Michigan State's Joseph Dzierwa delivers a pitch during a NCAA Big Ten Conference baseball game against Iowa, Friday, May 12, 2023, at Duane Banks Field in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

Michigan State Star Wins Big Ten Pitcher of the Year

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Aidan Champion | Last updated May 20, 2025 1:27 PM ET

Rightfully so, Michigan State star junior pitcher Joseph Dzierwa has received his title as the Big Ten's best pitcher.

On Tuesday, the conference announced Dzierwa has won the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Award. He concluded the regular season having won back-to-back Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors, making for four in total on the year, as he also won the award in the first two weeks of the 2025 campaign.

In conference, Dzierwa led the Big Ten with an ERA of 2.31 and was second in strikeouts (98), innings pitched (85.2) and earned runs (22). He was one of just three pitchers to throw a shutout in conference, which came against Oregon, which just won a share of the Big Ten title.

Dzierwa is up for a pair of national awards -- he's a member of the Dick Howser Trophy Watch List and is a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award.

The Spartan star was also named first-team All-Big Ten. He was one of two Spartans to receive all-conference honors, with sophomore second baseman Ryan McKay receiving second-team honors

Dzierwa is expected to be selected in this summer's MLB Draft, and this will likely be his last season donning the green and white. He almost ventured elsewhere to spend his junior season after entering the portal last year but ultimately decided to stay put in East Lansing.

Dzierwa and the Spartans were able to earn themselves a Big Ten Tournament berth with a walk-off win over Minnesota on Saturday, pulling off the unlikely, as there were a number of moments throughout the season where a postseason seemed out of reach for an inconsistent Michigan State team.

But the Spartans prevailed and will be one of 12 teams competing for a Big Ten Tournament title in Omaha, Nebraska this week, starting with a matchup against 8-seeded Nebraska at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Michigan State is the No. 12 seed.

Dzierwa's 2025 campaign has been nothing short of excellent. He's provided excitement for the fanbase amidst a season of ups and downs, solidifying himself as an all-time Spartan great. His latest award only further proves that.