University of Massachusets Athletics
Travis Veracka Drafted by the New York Mets
June 05, 2000 | Baseball
June 5, 2000
AMHERST, Mass. - University of Massachusetts senior left-handed pitcher Travis Veracka (Stow, Mass.) was selected in the 10th round (305th pick overall) by the New York Mets during the first day of the 2000 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft held June 5, in New York City.
Veracka compiled a 19-12 record in his four years with the Minutemen. He threw 227.1 innings, while recording a 3.65 ERA and 180 strikeouts. Veracka ranks fifth in games started (31), seventh in wins (19), sixth in complete games (15), sixth in innings pitched (227.1) and sixth in strikeouts (180) on the UMass career pitching charts.
This past season, Veracka started 12 games for the Minutemen and finished the season with nine consecutive complete games. He led the team and was ranked sixth in the Atlantic 10 with a 3.32 ERA and ranked second on the team in strikeouts with 67. Veracka set a career-high with nine strikeouts versus Virginia Tech, on April 8, and matched the mark in the Atlantic 10 Tournament against the Hokies on May 18.
Veracka, a 1996 Nashoba Regional High School graduate, was named to the GTE Academic All-America District I Baseball team following both his senior and sophomore seasons. He was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Tournament Team and to the Atlantic 10 Academic All-Conference Team as a junior.