The New York Mets selected University of New Orleans pitcher Eric Orze, a two-time cancer survivor, in the fifth round of the 2020 MLB draft Thursday night.
Orze missed part of the 2018 season and the entire 2019 campaign while undergoing treatment for testicular cancer and skin cancer, per ESPN.
Mets vice president of international and amateur scouting Tommy Tanous commented on the pick:
"This is a kid that will not quit. He really won't. Our scouts fell in love with his split-finger, to tell you the truth. He throws a heavy, heavy fastball and he uses that split as his out pitch, his strikeout pitch.