CANYON, Texas – Former West Texas A&M baseball standout pitcher Dylan James is scheduled to sign a free agent contract with the Houston Astros later this week.
 
"This is a great opportunity for me and a chance to progress my career to potentially the highest level," James said.  "I like to thank everyone at West Texas A&M for helping me progress both on and off the field to allow this opportunity to become a reality."
 
James, a native of Las Cruces, N.M., had a record-setting career with the Buffs over his two seasons in Canyon.  He set the school-record with 126 strikeouts this season, topping his previous best of 95 set in 2013.  His 126 strikeouts ranked third nationally as he was tabbed the LSC Pitcher of the Year.   He was a first team NCBWA and Daktronics All-Region select ion, while earning All-South Central Region Tournament accolades.  James ranked third in hits allowed at just 5.74, while averaging 11.57 strikeouts per game which was 11^th in the nation.
 
James' nine wins in 2014 (9-3) tied the school record for wins in a season with Justin Kuks (2012) and Jason Patrick (1995). He also broke the school record for innings pitched in a season with 98, topping the previous mark of 96 set by Jason Patrick in 1995.  He also broke the school-record for starts with 15, while his 2.30 ERA this season is the second-best in school history behind his mark of 1.83 set in 2013.
 
He is the lone representative from the Lone Star Conference on the Rawlings/ABCA All-America Team.  In 2013, James earned NCBWA Honorable Mention All-America honors and Daktronics Honorable Mention accolades. 

The Buffs qualified in 2014 for the NCAA regional for the first time in school history since baseball was reinstated as an intercollegiate sport in 1994.  James and the Buffs went a school-record 37-21 last season and a 21-14 record in Lone Star Conference play, finishing runner-up in the LSC Tournament.  WT went 2-2 in the NCAA South Central Regional at Colorado Mesa University in May.
 
"Dylan was a two-time All-American for us and we are happy all of his hard work and effort has led to this opportunity," WT head coach Matt Vanderburg said.  "He definitely has the ability to compete at the professional level and we look forward to seeing his progress."
 
WT opens the 2015 season Sunday, Feb. 1 at Wilder Park with a doubleheader against Southwestern Oklahoma State.