July 3, 2015
MLB.com – White Sox sign Fulmer
Nashville, Tenn. — Former Commodore Carson Fulmer became the first Vanderbilt player to sign a professional contract Friday, inking a deal with the Chicago White Sox as the eighth overall pick in last month’s MLB Draft.
Earlier this week, Fulmer was named National Pitcher of the Year after an All-American season. The right-hander matched the Vanderbilt single-season record with 14 wins helping lead the Dores back to the College World Series championship series for the second straight season. Fulmer’s 167 strikeouts during his junior season are the second-most in VU history behind only David Price’s 194 from 2007.
Fulmer became just the fourth pitcher in Southeastern Conference history to win the pitching triple crown leading the nation’s premier league in wins, ERA and strikeouts. The Lakeland, Fla. native finished his career with 313 strikeouts to become the sixth Commodore to pass the 300-strikeout mark. His career 1.99 ERA is only the second career ERA under 2.00 in school history joining the legendary Jeff Peeples.
Fulmer is the first Commodore since Ryan Rote in 2005 to be drafted by the White Sox and the first Commodore to sign this summer. Fulmer was one of three Dores to be selected in the first round along with No. 1 overall pick Dansby Swanson (Arizona) and Walker Buehler (No. 24 by the Los Angeles Dodgers). Overall eight Dores were selected in June’s MLB Draft with Philip Pfeifer (3rd LAD), Rhett Wiseman (3rd WAS), Tyler Ferguson (6th TEX), Zander Wiel (12th MIN) and John Kilichowski (39th CHC) joining the trio of first round picks.
Fulmer and Buehler are the ninth and 10th Vanderbilt pitchers to be selected in the first round in history with nine pitchers going in the first round in the Tim Corbin era.
The deadline for major league teams to sign draft picks is July 17.