Watson inks free agent deal with St. Louis Cardinals.
HUNTSVILLE – Sam Houston left-handed pitcher Michael Watson became the second Bearkat from 2024 to join an MLB organization on Tuesday when he signed as a free agent with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Watson joined the Bearkats as a graduate for the 2024 season after pitching for Southwest Assemblies of God where he set the program record for strikeouts and was named an NAIA All-American. Upon his arrival in Huntsville he made an immediate impact, ultimately earning All-Conference USA second team honors as a starting pitcher.
He finished with a 7-1 record and a 3.50 ERA for the year, punching out 91 hitters with 25 walks in 72.0 innings. He held opposing batters to a league-low .203 average and was named CUSA Pitcher of the Week on April 15 after he struck out 10 in 7.0 one-hit innings in a win over WKU.
Watson’s 91 strikeouts were the most by a Bearkat since Hayden Wesneski struck out 110 in 2019.
He was picked up by the Kansas City Monarchs of the American Association of Professional Baseball on July 4 and made three starts, striking out 14 hitters in 16.0 innings with just two runs allowed. He struck out seven and allowed only two hits in 6.0 innings of his debut and picked up his first win on July 14 vs Lincoln with five strikeouts in 5.0 shutout innings.
