Top 5 Florida State pitchers of all time ft. Mike Loynd
Florida State is back in the College World Series. With the program in the spotlight, it's only natural for some of the focus to go on the pitchers who have made Seminole baseball successful.
While the position players run up big stats, it's the men on the mound who often make the difference for top programs like FSU. Here are the top five Florida State pitching legends.
Top five Florida State pitchers of all time
#5 Jonathan Johnson (1993-1995)
Johnson was an insane 34-5 in his three seasons as a Seminole. He also struck out 391 batters in 363 college innings. Johnson even pitched four shutouts in his FSU career, posting a 2.63 career ERA.
He was the seventh overall pick in the 1995 MLB Draft by the Texas Rangers. In a few MLB stints with the Rangers, Astros and Padres, he ended up just 2-4 in the big leagues with a 6.63 ERA. He will always have his FSU glory days.
#4 Richie Lewis (1985-1987)
Lewis was one of the best strikeout pitchers in the history of college baseball. He fanned 520 batters in 382 2/3 innings pitched. That includes an absurd sophomore season when he struck out 202 hitters in 127 2/3 innings. He was 38-12 with a 3.22 career ERA at FSU.
A second-round pick by the Expos in 1987, Lewis was in the big leagues for seven seasons. He posted a career 14-15 record and 4.88 ERA with just four of his 217 MLB apperances being starts.
#3 Paul Wilson (1992-1994)
After a so-so freshman season mostly as a reliever, Wilson shone in his next two seasons. He went 11-5 with a 1.94 ERA as a sophomore and was 13-5 with a 2.08 ERA as a junior. He fanned 163 hitters in 143 innings in that final FSU season.
Wilson was the top pick in the 1994 MLB Draft by the Mets. He was 40-58 as an MLB pitcher, with his best season coming with the Reds in 2004, when he went 11-6.
#2 Doug Little (1983-1986)
Little owns a major portion of the FSU record book. His 49 wins are an FSU record as are his 549 innings pitched. He posted a 3.48 ERA with his 49-18 career record. His best year was 1985, when he was 16-2 with a 2.32 ERA.
Little was chosen in the 10th round of the 1986 MLB Draft by the White Sox. He never reached the MLB, though, pitching in AAA in 1989 before retiring.
#1 Mike Loynd (1983-1986)
Another all-time Florida State legend, Loynd, won the Golden Spikes Award in 1986.
He went 20-3 with a 2.46 ERA that year, striking out 223 hitters in 164 2/3 innings. Loynd won 20 game despite pitching just 25 times, with 24 starts. For his FSU career, he was 45-10 with a 3.43 ERA and 417 strikeouts.
Picked in the seventh round of the 1986 MLB Draft by Texas, Loynd was 3-7 with a 5.82 ERA in a pair of big league seasons.
Which Florida State hurlers will you always remember? Let's hear your stories in our comments section: