Drew Conover to join Rutgers next season, will not sign with Detroit Tigers

Drew Conover has decided to forgo the opportunity to sign a professional contract for next season and head to Rutgers.

Conover was selected with the 597th overall pick in the 20th round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers. He spent the first two years of his career at Seton Hall before announcing his transfer to Rutgers in June.

On Thursday night, Conover took to Twitter to announce that he would not be signing with the Tigers and plans to honor his commitment to the Scarlet Knights.

Conover finished the 2021 season with 43 strikeouts and 25 walks with a 5.73 ERA along with a 2-2 record over 18 appearances, making one start. He had a slow start to the season but was able to finish strong. Conover logged a 0.60 ERA over the final 15.1 innings with 16 strikeouts and five walks.

The 6-foot-5 right-hander spent the summer pitching in the Cape Cod League and was named an All-Star for his work during the season.

Conover brings an arsenal of three pitches to the staff at Rutgers. He sits in the mid-90s with his fastball and possesses two off speed pitches that he can throw in any count — a sinker and slider.

“Drew will be a huge addition to our pitching staff for next year,” Rutgers head coach Steve Owens said. “He has three very good swing-and-miss pitches from a unique arm slot. He has shown tremendous improvement and will get great experience in the Cape this summer. He has the size and athleticism to not only be an impact arm in the Big Ten, but also pitch professionally.”

The Scarlet Knights are coming off a season where they finished with a program-record 44 wins and finished as the runner-up in the Big Ten Tournament. Conover is a strong arm that can add more firepower to the rotation.