With 20 wins and over 300 strikeouts to his credit, Tristan Cooper secured a spot as one of the top pitchers in Harlan County High School history. That success also helped him earn an opportunity to pitch on the next level as he signed recently with Transylvania University.
“I think Cooper will fit in perfectly at Transy. They touched base with him a lot all season, and I thought that was big for him,” Harlan County coach Scotty Bailey said. “He was getting looked at by a couple different schools, but them showing him they cared about how his season was going I think was a big thing with Cooper. They came and watched our first scrimmage of the season and then invited him to come down to watch them play later in the season, I got to watch that game with him. Seeing the way they do things and the atmosphere, I think he’ll really enjoy it there.”
Transy is a Division III school in the eight-team Heartland Collegiate Conference. The Pioneers finished the 2024 season with a 34-14 record.
“They have built a really good program,” Bailey said. “I’m excited to see him at the next level. I think he can go in next year and give them some quality innings. Cooper took last off season really serious. He got his velocity up, worked on location, and had his off-speed the best it’s been. I know he’ll be even more motivated this offseason, so I think he can really go in and make a big impact in their rotation next year.”
“I chose Transylvania because I felt accepted and wanted into the program they’ve built there. I want to be a part of what there is to come there,” Cooper said. “A big part of my high school career that helped me get to where I am is the love and support from my coaches family and friends. I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Cooper’s his high school career goes all the way back to 2019 when he pitched in three games as an eighth grader before the 2020 season was canceled due to covid. Cooper posted a 6-5 record this season with a 2.26 earned run average and 108 strikeouts. He was 6-4 as a junior with a 2.70 earned run average and 82 strikeouts. He struck out 82 as a sophomore with a 5-3 record and 2.86 earned run average. Cooper was 3-5 as a freshman with no other statistics available.
“Cooper has played a huge role here at Harlan County High School, on and off the field as a valedictorian. That speaks for itself. I’m very impressed and proud of him for that,” Bailey said. “That shows kids it’s not just about the work on the field but in the classroom as well.
“On the field, he’s one of those kids that’s very hard to replace. His leadership and competitiveness are top notch. He brought a lot of emotions with him on that mound and it goes to show work you put in the offseason relays to producing on the field. He had over 300 career strikeouts and 105 this season alone, which was a career high for him. He’s set a standard for us that I hope all young kids look and and take too. I know a lot of kids look up to him. I think we’ll have a lot of Harlan County kids becoming Transylvania baseball fans this upcoming season. I’m very proud of Cooper and the hard work and dedication he’s given to Harlan County baseball.”