SAUGET, Ill. (June 17) -- All-time Central Oklahoma home run leader Breck Draper will continue his baseball career with an independent league team after signing with the Gateway Grizzlies, it was announced Tuesday.
Draper was a two-year standout for the Bronchos, seeing action at a variety of positions the past while slugging 42 homers to set the school career record. The Shawnee native played first base, third base, catcher and pitcher for UCO and signed as a catcher with the Grizzlies.
Draper hit .353 with a Lone Star Conference-leading 20 home runs and 70 runs batted in as a junior in 2007, earning LSC North Division and South Central Regional Player of the Year honors in addition to claiming second-team All-America recognition.
He came back this season to lead the league in homers (22) and RBI (82) ? placing in the top five in Division II in both categories ? while batting .342 to repeat as a first-team All-LSC North and All-South Central Regional selection.
Draper finished with a .347 career average, finishing second in career RBI (152) in addition to setting the all-time school home run record.
Draper is the second player from UCO's 2008 team to sign a professional contract. Junior catcher Miguel Moctezuma was a 19th-round draft pick by the Kansas City Royals two weeks ago and is currently playing on a minor league team in North Carolina
