Jory Coughenour

Jory E. Coughenour

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 200 lb.

• School University of Pittsburgh

• Born June 17, 1978 in Uniontown, PA USA

Jory Coughenour pitched five years in the minors, reaching as high as AA, after setting a University of Pittsburgh record for innings as an amateur. Overall, he was 22-21 in the minor leagues.

In his sophomore year of college, Jory had a 2-2 record, one save and a 4.70 ERA. Coughenour won 5 and lost five as a senior, saving one and posting a 4.23 ERA. He had a 2.06 ERA in April, 20th-best in the NCAA, drawing some interest. Overall, he had fanned 154 batters in 233 IP in college and he set a Pitt record for innings pitched. His ERA was 4.23 overall and he had won 12 games. The Houston Astros selected Coughenour in the 20th round of the 2000 amateur draft, with the 607th pick. Assigned to the Auburn Doubledays, he had a 4-7, 5.06 record in his pro debut.

In 2001, Jory had a 11-5, 3.78 record for the Michigan Battle Cats. He started 14 games and relieved in 21 (savign two). One problem was that opponents hit .291; his control was sharp, though, walking just 22 in 126 1/3 IP. Coughenour improved further in 2002 - in 5 games with Michigan, he won one and saved three, with a 1.46 ERA and no walks in 12 1/3 IP. Promoted to the Round Rock Express, he had a 3-2 record with three saves and a 3.52 ERA, but opponents hit .298.

Returning to Round Rock in 2003, he struggled, going 2-5 with 3 saves and a 7.09 ERA in 34 games. Opponents hit .324; worse, the pinpoint pitcher lost his control, walking 30 in 53 1/3 innings. Sent down to the Salem Avalanche, he won one and saved one with a 2.08 ERA in 10 games, but his RA was 4.16 and his WHIP 1.56.

Moving to independent ball, Coughenour returned to his roots in southwestern Pennsylvania in 2004 with the Washington Wild Things, for whom he was 0-2 with a 4.57 ERA in five games.

Sources: "Houston, we don't have a problem" by Brad Cuprik in the 6/7/2000 edition of The Pitt News, Pitt Panthers press release, 2001-2005 Baseball Almanacs, [http://www.thebaseballcube.com Thebaseballcube.com[