HCA: A.J. Block set to return for senior year

A month after being selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 17th round of the MLB Draft, left handed pitcher A.J. Block announced that he would be remaining in Pullman for his senior year and will pass up on his opportunity to play in the big leagues... for now.

As a junior he started 14 games for the Cougar baseball team and racked up 68 strikeouts in his 71.1 innings pitched. He not only did it on the field but in the classroom as he was named to Academic All-Pac-12 First Team for the second year in a row.

In his three years in a Cougar uniform he has tallied up 144 strikeouts in his 148 innings pitched. While he has not had the individual success he would have liked, sitting at just 1-15 in his career, he has never given up on the Cougars and has only improved on all categories each year. He was also apart of the Cougars combined no-hitter thrown in April of 2018.

Block is taking a risk that not many seniors in his position would take as the Cougars are starting a new adventure after naming Brian Green the head coach a little over a month ago. Former head coach Marty Lees was let go with three games remaining last season. Block said he believes that Green is the man for the job and that he is excited for what is to come.

Here’s to hoping that Block and Green can get the Cougars back in the winning column more often and relevant in the Pac-12.

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