Adam Ottavino was drafted in the 1st round (30th overall) out of Northeastern University by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2006.
His junior season at Northeastern he was fantastic. Over 93.2 innings he only allowed 71 hits while striking out 120, good for a 2.98 ERA/1.11 WHIP. I remember writing to him and getting his autograph–which made me a fan for life.
It took Ottavino a while to find his way to the majors. He was always a well thought of prospect–he ranked in the Cardinals Top 30 prospects six times between 2007 and 2011–but he struggled to develop as a starter. The Cardinals put him on waivers in 2012, and the Rockies snagged him and converted him to a reliever. I am not sure why the Cardinals did not do it first–there were certainly signs that people were thinking about it.
The transition to the pen was a little rocky in 2012, but by 2013 found his groove as a pen arm and has been one of the best relievers in the National League ever since.
Last season was his best yet: 6-4, 2.43 ERA/0.991 WHIP over 77.2 innings. He only allowed 41 hits while striking out 112. The Rockies pen was rough this season, so I am not sure what they would have done without him.
This is my favorite certified autograph of him. It’s a nice clean card, and he has a great looking autograph.