West Virginia Pitcher Heads to Cardinals | St. Louis Cardinals News

Dawson Montesa, a fiery righty from West Virginia, is headed to the pros after being selected 72nd overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2026 MLB Draft—skipping his final college season. After a shaky freshman year, he exploded at Adelphi with an 8-1 record and a 1.99 ERA, striking out 105 batters. Despite control struggles at WVU, his electric stuff—especially his 97 mph fastball and nasty breaking ball—shone brightest in clutch postseason outings. The Cards will likely start him, but if he can dial in his efficiency, he’s primed to be a star—or at least a dominant closer. His leap to the big leagues is a thrilling milestone for a player bursting with raw talent. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/62362f4b1e6ed9ce