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NC State LHP Dominic Fritton drafted by Tampa Bay Rays

image_6483441 (3)by: Noah Fleischman07/14/25fleischman_noah
Dominic Fritton
© Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NC State junior left-handed pitcher Dominic Fritton was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the fourth round with the 117th overall pick Monday morning. He is the Wolfpack’s first draft pick of this year’s event.

Fritton, an All-ACC Third Team selection, logged 86.2 innings in which he allowed 54 runs (43 earned) on 92 hits with 39 walks and a career-best 107 strikeouts in 17 starts to pace the Pack in games started, innings and strikeouts. He was able to show his elite arsenal of pitches as a junior to become the first Wolfpack pitcher with 100 or more strikeouts in a single season since Carlos Rodon did it in 2014. Fritton also limited opposing batters to just a .273 average this past spring.

The Fuquay-Varina, N.C., native had MLB scouts at nearly every one of his 17 starts this season. The junior was a draft-eligible sophomore a year ago, but had a rocky campaign that led him back to campus. Fritton rebounded this past season after he held a 7.64 ERA in 73 innings pitched as he gave up 67 runs (62 earned) with 47 walks and 72 strikeouts in 17 starts during the 2024 campaign.

NC State’s go-to ace burst onto the scene as a freshman during the 2023 season. He tossed 62.2 innings with 30 runs allowed (25 earned), 24 walks and 75 strikeouts across 17 appearances with nine starts. Fritton was able to limit batters to a .211 average as he was a consensus First Team Freshman All-America selection as a starting pitcher.

Fritton, who had quite the rollercoaster of a career at NC State, is now likely to sign with the Rays to end his collegiate career a year early. Should he make it to Triple-A in the future, Fritton would likely be comfortable pitching in the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, a place he has made several appearances in over his career.

As Fritton is set to depart from the Wolfpack program, that opens up the team’s Friday night starting role going into the 2026 season. Rising junior left-handed pitcher Ryan Marohn is likely to slot into that job after he impressed with a career-best 91 strikeouts to just 19 walks in 85.1 innings en route to a 3.38 ERA as the team’s Sunday starter.

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