NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- With the first pick of the 26th round in the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft, the Houston Astros selected Christopher Newport University junior pitcher Austin Chrismon (Newport News, Va.). He becomes the first ever draft pick in the 32-year history of the Christopher Newport University baseball program. 

Chrismon was a third team All-American according to D3baseball.com, and was also tabbed the South Region Pitcher of the Year. He hauled in a pair of All-Region accolades and was a first team All-Conference pick. The 2013 USA South Pitcher of the Year, Chrismon finished his first year with the Captains with a 7-4 record and a 1.74 ERA. His earned run average was the second best single season mark in program history, behind Kenny Moreland's 2005 campaign, and ranked among the Top 50 nationally.

He helped anchor a pitching staff that ranked first in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings, as he mowed down 86 batters in 78.0 innings of work. He set a CNU record with 18 strikeouts in a game when he took on the Greensboro Pride, breaking a nine-year-old record set by Mike Cosby in 2004. Chrismon pitched 10 quality starts in 11 appearances this year, and helped guide CNU to a regular season conference title in the USA South.

The 6-2 right-handed pitcher transferred in to play for the Captains from East Carolina University where he pitched for two years. This marks the second time the Astros have showed interest in Chrismon, as the Houston-based team drafted him with Pick #963 in the 32nd round out of high school. 

CNU has seen four players reach the professional level, all signed as undrafted free agents. They were Kenny Moreland (2008-12), Travis Bingler (2000), Mark Parnell (1988-92) and Trae Bailey (2009).