Baseball: UL’s Carson Baranik signs with Dodgers

Tim Buckley, The Advertiser, June 14, 2014

UL pitcher Carson Baranik throws against Ole Miss in the second game of the 2014 NCAA Super Regional baseball tournament.(Photo: Leslie Westbrook, The Advertiser)

Drafted Ragin’ Cajuns starting pitcher Carson Baranik has decided to forego his senior season at UL and instead will sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he suggested on his Twitter account.

The Dodgers selected Baranik, the Sun Belt Conference’s Pitcher of the Year and a third team Louisville Slugger All-American, in the 33^rd round of last week’s Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

Tweeted Baranik today: "Excited to become a Dodger, but I will forever love Lafayette and the people here. Y’all mean the world to me."

Baranik becomes the fourth drafted Cajun junior to either decide to sign or actually sign.

Left fielder Caleb Adams and starting pitcher Austin Robichaux both signed earlier this week with the Los Angeles Angels organization, and second baseman Jace Conrad signed with the Tampa Bay Rays organization.

Centerfielder Seth Harrison – taken in the seventh round, highest among all seven UL players drafted in 2014 – remains unsigned but has been negotiating with the San Francisco Giants.

Baranik, from Bossier City, is a Parkway High product. He began his college career at LSU, and transferred to UL after playing last season at Miami Dade College.

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound righty was 11-2 with a 3.31 ERA this season for the 58-10 Cajuns, who were eliminated this week from the ongoing NCAA Tournament with a best-of-three Super Regional loss to Ole Miss.