Rensselaer has always been a great school with the reputation of producing some world-famous engineers, but every once and a while a major league sports franchise also takes note of the school. This summer the Houston Astros did just that, selecting Travis Teeter in the 35th round of the Major League Baseball Entry Draft.
In the 2001 season, Teeter started ten games as the pitcher for the Red Hawks and had a 5-4 record. He led the team in wins, ERA (2.23), complete games (7), innings pitched (72.2), strikeouts (73), and opponent’s batting average (.226). When Teeter was not pitching he played centerfield for RPI, but he is not expected to continue playing the field in his professional career.
He has previously been named to the ABCA/Rawlings All-Region Team, the Eastern College Athletic Conference First Team, the All-Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association First Team, and the NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team. This past summer Teeter also pitched for the Hyannis Mets in the Cape Cod League, which is composed of the top collegiate players throughout the U.S.; he is the first person in Rensselaer history to play for this prestigious team.
Prior to Teeter, three other RPI players were drafted by a major league team. The difference between Teeter and pitchers Doug Drumm, Dave Lohrman, and Bill Snyder is the fact that Teeter was drafted as a junior.
Teeter has not yet announced whether he will stay at the school or attempt an immediate career in professional baseball. He may remain in Troy either way—the Astros’ Class-A affiliate, the Pittsfield Astros, will be moving to Troy for the 2002 season. They will play their home games at the new stadium being constructed on the HVCC campus, and the team will be renamed the Tri-City Valley Cats.
