By: Justin Walker | WV Sports Chat
Former WVU baseball pitcher Dawson Montesa has been drafted in the Major League Baseball Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Cardinals took Montesa with the number 72 pick of the second round.
The right-hander helped lead WVU baseball to their first appearance in the College World Series this past season. As part of the starting rotation for most of the year, he threw 77 total innings. He appeared in 19 games, with 15 of those being starts. He had an overall record of 6-5 with a 5.38 ERA and 91 strikeouts.
He will be known forever in Morgantown for his postseason heroics in the Regionals against Wake Forest. After WVU had already used most of their bullpen in the first two regional games, Steve Sabins called on Montesa. The former D2 pitcher stepped up big for the Mountaineers. In that game against Wake Forest, Montesa threw 122 pitches over 7 1/3 innings to help lead West Virginia to a 10-5 win in an elimination game. That performance helped save arms for the upcoming games against Kentucky, where WVU was able to win two straight to take the Morgantown Regional over the Wildcats.
Montesa will join the same organization that also includes two other former WVU baseball stars. Victor Scott and JJ Wetherholt are both part of the St. Louis Cardinals Major League franchise.
Wetherholt recently signed an 8-year contract extension with the club.
Photo Credit: Shanna Rose
