Jake Boss’ Michigan State baseball program hasn’t had much of a pulse post-COVID but he’s at least produced one elite MLB prospect during his time who’s currently speed-running the minor leagues.
A year ago, Spartan ace Joseph Dzierwa was selected in the second round of the MLB draft after dominating at Michigan State during the 2024-25 season. He slipped into round two despite having round one talent, but it hasn’t mattered much because he’s gone from High-A ball to Double-A in a matter of half a season in the Baltimore Orioles’ farm system.
In less than a season, he’s proving to be one of the best prospects in the Orioles’ entire minor league system, ranking No. 3 overall with an estimated arrival of 2028, per MLB.com.
The former Big Ten Pitcher of the Year started the 2026 season in High-A ball with the Frederick Keys where he started eight games and had a 2.21 ERA with 50 strikeouts and 10 walks in 40.2 innings. Even more impressively, he had a 0.81 WHIP (walks + hits per innings pitched) and opponents were hitting just .160 against him.
Dzierwa carried that over into Double-A ball midway through the first half of the season, posting a 2.38 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 45.1 innings. He has maintained a 0.97 WHIP and opponents are hitting just .195 against him.
Through his first 15 minor league starts since being drafted in the second round by the Orioles in 2025, the former Michigan State star has a 7-2 record, a 2.30 ERA, 106 strikeouts, a 0.90 WHIP, and opponents are hitting just .179 off of him in 86 total innings. He’s averaging 11.09 strikeouts per nine innings and just 2.2 walks per nine as well.
Oh, and he was invited to partake in the 2026 MLB All-Star Futures Game that took place this past Sunday. He pitched just one-third of an inning and retired the only batter he faced.
Dzierwa has taken the minor leagues by storm in just his first season.
Joseph Dzierwa looks like a future MLB All-Star
It takes a lot of young pitchers years before really settling in and looking like they belong in the majors, but it’s only taken Dzierwa a few months.
Although he was just a second-round pick last year, Dzierwa is showing the Orioles that they may want to speed up his projected debut season because he’s well ahead of schedule. He’s striking out over 100 batters in less than 90 innings, he has an ERA that would put him in the Hall of Fame if it translates to the MLB, and his WHIP, walks, and opponents’ average have scouts singing his praises.
Dzierwa has gone from second-round pick to No. 3 prospect in the entire Baltimore Orioles’ farm system in one calendar year, and he’s only going to get better the more comfortable he gets in the minors.
Although he may still be two years away from his major league debut, I believe that Dzierwa has all the tools to become an ace and, one day, a perennial MLB All-Star.
Michigan State baseball could use the good publicity.
Add us as a preferred source on Google