Baseball coach to recruit: Colorado players 'have had trouble passing our drug test'

ByESPN NEWS SERVICES
March 1, 2018, 1:59 AM

— -- The baseball coach at Texas Wesleyan University has come under scrutiny after it was confirmed he sent an email saying the school doesn't?recruit players from the state of Colorado because of failed drug tests.

Mike Jeffcoat, the coach at Texas Wesleyan and a former MLB pitcher, sent the email to a Colorado high school prospect.

"Thanks for the interest in our program," Jeffcoat wrote. "Unfortunately, we are not recruiting players from the state of Colorado. In the past, players have had trouble passing our drug test. We have made a decision to not take a chance on student-athletes from your state. You can thank your liberal politicians. Best of luck wherever you decide to play."

The Houston Chronicle confirmed the veracity of the email, and Texas Wesleyan vice president John Veilleux said the school was "definitely aware" of it.

"The comments he made are in no way a reflection of Texas Wesleyan University, its values or its recruiting practices," Veilleux said. "This is a personnel matter and it is currently under investigation. We follow due process here. It is our university policy to not discuss personnel matters."

Jeffcoat was hired by Texas Wesleyan in 2002. He spent 10 seasons in the majors, including six with the? Texas Rangers, before retiring after the 1994 season.

Allan Dyer, the student's former high school baseball coach, told the Houston Chronicle he was "shocked" by Jeffcoat's email.

"I've never seen a coach send an email like that to a kid," he said. "I was kind of shocked a coach would connect a political issue to a kid. ... It just made no sense. The student has not been in trouble one time at our school."