Kilcrease went 10-4 in 58 career appearances (18 starts)

June 14, 2011

TEXAS TECH MLB DRAFT CENTRAL

Photo Gallery | Kilcrease Highlight Video | Updated Bio | 2011 Game-by-Game Stats

LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech redshirt-junior left-handed pitcher Robbie Kilcrease (Round Rock, Texas) signed a free agent contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday. He becomes the fifth Red Raider to be drafted/sign as a free agent with a Major League Baseball organization this June.

Kilcrease will report Wednesday to Bradenton, Fla., the site of the Pirates Class-A Advanced organization, the Bradenton Marauders.

Texas Tech has now had five draft picks/free agent selections in back-to-back years, and it marks the sixth straight season Tech has had at least two pitchers taken by an MLB organization.

Kilcrease made 17 appearances - leading Tech with 12 starts - with a 5-3 record and 5.97 ERA in 63.1 innings with 39 strikeouts and 21 walks allowed. Twice Kilcrease was named to all-tournament teams as he earned recognition at both the Brooks Wallace Memorial Classic and Red Raider Classic early in the season.

In his three-year Tech career, Kilcrease made 58 appearances (18 starts) with a 10-4 record while recording a 5.97 ERA in 146.1 innings. He struck out 101 batters and allowed 72 walks while opponents batted .309.

Kilcrease's top performance in 2011 came in Big 12 play against Nebraska when he pitched a career-high 7.1 innings in a combined shutout. He allowed just five hits and two walks with three strikeouts in the Red Raiders 3-0 win.

MLB DRAFT NOTES:
- Kilcrease is Texas Tech's 123rd all-time draft pick/free agent selection in program history.
- Tech has now had 18 MLB free agent selections all-time, with Kilcrease becoming the first since Brian Cloud signed with the Seattle Mariners in 2009.
- Texas Tech has had five players drafted/signed free agent this year... tied for the eighth most players taken in a draft/free agent in program history.
- Kilcrease is the 52nd Texas Tech pitcher (15th LHP) to be drafted/signed free agent with an MLB organization.
- It is the first time since 2007 that Tech has had two LHP drafted/sign free agent in the same year.
- Head coach Dan Spencer has now coached 19 players at Texas Tech who have been drafted/signed as a free agent.
- Spencer has coached 12 pitchers (4 LHP) at Tech that have been drafted/signed as free agents.
- The Pittsburgh Pirates have now drafted/signed free agent four Red Raiders all-time... Kilcrease is the first Tech player taken by the Pirates since they drafted RHP Owen Brolsma in the 48th round of the 2007 draft... Kilcrease is the first-ever Red Raider to sign as free agent with the organization.