Angels Take Mondak in 18th Round of MLB Draft

After serving as the ace of the St. John's staff this past spring, Nick Mondak heard his name called in the 18^th round of the MLB Draft on Tuesday afternoon, as the Los Angeles Angels selected the southpaw no. 531 overall.

Mondak proved nothing short of sensational for the Johnnies in 2021, earning a spot on the All-BIG EAST First Team after going 4-3 with a 1.92 ERA in 11 starts at the top of the Red Storm rotation. In 65.2 innings of work, the lefty struck out 74 batters and surrendered only 18 walks. Ranked 13^th in the NCAA for ERA at season's end, Mondak allowed just 13 extra-base hits and held opponents to a .248 batting average. He recorded no fewer than 5.0 innings in any one appearance and threw 6.0 or more frames in eight of those 11 outings. The Watertown, Conn., native fanned five or more batters in all but one of his starts and punched out eight or more batters four times, including a season-high 10 Ks at Butler on May 14.

During the shortened 2020 season, Mondak failed to pick up a win in four starts, but impressed in limited action as the Red Storm's Friday starter. He turned in a 4.29 ERA against strong early-season competition, including a no-decision against Cal that the Red Storm turned into a victory. He punched out 21 batters in 21.0 innings of work.

After making just one appearance in his first two seasons with the program due to injury, Mondak returned to the mound in 2019 and put together an impressive campaign. In 10 appearances, nine of which were starts, Mondak went 2-3 with a 3.86 ERA. He struck out 34 batters and walked only 16, holding opponents to a .240 batting average in the process. Over his last six outings that spring, Mondak racked up 30 strikeouts and allowed just seven walks. In the Red Storm's regular season finale against Seton Hall, he punched out seven batters in 5.0 innings of two-run work to help secure the Johnnies' spot in the BIG EAST Tournament for a league-record 16^th consecutive year.

Over the past several decades, St. John's has been one of the Northeast's premier programs in terms sending talent to the next level. From 2010-19, Red Storm student-athletes accumulated 39 draft picks, the highest totals in the Northeast or the BIG EAST. When no Johnnies heard their names called during the five-round 2020 MLB Draft, it marked the first summer since 1976 that no St. John's players were drafted or signed to a free-agent professional contract.

Mondak becomes the 12^th Red Storm hurler since 2015 to be selected in the MLB Draft. All but one of those pitchers was taken in the first 18 rounds.

St. John's University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Nick Mondak

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