All in the Family: Roger Clemens’ Son Turns Down Astros for UT

By Jordan Schraeder in Blog, Special, Sports on June 11, 2013 at 3:20 pm | No Comments

All in the Family: Roger Clemens' Son Turns Down Astros for UT

Looks like the Astros will just have to wait a few years to get a Clemens back on the mound.

Kacy Clemens, son of legendary Longhorn pitcher and controversial all-time great Roger Clemens, was selected by the Houston team in the 35th round of the Major League Baseball draft last weekend. But the Houston Memorial High senior has decided against going pro, opting instead to head to The University of Texas, his father’s alma mater.

Kacy “It was great to hear his name called and always an honor to be selected,” Roger told a Houston Chronicle reporter about his son’s decision. “His sights will be set on ‘The University’ to get his education and get the Horns back to Omaha.”

And the ‘Horns need all the help they can get. After a dismal 2013 season, the Texas team landed a last-place finish in the Big 12—the first time since 1956—and failed to make NCAA post-season play for the second year in a row.

Let’s hope Kacy can bring some of that Clemens magic back to UT baseball. A seven-time Cy Young Award-winner, Roger led the Longhorns to two consecutive Southwest Conference titles followed by a National Championship win in 1983. He was also the first-ever UT player to have his jersey number, 21, retired.

Like his son, Roger also turned down his first chance to go pro: when the Mets came calling in 1981, Roger decided instead to play two years at UT before finally joining the Red Sox—as a first-round pick—in 1983. He played for the Astros for three seasons, from 2004-06. Kacy’s older brother, Koby, was also drafted by the Astros in 2005.

Screen shot 2013-06-11 at 2.18.53 PM Kacy, who went 8-0 with a 1.9 ERA this season, earned a Rawlings second-team All-America distinction with the Memorial High Mustangs. He’ll join the Longhorns for the 2014 season.