LaFountain Tabbed By Rockies In MLB Draft
June 08, 2004 | Baseball
June 8, 2004
LOUISVILLE, KY - University of Louisville Cardinal senior-to-be J.T. LaFountain was tabbed by the Colorado Rockies with the 9th pick of the 48th round of the 2004 Major League Baseball draft on Tuesday. LaFountain sat out last season as a medical redshirt after injuring his knee in the fall.
As a sophomore in 2002, LaFountain played in all 57 games at second and shortstop, hitting .316 with 12 doubles, four home runs, a team-best 33 walks and 50 runs on the only team in the history of Cardinal baseball to advance to the NCAA Regionals.
In 2003, the switch-hitting LaFountain started all 57 games at shortstop, and lead the Cards with 16 doubles and eight home runs. He batted .313 in 57 games, and was hit a school-record 16 times by a pitch.
He was a member of the 2003 Conference USA All-Tournament team, leading the Cards to a third place finish.
Over his three-year career, he has a .306 career average with 34 doubles, 13 home runs and 94 RBI.
LaFountain has the option to sign with the Rockies now or come back to Louisville for his senior season. As a fifth-year senior he will have until a week prior to the 2005 MLB Draft to negotiate a deal with Colorado, as they will retain his rights, or resubmit his name into the draft.
LaFountain is expected to start next season either at catcher or in the infield, should he elect to return. His father Jim was an All-American and an Academic All-American at Louisville who signed with the Minnesota Twins following his career at U of L, after which he was inducted into the U of L Athletic Hall of Fame.
J.T.'s situation is similar to that of Cardinal senior Mark Jurich, who was selected in the 13th round of the 2003 draft by the Atlanta Braves. Jurich completed his senior season with U of L, earning All-C-USA honors and his bachelor's degree before signing a pro contract with the Braves a week ago.
Any high school graduates that are not enrolled in college, all junior college players, college juniors and seniors and college players that are 21 years of age or older are eligible for the draft.
