JamesPaxton

• First (Supplemental) Round Pick in the 2009 MLB Draft (Blue Jays)
• SEC Academic Honor Roll (2009)
• SEC Academic Honor Roll (2008)
• SEC Pitcher of the Week (5/19/08)
• SEC Freshmen Academic Honor Roll (2007)

Outlook
Regarded as the top pitcher in college baseball in 2010, a candidate for a top-10 selection in the 2010 MLB Draft … A supplemental first-round selection in 2009, became the highest drafted college player to elect to return to school … Has a 3.3 GPA as an accounting major, with graduating in four years important in his decision to return to school … Had a breakout season in 2009, despite battling injury in the middle of the year … Had two performances on big stages that led to his draft prospects in 2009, striking out 12 of his first 13 outs at LSU in a pitching duel with Anthony Ranuado and outdueling eventual first-rounder Mike Minor in front of nearly 60 scouts in a win over Vanderbilt … Ranked third in the NCAA in strikeouts per nine innings in 2009 … Has grown tremendously since freshman season, when he was listed at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds … Between his sophomore and junior seasons, added 15 pounds of muscle … At 20 years old in June of 2009, was the youngest college junior available in the 2009 MLB Draft … As a sophomore with UK needing to clinch a berth in the SEC and NCAA Tournaments on the final weekend, pitched a complete-game shutout against Ole Miss.

2009
UK’s Friday night starter, became the first UK player selected in the first round of the MLB Draft since World Series Champion Joe Blanton was picked by the Athletics in 2002 … Ranked third in the NCAA in strikeouts per nine innings, fanning 13.22 hitters per nine innings pitched … The highest drafted player in college baseball to return to school … Ranked 17th in the NCAA and fourth in the SEC with 115 strikeouts … Started 13 games, totaling a 5.86 ERA and a 5-3 record … Pitched 78.1 innings, allowing 83 hits and 51 earned runs, walking only 20 and striking out a staff-best 115 … Ranks fifth in UK single-season history with 115 punch outs … Struck out 10 or more in seven of 13 starts … Minus the three games he lost, allowing five or more runs in each game, had a 5-0 record and a 3.95 ERA, with 101 strikeouts in 66 innings … Was 2-3 with a 6.49 ERA in 10 SEC starts, going 61 innings, walking 19 and striking out 92 … Issued just one walk in 17.1 innings in non-conference play … Was 4-1 with a 5.74 ERA in seven home starts … In seven games started that UK won, was 5-0 with a 3.45 ERA, fanning 66 in 47 innings … Was 0-3 with a 9.48 ERA in six starts that UK eventually lost … Allowed only 10 stolen bases during the year … Opened the year with a start in the season opener, going 5.2 innings, allowing two runs with no walks and two strikeouts … In his second start of the season, struck out 11 in six innings, allowing two hits, one walk and one earned run … Had a breakout game at eventual NCAA Champion LSU, dueling with Tigers ace Anthony Ranuado in a pitching gem, putting his name on the map as a future first-round selection … Struck out a career-best 14 in six innings at LSU, allowing five hits and three runs, with two walks … Got 12 of his first 13 outs against LSU by strikeout, allowing just a two run homer to freshman third sacker Tyler Hanover and an RBI fielder’s choice from Jared Mitchell, scoring Blake Dean, who led off with a single … In his next start, faced off with eventual Braves first-round pick Mike Minor of Vanderbilt, a game attended by nearly 60 professional scouts, with UK needing to set up a new scout viewing area off the first-base line … Outdueled Minor to improve to 4-0, allowing only two hits in 6.2 innings, with one run, three walks and 10 strikeouts … After suffering an injury, labored through two innings against South Carolina, allowing 10 hits and nine runs … Had a rebound outing at Mississippi State in an electric atmosphere on Super Bulldog Weekend, fanning nine in seven innings, allowing just two runs … Struck out 11 Alabama hitters in seven innings, exiting the game in the eighth inning with UK leading 6-4 … In eight innings against Tennessee, struck out 12 with four runs allowed … Had another eight-inning outing against Auburn, striking out 12 with four runs and four hits allowed.

2008
Earned the Saturday starter role midway through the season, functioning as the No. 4 starter in midweek games early in the season … Pitched in 17 games with 11 starts, earning a 4-2 record and a 2.92 ERA … Pitched the game of his career in an SEC Tournament clinching win over Ole Miss, hurling a complete-game shutout, striking out six and scattering seven hits … Named the SEC Pitcher of the Week following that performance vs. the Rebels … Worked 52.1 innings, allowing only 46 hits and striking out 43 … Opponents hit for a .238 average … Minor injury in his final five starts limited him to less than five innings in four of the last five … Did not start in the NCAA Tournament due to injury … Just six days after blanking Ole Miss in the next to last regular season game, Paxton faced the Rebels in the second round of the SEC Tournament, lasting 3.1 innings with four hits allowed, three runs, five walks and two strikeouts … Pitched in four games with three starts during the summer in the Alaska League … Earned a 1-0 record and a 2.25 ERA, working 16 innings, striking out 12 and allowing opponents to hit for a .179 average.

2007
Southpaw led Kentucky in appearances with 25 … Served as a true spot reliever, working in only 17 2/3 innings in his 25 appearances … Tallied a 6.62 ERA, a 2-0 record and one save … Struggled with control at times, walking 16 and striking out 10 … In his first collegiate appearance, Paxton worked 1 2/3 innings against Xavier, striking out three and allowing no hits … Worked in less than an inning 16 times … Got the final out of the game against LSU, securing a 6-5 Wildcat win, to pick up his first save of the season … Through first eight appearances, posted a 1.17 ERA … Had two separate scoreless appearance streaks of five games … Opponents hit .185 (5-for-27) with the bases empty … Forced 17 fly outs and 24 ground outs.

High School
Played for coach Ari Mellios at Delta Secondary School in Ladner, British Columbia … Earned a 1.70 ERA, a 7-1 record, with 65 strikeouts and 32 walks during senior season, pitching 50 innings … Notched a 1.51 ERA during junior campaign, winning 10 games and striking out 100 in 78 innings pitched … Named to the honor roll five consecutive years … Named BCPBL Top Pitcher and first-team All-Star as a junior … Led team to the league championship as a junior and senior … Team won the BC’s Best Tournament Championship as a junior and senior.

Personal
Full name is James Alston Paxton … Born November 6, 1988 in Richmond, British Columbia … Son of Ted and Barb Paxton … Has one brother, Thomas (17).