There have been a number of individuals from Lafayette, and the Acadiana area, that have played in Major League Baseball over the years.

Obviously, the entire state of Louisiana has produced even more.

As a matter of fact, 246 people born in the state of Louisiana have appeared in a Major League Baseball game, beginning in 1874, with John Peters of New Orleans, who played 11 years, with the likes of the Chicago White Stockings, Milwaukee Grays, Providence Grays, Buffalo Bisons, and Pittsburgh Alleghenys.

All summer, we’ll preview a player from the state of Louisiana that appeared in Major League baseball, starting with players from Lafayette, before spotlighting players from the Acadiana area, and then a few from the state itself.

Yesterday, we spotlighted Gil Meche.

Today, we feature Lance Cormier.

Born in Lafayette in 1980, Cormier, a right-handed pitcher, played eight seasons in Major League Baseball, with the Arizona Diamondbacks, from 2004-2005, Atlanta Braves, from 2006-2007, Baltimore Orioles in 2008, Tampa Bay Rays, from 2009-20010, and the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2011.

After playing his high school baseball at Lafayette High School, and then his college baseball at Alabama, where he was a first team Academic All-American, Cormier was drafted by the Diamondbacks in the fourth round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.

Cormier was actually drafted three different times, taken by the Reds out of high school, and the Astros in 2001, but electing not to sign.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Cormier played for the Diamondbacks’ minor league affiliates in Yakima, Washington and South Bend, Indiana, going a combined 3-0 with a 3.77 ERA.

After spending 1-and-a-half more seasons in the minor leagues, including time at AAA Tucson, Cormier was called up to the big leagues by the Diamondbacks in June of 2004, making him the 11th person born in the Lafayette area to ever play in Major League Baseball.

In his big league debut, against the then Tampa Bay Rays, Cormier was 23 years old.

Cormier appeared in 17 games as a rookie, including 5 as a starter, going 1-4 with a 8.14 ERA. In 45.1 innings, he allowed 62 hits, and 41 earned runs, while striking out 24 hitters.

After going 7-3 with a 5.11 ERA. in 2005, being used exclusively as a reliever, Cormier was traded to the Atlanta Braves, as part of a package that also included Oscar Villarreal, in exchange for catcher Johnny Estrada.

Cormier spent two seasons with the Braves, before moving to the Baltimore Orioles in 2008, where he appeared in a career-high 45 games, going 3-3, along with his first career save, and a 4.02 ERA.

In 2009-2010, both with the Tampa Bay Rays, Cormier went a combined 7-6, with 2 saves, and a 3.55 ERA.

In 2011, his final MLB season, Cormier pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers, appearing in 9 games, prior to retiring.

In 9 seasons in the minor leagues, Cormier went 31-26 with a 3.74 ERA.

In parts of 8 seasons in Major League Baseball, Cormier compiled an overall record of 55-54 with a 4.39 ERA, to go along with 3 saves.

Cormier made his MLB debut on June 19 of 2004, while making his final appearance on May 21 of 2011.

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