Jacks Sign Trio, Including Two Draft Picks, from No. 6 Oregon State

Published on April 23, 2013 under Texas Collegiate League (TCL)
East Texas PumpJacks News Release


The TCL champion East Texas Pump Jacks opened this year's recruiting at a nationally-ranked school that knows something about defending a championship. In the process, the Pump Jacks picked up a pair of players who have already been drafted by major league organizations.

The Pump Jacks announced Tuesday the team has signed three players from Oregon State University: catcher Nate Esposito, designated hitter Beau Day, and left-handed pitcher Carlos Rodriguez. Esposito and Rodriguez are both sophomores, while Day is a junior.

Both Esposito and Rodriguez were drafted coming out of high school in 2011. Rodriguez was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 20th round, just six spots ahead of former Pump Jack Alex Fuselier. Esposito was tabbed by the Oakland Athletic in the 46th round.

The Beavers are currently ranked No. 6 in the nation and they're in first place in the Pac-12. Oregon State captured the NCAA championship in 2006 and successfully defended its title the following season.

The most heralded of the three might be Rodriguez, who actually hasn't seen action yet this spring and is expected to take a redshirt. As a true freshman last spring, he pitched in eight games out of the bullpen, posting a 5.14 ERA. He struck out four and allowed five hits in seven innings.

Despite seeing limiting playing time as a freshman, Rodriguez can easily be regarded as a summer collegiate league veteran. He spent last summer with the Corvallis Knights in the West Coast League, whom he helped to the league championship series and a top-25 national ranking. The previous season, before even throwing a pitch in college, he was a member of the rotation for the San Luis Obispo Blues. The Blues captured the 2011 California Collegiate League title and finished the season ranked No. 13 in the country.

Rodriguez was a significant contributor to the success of both teams. In Corvallis, he went 4-1 with a 2.48 ERA in 10 games, seven of them starts. He struck out 24 in 29 innings and allowed just 23 hits.

The prior season, as a graduating high school senior, he went 2-0 with a 3.90 ERA in six starts with one relief appearance. He struck out a whopping 36 hitters in 30 innings and allowed 26 hits. His performance made an impression on scouts, and he was named to the league's No. 9 pro prospect.

Rodriguez gained prominence at the Iolani School in Honolulu, near his home in Kapolei. Prior to his senior season, Perfect Game named him the top high school draft prospect in the state of Hawaii and among the top 200 in the country. He was named a Perfect Game Underclass All-American in his junior year, and selected to the Rawlings All-Region team in his senior campaign. He also participated in the prestigious Area Code Games in 2010.

His prep career was equally impressive by the numbers. He went 4-3 as a senior with a 2.65 ERA, striking out 56 hitters in less than 40 innings. Rodriguez posted a 4-0 record and 1.25 ERA his junior year, striking out 20 in 22.1 innings. He tossed a no-hitter as a sophomore on his way to a 2-3, 3.54 ERA season with 39 strikeouts in 41.1 innings pitched.

Perfect Game slated Rodriguez to be drafted between the fourth and tenth rounds based on his talent, but with his strong commitment to Oregon State, he slipped to the Braves in the 20th round. Nevertheless, he was the first player from the state of Hawaii to be drafted in 2011.

Day has been a contributor of late for the Beavers, improving his average to .360 on the season. In 16 games, five of them starts, he's slugged .480 and has an on-base percentage of .484.

Day made quite an impression in the Beavers' April 12-14 series against Pac-12 foe Utah. He was inserted into the starting lineup for the Saturday contest to boost an Oregon State offense that scored just one run the night before. He responded by tying an OSU season-high with four hits in four at-bats, driving in two and scoring a run to lead the Beavers to an 8-3 victory. Oregon State completed the sweep on Sunday when Day drove in two more and scored once while going 2-for-3 with a walk.

The six-foot, 230-pound Day transferred from Western Nevada College, where he batted .286 and earned all-conference honors in 2011. He helped the Wildcats to a 46-14 record with a team-leading 47 RBI, good for third in the conference. Day also finished second on the team both in triples (five) and home runs (seven). He played his freshman campaign at Clackamas Community College, where he batted .263.

A native of Gresham, Ore., Day starred at Centennial High School, where he was named to the all-state team as a senior in 2009. He was also selected all-district three straight years.

The veteran brings experience and success in summer collegiate ball. He played for the Lobos in the West Coast League Portland in 2010, where he batted .355 with four homers and 15 RBI in 16 games. He finished second in the league in home runs and sixth in both batting and RBI.

The catcher of the future for Oregon State, Esposito has seen action in 18 games this spring, 12 as a starter. He has scored four runs and driven in three more while batting .156 in 32 at-bats.

In 2012, Esposito batted .232 with 10 RBI in 21 games as a freshman. He spent last summer with the Corvallis Knights of the West Coast League, where he batted .232 with 10 RBI in 21 games. He batted .333 in the playoffs as the Knights reached the championship series.

Esposito first turned heads at Granite Bay High School in northern California. He was nationally-ranked by Perfect Game in the Class of 2011, and he participated in the same Area Code Games tournament in 2010 as Rodriguez. He batted .329 as a senior and .383 as a junior, adding 49 RBI over those two seasons.

Though he was already committed to play at Oregon State, Oakland took a flyer on him in the 46th round after high school. Esposito turned down the Athletics to fulfill his longtime dream of playing for the Beavers.

Esposito draws his baseball acumen from his father, the longtime head coach at Granite Bay.

Host Families: The Pump Jacks are seeking host families for the 2013 season. Hosting a player is a great experience that forges a lifelong bond with a young man, a relationship that transcends the game of baseball. Host families also receive free season tickets "" including the All-Star Game "" for every member of their household. If you're interested in finding out more about the host family program, please contact the Pump Jacks at (903) 218-GO ET or info@pumpjacksbaseball.com.

Season tickets for the Jacks are on sale now: Season ticket prices remain the same this year "" that's right, no price increase even with a championship and the All-Star Game! Lower Box seats, which include in-your-seat wait service, are just $199 each, and Upper Box seats are $150. Grandstand season tickets are $105 for adults and $85 for children and seniors. Season tickets can be purchased online, by phone, or in person at the Jacks' office in downtown Kilgore.

The Pump Jacks open the defense of their title on Thursday, May 30, on the road against the Marshals. They open their 2013 home schedule on Tuesday, June 4, against Acadiana, then conclude their opening homestand with a championship rematch against the Generals.

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Texas Collegiate League Stories from April 23, 2013


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