Lamar University senior pitcher Brooks Caple was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the ninth round of the 2024 MLB Amateur Player Draft with the 272nd overall pick.
A 2024 Third-Team Baseball America All-American selection, Caple became the 90th Lamar Cardinal to be drafted by an MLB franchise. He is the eighth Cardinal drafted by the Cubs and the first since Scott Meyer in 2007.
Caple’s selection marks the second consecutive year a Cardinal has been drafted (last season catcher Ryan Snell was taken in the seventh round by the Washington Nationals), which is the first time since the 2017-18 seasons that at least one Cardinal has been taken in consecutive drafts.
From Gunter, Texas, Caple was a twotime All-Southland Conference pitcher who closed out his collegiate career earning SLC Pitcher of the Year honors and leading Lamar to its first conference regular season-title since 2004. During his two seasons on campus, Caple posted a 12-3 overall record with 152 strikeouts (to just 43 walks) in 157.0 innings pitched. He posted a 2.69 career earned run average with a 0.97 WHIP while holding opponents to a .193 batting average.
Voted the Southland’s top pitcher, Caple posted a 7-3 (.700) record with a 2.40 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP in 2024. Leading the Cardinals to a Southland regular-season title and the No. 1 overall seed in the conference tournament, Caple struck out 102 batters (to just 27 walks) while holding opponents to a .170 batting average.
Caple was also a standout in the classroom earning 2024 SLC Student-Athlete of the Year honors.