WRAL Sports Fan

Colleges

Mt. Olive's Capps is highest draft selection in school history

Jun 7, 2011

New York — Mount Olive pitcher Carter Capps was selected by the Seattle Mariners Tuesday as the 121st overall pick in the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft. The Mariners used a compensation pick at the end of the third round to select Capps, who became the highest draft pick in Mount Olive College history.

Capps said he found out about his selection at the same time everyone else did.

“I knew the Mariners were interested, but I didn’t know where I would get picked until I saw my name on the computer screen,” said Capps, a 6-5 220-pound right-hander from Kinston, N.C.

Capps added, “I tried not to think about when I would get picked. I was hoping I might go a little higher, but I’m happy.”

Capps was named 2011 Division II National Pitcher of the Year by three different organizations: American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). Capps earned All-America First Team honors from all three organizations and was also named overall National Player of the Year by the ABCA. He was runner-up for the Tino Martinez Award, which is College Baseball Lineup’s Division II National Player of the Year Award.

Capps posted a 10-0 record in 2010 and a 14-1 mark this season. He set an NCAA Division II record with 24 consecutive victories. Capps posted a 2-0 record at this year's Southeast Regional and was named Most Outstanding Player. He also recorded a save in the Trojans' opener in the National Finals. Capps was the 2011 Conference Carolinas Pitcher of the Year and was named MVP of the Conference Carolinas Tournament. He picked up wins in relief in the championship game of both the conference tournament and the regional.

Capps tied for first in the nation with a school record 129 strikeouts and ranked among the top 30 with a 1.75 earned run average. He recorded the first-ever nine-inning no-hitter in school history March 12 against Coker. Capps notched a career-high 13 strikeouts May 9 against Winston-Salem State, the second-highest single-game total in school history.

In addition to his accomplishments on the pitcher’s mound, Capps also excelled in the classroom. A junior academically, Capps compiled a 3.57 cumulative grade point average majoring in environmental science. He was named to the 2011 CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-America First Team.

A catcher at North Lenoir High School, Capps redshirted his freshman year at Mount Olive to develop into a pitcher. Along with going unbeaten in his first year on the mound, he capped his season with a complete game victory over Erskine in the 2010 NCAA II Southeast Regional, throwing only 77 pitches in nine innings.

Last summer, while playing in the Coastal Plains League, Capps drew the attention of Major League scouts when he was clocked at 96 miles per hour. In January, Baseball America listed Capps as the top Major League prospect among NCAA Division II players.

Capps credits the Trojan baseball coaching staff with his success.

“They helped me out in every way – on the mound, in the weight room and as a person,” said Capps. “I wouldn’t be where I am without them.”

Capps said no timetable has been set for working out a contract, but he will be meeting with the Mariners. He still has two years of college eligibility remaining.

In the meantime, Capps plans to start playing summer ball for Harwich (Mass.) in the Cape Cod League, which gets underway June 12. Fittingly, Harwich’s team nickname is the Mariners.

“Kind of a good omen,” said Capps.