Athletics
Former Wake Tech Pitcher Headed to Major League Baseball
Austin Warren Becomes First Eagle to Earn a Roster Spot in MLB
RALEIGH, N.C. (July 29, 2021) – Former Wake Tech standout pitcher Austin Warren has been called up to the Los Angeles Angels and becomes the first Eagle to earn a roster spot in Major League Baseball.
Warren, a right-handed pitcher who graduated in 2017, joins the Angels after pitching for the Salt Lake City Buzz, the Triple A affiliate of the parent club in the Triple A West League, this season. While with the Buzz, Warren made 22 appearances, including one start, totaling 36.1 innings. During that span, he struck out 45 and posted a record of 2-3 with a save.
Warren played two seasons with Wake Tech as a pitcher and middle infielder. In his freshman campaign in 2015, he appeared in 39 games hitting .259 with nine doubles and 18 RBI. As a sophomore, he shined on the mound and at the plate for the Eagles. He appeared in 52 games for Wake Tech with a .302 average at the plate. With 42 hits, nine doubles, and two triples while driving in 14 runs. On the mound, he made 17 appearances with a 7-3 record and a 2.69 ERA over 67 innings and struck out 83 batters. As a sophomore, he made the NJCAA All-Region 10 team.
Following his career with Wake Tech, the Fayetteville native continued his academic and athletic career at UNC Wilmington. He played two seasons with the Seahawks making 52 appearances over the course of both seasons in Wilmington and keyed the Seahawk bullpen in 2018 with a staff-leading 28 appearances. He earned the save in the CAA Championship game that season, sending the Seahawks to the NCAA Regionals.
Warren was selected in the sixth round of the 2018 MLB Draft with the 181st overall pick by the Angels. He began his career with Orem in the Pioneer League at the Rookie League level and finished the 2018 season at Burlington. In 2019, he opened the season with Inland Empire of the California League and was promoted to AA Mobile late in the season. After COVID-19 wiped out the 2020 season, Warren was assigned to Salt Lake City in 2021.
He will look to make his MLB debut tonight when the Angels host the Oakland Athletics at 9:30pm.
courtesy: UNC Wilmington Athletic Communications
