Dzierwa leaves MSU for Vanderbilt

According to his social media accounts, 6-foot-7, 200-pound southpaw pitcher Joseph Dzierwa (Otsego) is transferring to Vanderbilt University after completing his sophomore season at Michigan State University.

From Haskins, Dzierwa earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors and garnered Second Team All-Big Ten accolades as a sophomore.

He also earned Big Ten All-Freshman Team recognition and was the recipient of the MSU team award for the Robin Roberts Most Valuable Pitcher Award as a sophomore in 2024.

As a sophomore, Dzierwa was second in the the Big Ten in both innings pitched (84) and strikeouts (91), third in the Big Ten overall in WHIP (1.19). He was third in Big Ten games only in innings pitched (48.2), sixth in Big Ten games only in strikeouts (43), eighth overall in strikeouts per nine innings (9.7), ninth in the Big Ten overall in ERA (4.07) and tied for 14th in the Ten overall in walks per nine innings (2.9)

In final outing of the season, Dzierwa rang up a career-high 11 strikeouts against Nebraska on May 17, topping his previous career-best of nine Ks done four previous times this season, most recently vs Michigan on May 3.

Dzierwa was the only Spartan pitcher to chalk up double-digit strikeouts this season and the first since March 11, 2023 when Adam Berghorst rang up 11 Ks vs. Western Carolina at Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C. The 11 Ks was the first double-digit strikeout outing by a Spartan pitcher at home since April 25, 2021 when Sam Benschoter chalked up 17 strikeouts in 9.1 IP of relief that was also against Nebraska.

With the 91 strikeouts on the season, Dzierwa had a big role in the Spartan pitching staff amassing 420 total strikeouts on the season, finishing No. 3 on MSU’s team strikeouts list and the most since 445 in 2019. Dzierwa made his mark in MSU’s record books, as the 91 strikeouts are No. 8 on MSU’s single-season Top 10 strikeouts list, the most by a Spartan pitcher since 2016 when Dakota Mekkes rang up 96.

Standout freshman season

Dzierwa finished his freshman season with 16 appearances, making 13 starts, posting a 6-4 record with a 5.69 ERA, logging team-high 60 strikeouts to just 22 walks, in team-leading 74.1 IP overall, limiting the opposition to .228. He finished tied for eighth in the Big Ten overall in wins (6), was ranked tied for third in the Big Ten only stats for wins (4).

Dzierwa was tied for fourth in the Big Ten regular-season in wins (6), while also tying for fourth in the conference in walks allowed per nine innings (2.45), along with just outside the top 10 in the conference in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.84) and tied for 23rd in BAA (.271)

His rookie year at MSU, Dzierwa was also 11th in the league in innings pitched (69.2), and 21st in the conference in strikeouts. He led MSU in wins (6), starts (13), innings pitched (74.1) and strikeouts (60), while ranking second in strikeouts looking (17).

Dzierwa had a smashing gem of a Spartan and collegiate debut in season-opener vs. Michigan (Feb. 17) at MLB Desert Invite in Phoenix, chalking up five strikeouts in 4.2 IP, holding UM to just three hits without a run, earning first collegiate win in first appearance for the Spartans.

Dzierwa was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on April 10 for his performance in a 7-1 victory for MSU over Ohio State (April 7), as the Spartan southpaw went six solid innings, yielding just three hits while allowing only one run, with four walks and four strikeouts to earn the win. At that point, he improved to 4-1 on the season, and helped lead the Spartans to coach Jake Boss Jr. winning his 400th victory for MSU.

Dzierwa was boosted by a pair of three-up, three-down frames, working a non-conventional 1-2-3 opening inning, yielding a one-out single, before inducing a 5-4-3, two-outs, one-play to end the opening frame. He then book-ended the fourth inning with strikeouts, sandwiched around a flyout to Dresselhouse in center, who made a nice running shoe-top catch.

Also during his freshman season, Dzierwa rang up season-high eight strikeouts in just 3.2 IP at Indiana State (March 19), yielding just one hit. He chalked up five or more Ks in six outings, including first three of season and earned second win in as many outings in earning win in first start, going six innings at USC Upstate (Feb. 24) in ringing up five punchouts and scattering seven hits.

Dzierwa went a season-long 6.2 IP at Charleston (March 3), also earned win in start at Rutgers (March 31), going five innings with one K, four hits and just one run.

He had two outings without a run and five outings with three or less hits, along with three outings without allowing a walk. He rang up six punchouts while scattering six hits and yielding just one run start vs. Nebraska in the Big Ten Tournament (May 26). Dzierwa also fielded his position by sharing the staff-lead with eight assists, adding two putouts, including season-high three assists vs. Nebraska in the Big Ten tourney game.

Record-setting Knight

Dzierwa was a four-year letterwinner at Otsego for coach Chase Welker, posting a 5-0 record and firing 70 strikeouts in 37.1 innings pitched as a senior. He only allowed two earned runs with a minuscule 0.38 ERA, yielding only 14 hits, posting four shutouts and firing five complete games in seven starts.

Dzierwa collected second-team Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association’s All-Ohio Division III accolades and garnered All-Northern Buckeye Conference honors as a junior, after breaking the Otsego single-season strikeout record with 115 .

Dzierwa also broke the Knights’ records for single-game strikeouts with 18 and single-season innings pitched mark with 66.3, and also tied the single-season wins record with seven. He finished his junior season with a 7-3 record and a 2.01 ERA, with the 115 strikeouts and 15 walks in 66.3 IP, helping the Knights to the district finals.

He was rated as the No. 5 left-handed pitcher in the state of Ohio and the No. 19 overall player in the state by Prep Baseball Report. He was also rated as the No. 484 prospect in its top 500 prospect rankings by Baseball American and also No. 181 among the top 400 MLB Draft prospects by Prospects Live, but continued amateur baseball status and attended Michigan State.

Dzierwa played summer league for Bo Jackson Elite and was also a standout quarterback at Otsego, where his coach was his father, Matthew, and Joseph was a four-year letterwinner in football.

Dzierwa was named football team captain for 2021 season, earned All-Ohio and All-NBC honors as a senior and was named the NBC Player/Back of the Year and all-district co-offensive player of the year. He helped the Knights win the NBC championship, and reach the regional semifinals in the state football playoffs. He threw for 2,149 yards with 25 touchdowns and just three interceptions, while also rushing for 412 yards and three TDs in senior season.

As a junior, he threw for 2,067 yards and 22 TDs on 143-of-238 passing, while rushing for 245 yards in earning Division V Northwest District Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-Ohio accolades.

He was also a three-year letterwinner in basketball at shooting guard. He originally chose MSU over Ohio State, Indiana, Missouri, Toledo, Bowling Green and Army.

The son of Dasa and Matthew Dzierwa, Joseph’s father Matthew, played football at Northwestern (1988-92). He is majoring in business with career ambitions of owning his own business when his baseball career is over. He lists his father as biggest baseball influence because of all of his help and support.