UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – Saginaw Valley State University baseball's Jake Shelagowski experienced a life-changing moment on Monday, July 14, when he was selected with the 390th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. The St. Louis Cardinals chose the standout right-handed pitcher in round 13, making him the fifth SVSU player ever drafted—and the highest overall pick in program history.

A redshirt-sophomore, Shelagowski appeared in 26 games after redshirting his freshman season. He threw 31.1 of his 40.0 career innings during the 2025 campaign, finishing with a 1-0 record and a program-record 11 saves. The Saginaw, Michigan native struck out 51 batters this past season, bringing his career total to 57 and posting an impressive 12.83 strikeouts per nine innings. The 11 saves led the GLIAC and tied Shelagowski for fifth most in all of Division II baseball.

Before his time at SVSU, Shelagowski was a catcher and outfielder at Hemlock High School before transitioning to the mound in college. His arm strength stood out in 2025, as he consistently reached triple digits on the radar gun, topping out at 100 miles per hour multiple times throughout the season.

He signed his contract with the Cardinals on July 19 and has been assigned to the Florida Complex League (FCL) Cardinals, the rookie-level affiliate based in Jupiter, Florida. The FCL season wraps up in late July, potentially opening the door for Shelagowski to earn a promotion to a Single-A affiliate for the final two months of the minor league season.

To follow Shelagowski's professional journey, including transactions and stats, visit his MLB.com profile.