WCU Product Joe Gunkel Climbing The Ladder In Baltimore Organization

By Matt Leon

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Back in 2012, West Chester University won the NCAA Division II College Baseball National Championship.

The Golden Rams clinched the title that year with a 9-0 win over Delta State as right-hander Joe Gunkel pitched a complete game five-hit shutout. Gunkel was actually named the tournament's most outstanding player that year.

A year later, he was drafted in the 18th-round by the Red Sox. He moved steadily up the ladder in the Boston organization before being traded to the Baltimore organization in early June for outfielder Alejandro De Aza. Gunkel's now in the starting rotation for Baltimore's Double-A team the Bowie Baysox and throwing the ball well. In three starts for Bowie, he is 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA. Overall this season, in 15 appearances for Boston's Single-A squad Salem, their Double-A squad Portland and Bowie, Gunkel is 4-2 with a 2.39 ERA. In 60 1/3 innings of work, he has struck out 55 and walked just 14.

"Thus far, just going the same way I've always been going," Gunkel tells KYW Newsradio. "Trying to attack the strike zone, throw quality pitches down in the zone, try to get the hitters to put the ball in play."

Listen to the entire interview with WCU product Joe Gunkel

The 23-year-old Gunkel has really thrown the ball well at every level in pro ball to this point. He has a career ERA of 2.87 and in 185 minor league innings he has 189 strikeouts. He has worked as both a starter and a reliever throwing a fastball, slider and change-up. Gunkel was pretty highly regarded in the Boston organization and he says he didn't see the trade to Baltimore coming.

"It was a pretty big shock," Gunkel says. "I got a call early in the morning, pretty much like half-an-hour after I woke up with the news. So it was a pretty weird start to the day. It was a quick turnaround too, I had a day to pack up all my stuff up. Fortunately, I didn't have to go far. The Bowie team was in New Hampshire while I was in Portland (Maine) so I only had to drive an hour-and-a-half to meet up with them."

Gunkel really was one of the best pitchers in recent West Chester University history he says his time with the Golden Rams helped him get where he is today.

"I think it played a big part," Gunkel says. "The (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference) is a really good baseball conference, you see a lot of good competition. It's a little different than the professional routine, but getting used to going out there and playing catch everyday and preparing yourself on a weekly basis to get ready and do the job."

Gunkel is slated to get the ball tonight for Bowie at home against New Britain.

You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattleonkyw.