HIGH POINT, N.C. – Redshirt-junior Jaime Schultz of the High Point University baseball team was selected in the 14th round of the 2013 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday, June 8. Schultz went 1-6 in 2013 with a 3.56 ERA.
“We are very excited that Jaime has received the opportunity to play professionally in the Tampa Bay Rays organization,” HPU baseball head coach Craig Cozart said. “We are always proud when guys in our program are able to make the next step. Jaime is a talented pitcher and I have no doubt that he will be very successful in his professional career.”
Schultz opened the 2013 season in the bullpen before transitioning into the weekend rotation on April 7 against Longwood. The redshirt-junior finished pitched at least seven innings in each of his final four starts, allowing just six earned runs in 31 innings of work while striking out 32. Schultz finished the season second on the team in ERA among starters and second in strikeouts with 59 in 60-2/3 innings of work.
“This is an absolute dream come true, I can’t imagine anything better right now,” Schultz said. “I stepped away from the computer for a second and all of a sudden everyone was calling me. This is the greatest thrill of my life. I want to thank all my coaches and teammates at High Point University. I would never have been in this situation without them.”
Schultz ends his HPU career among the Panthers’ Division I leaders in several career pitching categories. He holds the High Point Div. I record for both opposing batting average (.233) and strikeouts per nine innings (9.82). He is also second in ERA (3.90), tied for sixth in wins (10) and tied for sixth in saves (6).
Schultz is the second-ever High Point baseball player selected in the top 15 rounds of the MLB draft. Former HPU outfielder Nate Roberts was previously selected in the fifth round of the 2010 MLB draft by the Minnesota Twins.