A ninth round MLB Draft pick in 2010, Topeka-area native Jordan Cooper joined the Ichabod coaching staff in August 2018 and will begin his third season with Washburn in 2021.
A highly sought-after right-hander during his playing days at Wichita State, Cooper comes to Washburn after playing nine seasons of professional baseball including seven seasons as member of the Cleveland Indians’ organization.
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Following a fruitful career at Shawnee Heights HS, Cooper was initially selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 17th round of the 2008 MLB Draft before deciding to attend Wichita State, where he played two seasons.
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During his stint with the Shockers, Cooper posted a 18-9 career record with 186 strikeouts. As a freshman starter he notched a rotation-best 2.78 ERA, before retaining the superlative as a sophomore when he boosted a 2.01 ERA. As a result of his prowess on the mound, Cooper garnered several postseason accolades including All-American honors from an array of major outlets such as Collegiate Baseball, the National College Baseball Writers of America (NCBWA), Baseball America.
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As a professional, Cooper debuted at the short-season A level playing in the New York-Penn League before progressing to the AA level and Eastern League in 2013. By the following season he reached the AAA ranks as a member of the Columbus Clippers and played alongside several future Major Leaguers including Francisco Lindor, Giovanni Soto, Shawn Marcum, Bruce Chen and Nick Swisher among others. As a professional, Cooper started 129 of 214 games and tallied a 53-52 record. He had a career ERA of 4.80 while working 876 1/3 innings.
