Cameron Copping Inks Free Agent Deal With Seattle Mariners

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BUFFALO, NY - Fresh off a stellar season leading a much-improved Buffalo Bulls pitching staff, recent graduate Cameron Copping signed a minor league contract to play in the Seattle Mariners' farm system Thursday afternoon. The 6-foot-6-inch righty is the second Buffalo player to sign with a major league team this month, joining battery mate and Colorado Rockie Tom Murphy.

"This is a well-deserved honor for Cam. He has worked very hard to play professional baseball and to get a chance with a major league team is exciting for him and for us as his former coaches and teammates," said head coach Ron Torgalski. "He had a great year for us and this is just the next step in his promising career."

A west coast native who came to Buffalo all the way from Temple City, CA, Copping will have the opportunity to play a little bit closer to home now as he sets off on his professional career.

In 2012, Copping was the team's unquestioned leader on the mound, as he leaves Buffalo with a pair of impressive season records to his name. He broke Bill Casbolt's 35-year-old record for innings in a season (with 98), and he made his 14th start of the season in the Mid-American Conference tournament to set another program mark. He finished the season with a 6-4 record and a 3.86 earned run average, both leading all starters for the Bulls.

It was the MAC season, though, where he truly made his mark. In nine conference starts, Copping went 5-2 with a 2.58 earned run average and a paltry .214 batting average allowed to opponents. His conference season was highlighted by two performances that will live on in the Buffalo record books. On May 17, he pitched a complete game shutout and allowed just seven hits as the Bulls won a crucial late-season game against Bowling Green. Earlier in the season, he pitched an eye-popping ten shutout innings and allowed just three hits in a game against Western Michigan.

Copping earned the MAC East Division Pitcher of the Week once this season, and was honored with a spot on the conference's postseason All-Conference Second Team.

He will now likely begin his career in the Mariner's Short Season 'A' ball team, the Everett AquaSox.