The independent student newspaper of Northeastern University

The Huntington News

The independent student newspaper of Northeastern University

The Huntington News

The independent student newspaper of Northeastern University

The Huntington News

Column: Should he stay or should he go?

By By Jonathan Raymond

Pitcher Ryan Quigley has a tough decision to make.

The junior for the baseball team could have a professional career awaiting him after being selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 22nd round of last week’s Major League Baseball draft.

But the 6-foot-4-inch, 220-pound southpaw from Taunton still has a year of eligibility left with Northeastern. With a strong senior season, he could improve his draft stock and get taken in a higher round next year, where he’d likely be offered a substantially larger signing bonus.

Typically, players picked as low as Quigley are only given a few thousand dollars to sign a professional contract and salaries in the lower levels of the minor leagues don’t often exceed more than about $1,500 a month. Some of Northeastern’s co-op jobs pay more than that.

Of course, making that decision is easier said than done. He does have room to improve, after going 3-5 with a 6.35 ERA for the Huskies last year, and walking 39 batters in just 66 2/3 innings. This after a sophomore season in which his ERA was 8.06 and he issued another 31 walks in 51 1/3 innings.

If Quigley improves on that control, though, his natural talent is certainly evident. In those same 66 2/3 innings last year, he struck out a remarkable 80 batters, the 10th highest number ever in a single season for a Husky.

In a professional team’s minor league system, he could work on improving his control full-time, further developing his natural talent and rounding out into a dangerous pitcher. It’s a testament to how much Oakland must have liked him that the A’s drafted him in such a high round (there are 50 rounds total in the MLB draft) despite such middling college numbers.

Furthermore, if Quigley left Northeastern early, he would eliminate the risk of injury next season, something that would put a huge damper on professional plans.

It’s an unusual spot for a Northeastern junior to be in. Pitchers Adam Ottavino and Dave Pellegrine left as juniors in 2006, but Ottavino was a first-round pick of the Cardinals, and Pellegrine was taken in the 11th round by the Angels. Other recent NU draftees have all been seniors who were drafted closer to Quigley’s 22nd round. Quigley, among baseball players, might be alone in recent Northeastern history in that he could potentially gain something from sticking around for a senior year.

Husky fans are, of course, familiar with this situation already. Men’s hockey goalie Brad Thiessen signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins shortly after the Northeastern season ended, forgoing his senior season. After seeing him on the ice hoisting the Stanley Cup Friday night, it’s hard to argue with that decision.

And you can’t really blame an athlete for choosing the professional route early. Yes, most of us would like to see them stay and play out their college careers, but plenty of professional athletes go back and finish their degrees.

Northeastern will always be here.

The chance at a pro career may not.

Ultimately, whether Quigley chooses to stay or go, as long as he’s confident and comfortable with his decision, it’s likely the right one. It’s a tricky situation to be in, but I’m sure most of us wish we could be in the same spot.

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