He did not suffer a pitching loss this past season of college baseball, and will soon bring his talents to the professional ranks.

Former North Stanly standout Rhett Lowder, after three seasons of NCAA Div. I college baseball at Wake Forest, was drafted seventh overall in the opening round of the 2023 Major League Baseball draft by the Cincinnati Reds Sunday.

Lowder was the ACC Pitcher of the Year the past two seasons and set Wake team records for wins in a season (15), strikeouts in a season (143) and the best win percentage for a pitcher in a season, going 15-0.

This past season, in leading the Deacons to the College World Series, Lowder had a 1.87 earned run average and opponents batted just .208 against him. With just 24 walks issued this year, his strikeouts-to-walks ration is 5.96.

The former Comet also won the 2023 ACC Scholar Athlete of the Year Award and was named the 2023 Anthony J. McKelvin Award winner as the ACC Male Athlete of the Year.

Lowder was a first-team All American from several college baseball organizations and was a finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, which goes to the national collegiate baseball player of the year.

“It’s super humbling to be considered to go so high in the draft knowing where I have come from and my journey to this point,” Lowder said. “Coming from a small town where I was slightly under recruited and having Wake give me a shot, I never looked back, and I am so grateful for the entire journey.”

Lowder added he was “so thankful for the support of my family and friends and the entire community that has been there every step of the way.”