In a decorated season for Michigan State University baseball, ace left-hander Joseph Dzierwa was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Year — headlining a group of Spartans earning postseason honors.
The six-foot-eight southpaw posted a conference-best 2.31 ERA and finished second in the Big Ten with 98 strikeouts, marking the best season of his collegiate career. Dzierwa’s dominance has earned national recognition among the country’s top arms.
Dzierwa was also named to the All-Big Ten First Team. Sophomore second baseman Ryan McKay earned Second Team honors, while senior first baseman Sam Busch was recognized as MSU’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree.
Dzierwa was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week four times this season — more than any MSU pitcher in a single year — including two separate stretches of back-to-back honors.
His signature performance came against Oregon, when he threw a complete game shutout with 11 strikeouts, lifting the Spartans to a 2-0 upset victory.
Dzierwa was also named a semifinalist for the prestigious USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award, given annually to the top amateur player in the nation. He is one of 25 players on the watchlist, with finalists set to be announced on June 4. Fan voting is open through May 28.
McKay, a Clarkston, Michigan native, leads the Spartans with a .322 batting average and 35 walks. The sophomore has started every game this season and has emerged as a steady force at the top of the lineup.
Dzierwa’s 98 strikeouts this season rank fifth in MSU single-season history. With 248 career punchouts, the Haskins, Ohio native now sits third all-time among Spartan pitchers — with one more year of eligibility remaining.
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