2008 Woodie Awards
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Former Zag Clayton Mortensen is with St. Louis for Spring Training
Evan Wells
Issue date: 2/8/08 Section: Sports
The St. Louis Cardinals named former Bulldog pitcher Clayton Mortensen as a non-roster invitee to their major league spring training in Jupiter, Fla.
Mortensen will fly to Florida today to participate in a mini camp with 10 other pitchers who were also named non-roster invitees. The first team workout with the rest of the Cardinals players and coaches will take place on Feb. 19.
"This is my first spring training, and I don't really know what to expect," Mortensen said. "I'm just going to do the best I can and show them that I can compete with the best of them."
In 2007, Mortensen led the Bulldogs to a second-place finish in the West Coast Conference with a 9-2 record, 3.92 ERA and 122 strikeouts. He was named WCC Pitcher of the Year en route to being named a Louisville Slugger Third Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball.
The St. Louis Cardinals selected Mortensen with the 36th overall pick in the 2007 Major League Draft.
Mortensen played his first summer of professional baseball with the Batavia Muckdogs, a Class A Short Season affiliate of the Cardinals, and with the Class A Quad Cities River Bandits. He posted a combined 2.67 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 60.2 innings pitched.
Despite his early success, Mortensen admits that he still has room to improve.
"My first year has been a great learning experience," he said. "I'm really looking forward to getting back into action and getting involved competitively."
For the last two weeks, Mortensen has joined workouts with the current Gonzaga baseball team.
"The coaches here have been very helpful," Mortensen said. "They have let me join workouts and I am very appreciative."
Steve Bennett, the pitching coach for the Bulldogs, thinks Mortensen's invitation to major league Spring Training shows how his skills have developed.
"I think it's great for Morty," Bennett said. "He gets the opportunity to compete with the best after only half a year in the minors. It also shows that even though Gonzaga is a small school, we still have top-level players."
Mortensen will fly to Florida today to participate in a mini camp with 10 other pitchers who were also named non-roster invitees. The first team workout with the rest of the Cardinals players and coaches will take place on Feb. 19.
"This is my first spring training, and I don't really know what to expect," Mortensen said. "I'm just going to do the best I can and show them that I can compete with the best of them."
In 2007, Mortensen led the Bulldogs to a second-place finish in the West Coast Conference with a 9-2 record, 3.92 ERA and 122 strikeouts. He was named WCC Pitcher of the Year en route to being named a Louisville Slugger Third Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball.
The St. Louis Cardinals selected Mortensen with the 36th overall pick in the 2007 Major League Draft.
Mortensen played his first summer of professional baseball with the Batavia Muckdogs, a Class A Short Season affiliate of the Cardinals, and with the Class A Quad Cities River Bandits. He posted a combined 2.67 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 60.2 innings pitched.
Despite his early success, Mortensen admits that he still has room to improve.
"My first year has been a great learning experience," he said. "I'm really looking forward to getting back into action and getting involved competitively."
For the last two weeks, Mortensen has joined workouts with the current Gonzaga baseball team.
"The coaches here have been very helpful," Mortensen said. "They have let me join workouts and I am very appreciative."
Steve Bennett, the pitching coach for the Bulldogs, thinks Mortensen's invitation to major league Spring Training shows how his skills have developed.
"I think it's great for Morty," Bennett said. "He gets the opportunity to compete with the best after only half a year in the minors. It also shows that even though Gonzaga is a small school, we still have top-level players."