Ben McDonald was one of the most highly decorated pitchers when he was drafted #1 by the Baltimore Orioles in 1989. A Gold medal winning pitcher for the US Olympic team in 1988, as well as being the winner of the Golden Spikes award and a collegiate All-American solidified his spot as the nation’s best amateur pitcher.
In McDonald’s first game as a starter for the Baltimore Orioles he threw a complete game shut-out and appeared to be ready to live up to the hype of being the first pick in the draft.
Unfortunately, Ben McDonald was never able to escape the constant demand and pressure put on him due to his success in college. Although we has a winning record of 78-70 over 9 seasons, he never did achieve the lofty aspirations placed upon him by baseball’s scouts and management.
In 2008, Ben McDonald was elected into the College Baseball Hall of Fame. His college career was certainly far more impressive than his professional one….