The Chicago White Sox drafted Kalispell Lakers pitcher Joe Pistorese in the 44th round of the Major League Baseball draft on Wednesday. Outfielder Ben Roberts of the Missoula Mavericks was Montana’s other high school player drafted, taken by the Arizona Diamondbacks a day earlier in the seventh round.
In Pistorese’s first four games of the season, before losing to the Glacier Twins on June 5, the 6-2 southpaw went 4-0 with a 0.64 ERA, 66 strikeouts and only five walks in 33 innings. Up to that point, Pistorese was also leading his team in batting average at .467, doubles with 11, hits with 28, slugging percentage at .900, home runs with three and RBIs with 23.
Pistorese, who just finished up his senior year at Flathead High School, went 9-3 last year with a 1.65 ERA and 150 strikeouts in 84 2/3 innings. In his career, he has a perfect game, a rarity in American Legion Baseball at the AA level, and a 19-strikeout outing.
Lakers head coach Ryan Malmin said Pistorese is only getting better.
“There’s no question that Joe’s a talented baseball player, but I think he’s made great strides and improvements, in particular his strike-ball ratio,” Malmin said. “His presence on the mound has improved and his leadership has improved.”