Average – 237
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