Photo by: Dave Wegiel
Matt Leon Signs with Los Angeles Angels
6/12/2018 8:50:00 AM | Baseball
LOS ANGELES, CALIF. – Seton Hall's Matt Leon (Bethlehem, Pa.) has signed a professional baseball contract as a free agent with the Los Angeles Angels organization.
Leon becomes the sixth member of the 2018 Pirates to either sign a free agent contract or be selected in the 2018 MLB First-Year Draft joining former teammates Billy Layne, Jr., Andrew Politi, Shane McCarthy, Ryan Ramiz and Cullen Dana. Leon is the first Pirate to sign with the Angels since Derek Jenkins in 2016. Jenkins is currently playing for the Angel's high-A affiliate, the Inland Empire 66ers.
One of the truly great success stories to grace Seton Hall in recent years, Leon has gone from a walk-on, who was one of the last players to make the team as a freshman, to now a professional in a Major League Baseball organization.
One of only four unanimous players named to the All-BIG EAST First Team in 2018, Leon put together arguably the greatest single-season performance for a relief pitcher in Seton Hall history. Named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll twice, and BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 19, Leon broke Seton Hall's single-season record for saves, and climbed to second on the Pirates' career saves and appearances list. He led the BIG EAST in saves, appearances, games finished and games in relief.
Leon finished his remarkable senior campaign with a record 12 saves, 34 strikeouts in 30.2 innings, and a team-best 1.17 earned run average, which is tied for the sixth-lowest single-season mark in Seton Hall history.
Prior to his legendary 2018 season, Leon was a key component of the Pirates' bullpen as both a junior and sophomore, appearing in 22 and 26 games respectively. As a junior, he pitched to a 3.13 ERA and opponents batted a career-low .171 against him. As a sophomore, he appeared in a career-high 26 games with a 2.88 earned run average.
For his career, Leon had a sub-3.00 ERA (2.98) with 121 strikeouts in 136 innings and 16 saves, second-most all-time in a Pirate uniform.
A three-time Academic All-Star, Leon received Seton Hall's Academic Merit Award for graduating with at least a 3.2 cumulative grade point average.
Leon becomes the sixth member of the 2018 Pirates to either sign a free agent contract or be selected in the 2018 MLB First-Year Draft joining former teammates Billy Layne, Jr., Andrew Politi, Shane McCarthy, Ryan Ramiz and Cullen Dana. Leon is the first Pirate to sign with the Angels since Derek Jenkins in 2016. Jenkins is currently playing for the Angel's high-A affiliate, the Inland Empire 66ers.
One of the truly great success stories to grace Seton Hall in recent years, Leon has gone from a walk-on, who was one of the last players to make the team as a freshman, to now a professional in a Major League Baseball organization.
One of only four unanimous players named to the All-BIG EAST First Team in 2018, Leon put together arguably the greatest single-season performance for a relief pitcher in Seton Hall history. Named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll twice, and BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 19, Leon broke Seton Hall's single-season record for saves, and climbed to second on the Pirates' career saves and appearances list. He led the BIG EAST in saves, appearances, games finished and games in relief.
Leon finished his remarkable senior campaign with a record 12 saves, 34 strikeouts in 30.2 innings, and a team-best 1.17 earned run average, which is tied for the sixth-lowest single-season mark in Seton Hall history.
Prior to his legendary 2018 season, Leon was a key component of the Pirates' bullpen as both a junior and sophomore, appearing in 22 and 26 games respectively. As a junior, he pitched to a 3.13 ERA and opponents batted a career-low .171 against him. As a sophomore, he appeared in a career-high 26 games with a 2.88 earned run average.
For his career, Leon had a sub-3.00 ERA (2.98) with 121 strikeouts in 136 innings and 16 saves, second-most all-time in a Pirate uniform.
A three-time Academic All-Star, Leon received Seton Hall's Academic Merit Award for graduating with at least a 3.2 cumulative grade point average.
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