Orioles Land Potential Steal in Left-Handed Ace: Joseph Dzierwa Taken No. 58 Overall in MLB Draft

When the Baltimore Orioles selected Michigan State’s Joseph Dzierwa with the 58th overall pick in the MLB Draft, it didn’t make major national headlines. There were no camera cuts to emotional hugs or highlight montages on loop. But for those who truly understand how baseball organizations build sustainable success—especially one as talent-savvy as Baltimore—the selection of Dzierwa might just be one of the smartest moves of the entire draft. In a class loaded with high-profile bats and projectable high school arms, the Orioles quietly targeted one of college baseball’s most reliable and rapidly ascending left-handed pitchers, and in doing so, may have found a key contributor for their rotation in the very near future.

Joseph Dzierwa is not a name casual fans may recognize yet, but that’s precisely what makes this pick so intriguing. He’s not flash. He’s not noise. He’s polish, consistency, and projection wrapped into one. A southpaw who dominated Big Ten hitters with precision and poise beyond his years, Dzierwa proved throughout the 2024 season that he had more than enough command and mound presence to stand out in a league that doesn’t hand out respect easily to pitchers. His 6’4″ frame, low-90s fastball with arm-side run, a sharp breaking ball that tunnels well, and a changeup that eats righties alive all made him one of the most quietly effective pitchers in the country this past season.

For Baltimore, a franchise that’s redefined its drafting identity over the past five years, Dzierwa is exactly the type of arm they covet. He fits their mold: low-risk, high-floor, ready-to-develop college arms who can move quickly through the system with the right structure and support. But Dzierwa isn’t just “safe.” He’s deceptively dominant. His strikeout-to-walk ratio this season reflected elite control, and perhaps even more impressive was his ability to induce weak contact and consistently pitch deep into games. That’s what front offices crave in today’s game—starters who don’t just light up radar guns, but manage innings, command the zone, and stay healthy.

Dzierwa’s path to this moment wasn’t built on hype, but work. He wasn’t one of those prep arms anointed at 16 or a showcase darling with first-round buzz since high school. Instead, he earned everything—year by year, start by start. His junior year at Michigan State turned heads across the country, especially among scouts who look deeper than surface-level stats. Every time he faced a top lineup, he found a way to neutralize hitters without ever trying to overpower them. That kind of pitching IQ is rare. It doesn’t show up on a stat sheet, but it shows up when you watch tape, study sequences, and evaluate poise.

For the Orioles, selecting Dzierwa at No. 58 also speaks to a long-term plan rooted in balance. With a minor league system already loaded with offensive talent, including several top-100 prospects expected to crack the big league roster in the next year, the team’s focus in this draft was clearly centered on pitching depth. By choosing Dzierwa, Baltimore bolsters a rotation pipeline that already includes Grayson Rodriguez, Cade Povich, and Chayce McDermott. And while Dzierwa doesn’t necessarily have to be rushed, his college pedigree means he could be knocking on the Triple-A door within a year if his development continues on its current arc.

There’s also something to be said about the intangible qualities that Dzierwa brings—something that rarely gets its due during the draft. Those close to him describe him as unshakable, unbothered, and borderline stoic on the mound. He doesn’t show emotion, doesn’t get rattled, and treats every outing with a professional approach that already mirrors what’s expected at the next level. In a league increasingly driven by advanced data and explosive talent, pitchers like Dzierwa are the glue—arms that hold rotations together, chew up innings, and outsmart opponents more than they overpower them. That’s not just valuable. That’s irreplaceable.

Baltimore’s front office, led by GM Mike Elias, has built its resurgence around these kinds of decisions—choosing prospects based not only on ceiling, but on fit, durability, and pitchability. Dzierwa checks every one of those boxes. He may never be the flashiest name in the organization, but don’t be surprised if he quietly becomes one of the most important. That’s how winning teams are built. Not just with stars, but with reliable starters who make 30 appearances a year and give you a chance every fifth day.

There will be questions, of course. Can Dzierwa’s fastball tick up a few miles per hour with pro instruction? Will his breaking ball continue to miss bats at the next level, especially against better hitters? Is there a fifth gear to his changeup that could turn him from a back-end starter to a rotation anchor? Those answers will come in time, but if the Orioles’ recent track record is any indication, they’re betting that with their pitching development staff, the answer to each is yes.

Draft day often focuses on the headliners, the five-tool players, and the triple-digit arms. But baseball has always been a sport won by those who show up every day, refine their craft, and do the hard, unglamorous work it takes to win. Joseph Dzierwa is that kind of pitcher. And while the pick may not have caused a stir on ESPN or MLB Network, the Orioles may look back on this draft years from now and point to No. 58 as one of the most important decisions they made.

He’s a lefty with grit. A college arm with a professional mindset. A mid-second-round pick who could become a fixture in a playoff rotation. For the Orioles, that’s not just a win—it’s a blueprint. And for Dzierwa, it’s the beginning of a journey that may eventually lead him from the Big Ten spotlight to Camden Yards, with plenty of strikeouts, ground balls, and quiet excellence along the way.