Duke pitcher Matuella out for season, will have Tommy John surgery

On Wednesday, Duke baseball announced that junior right-hander Michael Matuella will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ulnar collateral ligament and will have Tommy John surgery.

Matuella, who is ranked No. 5 on MLB.com’s list of draft-eligible players for 2015, had a 1-1 record in six starts this season with a 1.08 ERA. Matuella racked up 24 strikeouts in 25 innings, while issuing 11 base on balls.

“Over the last three years Michael Matuella showed premium talent we have rarely seen in college baseball,” head coach Chris Pollard said via Duke press release. “He has also demonstrated tremendous character, leadership and work ethic. While we are all disappointed with the timing of his injury, I have total confidence he will make a full recovery and have a long and successful pitching career.”

The 6’6,” 220-pounder holds a lifetime 6-8 with a 3.19 ERA for the Blue Devils. The injury marks the second straight year a potential No. 1 overall draft pick from the state of North Carolina has needed Tommy John surgery, as former ECU ace Trevor Hoffman had the procedure done last season.

Joining Matuella on the disabled list will be fellow pitcher Nick Hendrix, who is recovering from a head injury suffered on March 18 during a game against Columbia. Hendrix was 1-1 on the season with a 3.95 ERA.

This story was originally published April 1, 2015 at 8:46 PM with the headline "Duke pitcher Matuella out for season, will have Tommy John surgery."