Not getting drafted fueled Chris Munnelly

After not hearing his name called out in the 2013 draft, pitcher Chris Munnelly harnessed those emotions and turned it into a dominant rookie season for the organization.

Munnelly:
After the draft happened, and I never got a call, it was really frustrating because your future and all of your dreams and everything you worked for is up in the air now — to a free-agent contract. Now that I’ve got the opportunity, every time I go out and pitch, I’ve got a little bit of chip on my shoulder, and it gives me a little bit of motivation to prove myself and try to prove what I’m worth.

Munnelly has pitched for three levels of the organization in 2013 already.

In seven games for the GCL Astros (7.2IP), he allowed 8H/2ER, 7K:3BB. He got promoted to Greeneville, and in ten games (17IP) he allowed just 4H/1ER with 24K:7BB. And now he's with Tri-City, where in 3.1IP he has allowed 4H/1ER, 5K:2BB. This adds up to 28IP, 16H/4ER, 36K:12BB - a 1.29 ERA/1.00 WHIP, with 11.6 K/9 and 5.1 H/9.

Astros sign Chris Munnelly

The Astros have signed undrafted free agent pitcher Chris Munnelly out of the University of North Carolina.

Munnelly is a 6'2" 200lb RHP who went 6-0 for North Carolina in 22 appearances (eight starts) with a 2.39 ERA/1.04 WHIP. He allowed 36H/16ER, 63K:27BB in 60.1IP and a .172 BAA.

Munnelly:
All of their front-office guys got to see us pitch early in the season, and I think that gave us a little bit of an edge. Once they saw us, they could follow us the rest of the year. 

Munnelly went to Forsyth County Day School, the alma mater of 2011 8th Round pick Brandon Culbreth.