MORGANTOWN, West Virginia — West Virginia right-handed pitcher Dawson Montesa is officially headed to professional baseball. The St. Louis Cardinals selected Montesa with the 72nd overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, making him the latest Mountaineer to hear his name called after helping lead one of the greatest seasons in program history.
Montesa spent just one season in Morgantown after transferring from Adelphi, but he quickly became one of the anchors of Steve Sabins’ pitching staff. During the 2026 season, he posted a 6-5 record with a 5.38 ERA while striking out 91 batters in 72 innings. His electric fastball and ability to generate swings and misses made him one of the most intriguing pitching prospects in this year’s draft, and he played a key role in helping West Virginia reach the program’s first-ever College World Series.
With the 72nd pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, the St. Louis Cardinals select RHP Dawson Montesa! pic.twitter.com/19FUtve6sg
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) July 11, 2026
Before arriving at WVU, Montesa was one of the top pitchers in Division II baseball at Adelphi. In 2025, he went 8-1 with a 1.99 ERA and struck out a school-record 105 batters in 72.1 innings. His dominant season earned him D2CCA First Team All-American honors, D2 Baseball Second Team All-American recognition, NCBWA East Region Pitcher of the Year, and ABCA East Region Pitcher of the Year.
Now, Montesa begins the next chapter of his baseball career in the Cardinals organization. His power arm, competitive mentality, and ability to miss bats made him one of the top pitching prospects available, and St. Louis clearly believes he has the tools to continue developing at the professional level. For West Virginia, it’s another major draft success and another example of the talent Steve Sabins and his staff continue to produce in Morgantown.
