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Former ULM Pitcher Drew Graham Signs Professional Contract with Detroit Tigers

Former ULM Pitcher Drew Graham Signs Professional Contract with Detroit Tigers

Baseball Jul 22
MONROE, La.—Former ULM baseball standout Drew Graham signed a professional contract with the Detroit Tigers organization Wednesday morning. Graham, who helped lead ULM to the 2008 Sun Belt Championship and advance to the title game of the 2009 Sun Belt Tournament, has reported to the Lakeland Flying Tigers of the Gulf Coast League.

“I was pretty surprised, I wasn't really expecting it,” Graham said. “This is something that I have been dreaming about my entire life and it is a great feeling. I am excited about this opportunity to prove myself as a professional baseball player.”

A transfer from Cowley County Community College, Graham was a weekend starter for the Warhawks as a junior in 2008 before moving into the bullpen as a senior. The native of Fort Scott, Kan., relished his role as a reliever finishing the season with a 3-2 record and two saves to go with a 4.85 ERA.

“This is a testament to all the hard work he has put in over the years,” ULM head coach Jeff Schexnaider said. “I thought that he would be selected in the MLB Draft back in June, but it's good that he will now have an opportunity to prove himself. Drew is a class act and will be a great representative of the University.”

Graham appeared in a team-high 22 games in 2009 and averaged over a strikeout per inning fanning 54 batters in 52 innings.  Opponents hit a meager .224 off the hard-throwing right-hander whose fastball touched 94 miles-per-hour.

He is the second Warhawk player off the 2009 squad to sign a contract with a Major League Baseball team this summer. Left-handed pitcher Justin Anderson is currently playing for the Bluefield Orioles where he has a 1-0 record and a 4.02 ERA in 15.2 innings of work. All-America shortstop Ben Soignier was a 22nd round selection of the New York Yankees but elected not to sign with the team.

Anderson and Graham give the Warhawks five current players active in Minor League Baseball – Jim Miller (Norfolk Tides – Orioles), David Mixon (San Jose Giants – Giants), Bo Bowman (Tri-City Dust Devils – Rockies). MLB free agent Ben Sheets pitched for the Warhawks from 1997-99.
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