Diamondbacks select Patrick Forbes in First Round of 2025 MLB Draft

Louisville right-handed pitcher Patrick Forbes has been selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the No. 29 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

Forbes is the highest Cardinal to be selected in the MLB Draft since Henry Davis was taken first overall in 2021, and is the 10th player in program history to be drafted in the first round. He's also the first Card to be taken in this year's draft, and is Dan McDonnell's 106th MLB Draft selection in his 19 years as the head coach at UofL.

While the 6-foot-3, 220-pound righty had to miss a few appearances in the weekend rotation due to a flexor strain, he was still one of the most electric pitchers in all of college baseball. Making 15 starts, he posted a 4.42 ERA across 71.1 innings pitched, striking out a whopping 117 batters while issuing only 34 walks.

Not only was Forbes' strikeout total second in the ACC (FSU's Jamie Arnold - 119) and 16th nationally, his 14.76 strikeouts per nine innings was third in all of Division I baseball (Tennessee's Liam Doyle - 15.43, Houston's Antoine Jean - 14.78).

The Bowling Green, Ky. native was a two-way prospect coming out of high school, and played both ways for his true freshman campaign in 2023. The former 2022 Kentucky Mr. Baseball hit .258 with three home runs and 19 RBIs, while posting a 7.71 ERA in 14 relief appearances.

After missing a month's worth of time as a sophomore due to a broken hand on an HBP, he made the the transition to pitching exclusivity. In 12 appearances and four starts that year, he put up a 3.72 ERA, while striking out 32 against just 15 walks in 29.0 innings of work.

In 109.2 career collegiate innings pitched, coming in 41 total appearances and 19 starts, Forbes has a 4.51 ERA and has struck out 159 batters while walking 64.