Cole St. Clair

From BR Bullpen

Allen Cole St. Clair
(The Bull)

BR Minors page

Biographical Information[edit]

Cole St. Clair was an All-American reliever in 2006.

St. Clair was 11-1 with a 1.16 ERA and a save as a high school senior. He won league MVP honors, beating out teammate Philip Hughes. As a college freshman, he was 2-0 with 2 saves and a 3.26 ERA, striking out 62 in 47 innings. He also picked off five baserunners. Collegiate Baseball named him a Freshman All-American.

In 2006, the sophomore southpaw had an excellent year, going 7-2 with 11 saves and a 1.82 ERA. In 74 innings, he allowed only 39 hits for a .151 average, the lowest in Conference USA. He struck out 100. He was 5th in NCAA Division I in K per 9 innings, was 10th in ERA and 22nd in saves.He was second to Brad Lincoln in Conference USA in ERA and was named the All-Conference relief pitcher. During the 2006 College World Series, he allowed one run in five innings against the University of Miami, getting a rare start. Against the University of Oklahoma, he got a win with a long relief stint. St. Clair was a Baseball America All-American. The American Baseball Coaches Association named him second team, Collegiate Baseball third team.

St. Clair was with Team USA that summer and was 4-0 with 3 saves and a 0.69 ERA, beating the top three Asian countries each once and fanning 43 in 26 innings. St. Clair was second to Danny Moskos on the staff in saves. The US won the World University Championship.

Cole missed two months of 2007 due to injury but rebounded to post a 1.91 ERA. He saved nine games in 16 appearances to tie for third in Conference USA. In the NCAA tournament, he allowed one run in 12 innings. He threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings in the 2007 College World Series, including 3 for a save against eventual runner-up North Carolina. The Cleveland Indians took him in the 7th round of the 2007 amateur draft but he opted to return to college.

St. Clair was 10-3 with 5 saves and a 3.03 ERA as a senior, leading Rice in wins and saves while striking out 67 in 62 1/3 innings. His college career ended on a bad note when he blew a save and took a loss that eliminated Rice from the 2008 College World Series. Entering in the 6th with a 5-0 lead, he allowed one run in both the 7th and 8th. Still up 5-2 going into the bottom of the 9th, he allowed a one-out single to Derek Helenihi then plunked PH Sean Ochinko. Michael Hollander singled in one run. Jared Mitchell hit into an error by the shortstop, then DH Blake Dean drilled a 3-run, game-ending double to end Rice's run in the Series and St. Clair's amateur career.

In the 2008 amateur draft, St. Clair again went in the 7th round, 10 picks earlier than he had in 2007 (217th instead of 227th). This time, he was chosen by the Los Angeles Dodgers. He made his pro debut on July 20 against the Great Falls Voyagers, tossing one inning and allowing a hit and walk while fanning 2. After 9 games, he had struck out 18 in 14 innings and had a 3.21 ERA; he had saved four contests.

Sources[edit]

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