The University of Mississippi Athletics
McAvoy Inks Free Agent Contract With Montreal
5/31/2000 | Baseball
May 31, 2000
OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss right-handed pitcher Jeff McAvoy signed a free agent contract with the Montreal Expos this past Thursday.
McAvoy will report to the Expos' extended spring training in Jupiter, Fla., and is expected to join the Vermont Expos, Montreal's short season Class A affiliate in the New York-Penn League, when their season begins June 20.
"I'm very excited about having the opportunity to continue my baseball career," McAvoy said. "By signing as a free agent before the draft (scheduled for June 5-7) and going to extended spring training, I'll get a couple weeks headstart on the players that will be reporting after the draft.
"I really enjoyed my three years at Ole Miss and playing in the Southeastern Conference, and I'll always be greatful that the university gave me a chance to play."
A 6-foot-3, 215-pound native of Palmer, Mass., McAvoy went 20-17 with a 5.45 ERA in his three years in an Ole Miss uniform. He also recorded 222 career strikeouts in 290.2 innings pitched and is just one of six pitchers in school history to record at least 20 career wins and 200 career strikeouts.
McAvoy went 15-12 with a 4.92 ERA the past two seasons while working as the Rebels' No. 1 starter. He was 8-6 with a 4.60 ERA in 1999, helping Ole Miss to a 34-28 record and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. This past spring, McAvoy went 7-6 with a 5.32 ERA.
McAVOY'S CAREER STATS AT OLE MISSYear ERA W L APP-GS CG SHO/CBO SV IP H R ER BB SO1998 6.72 5 5 18-13 2 1/0 0 85.2 105 78 64 28 691999 4.60 8 6 18-16 2 0/1 0 115.1 111 65 59 41 882000 5.32 7 6 15-14 2 1/1 0 89.2 97 62 53 30 65TOTALS 5.45 20 17 51-43 6 2/2 0 290.2 313 205 176 99 222