Topic: Lance Cormier

Lance Robert Cormier (CORE-mee-ay) (born August 19, 1980, in Lafayette, Louisiana) is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays. He has also played for the Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Baltimore Orioles.

Cormier went to Lafayette High School, and graduated in 1998. He attended the University of Alabama, and in his pitching career there, he went 31-16 with a 3.98 ERA and 17 saves. Lance started his career as a closer and recorded a University of Alabama freshman record 11 saves. In his junior year, he switched to being a starting pitcher and went 20-8 in the last two seasons of his college career. A highlight of his college career includes being a first team Academic All-American in his senior year. He graduated in 2002 with a degree in finance.

Twice Cormier was drafted by a major league team, but he did not sign for either. On June 2, 1998, he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 40th round of the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft, but did not sign. On June 5, 2001, he was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 10th round of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft, but again he did not sign. The Arizona Diamondbacks drafted him in the 4th round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft on June 4, 2002.