Pitt ace Mitch Myers selected by Oakland A’s in MLB draft

Pitt pitcher Mitch Myers was selected by the Oakland A’s with the 368th overall pick in the 12th round of the MLB draft on Tuesday. The right-handed pitcher was the Panthers’ ace in 2020 as well as the team’s first and only selection in the 2021 draft.

Myers is the 46th pitcher that Pitt head coach Mike Bell has guided to an MLB draft selection. He is also the highest-drafted Pitt player since 2018, when Matt Pidich went to the Cincinnati Reds in the eighth round and R.J. Freure went to the Houston Astros in the sixth round.

The native of Lanette, Alabama, was once a standout at Opelika High School in Opelika, Alabama. During his time there, he earned back-to-back Player of the Year honors from the OA News as an upperclassman and posted a career ERA of 1.22 and a WHIP of 0.86.

Myers began his college career in the JUCO ranks at Florida Southwestern State in Fort Myers, Florida, where he pitched 79.1 innings between 2018 and 2019 and finished with a 3.29 ERA, 88 strikeouts and a 7-2 record.

In his lone season at Pitt, Myers went 5-5 in 11 starts and posted a 3.21 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP in 81.1 innings of work. The righty also led the team with 83 strikeouts and allowed 23 walks during his time in Pittsburgh.

With only three seasons at the college level under his belt, Myers had the option to return for his senior season in 2021. However, on Tuesday, he told Stephen Thompson of the Pitt News that he will sign with the A’s, meaning his brief tenure at Pitt has come to an end.