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A lifelong dream of playing professional baseball came true for Cole Rohrbough last week. After pitching the Western Nevada Community College baseball team into the NJCAA World Series and earning World Series all-tournament honors, Rohrbough flew to Atlanta to sign a $728,000 contract with the Atlanta Braves. Rohrbough will report to Virginia on Sunday to play for the Danville Braves, an advanced rookie minor league baseball team that plays in the Appalachian League.
“Anytime you get three quarters of a million dollars to do what you love, you have to take it,” said Head Coach D.J. Whittemore. “It was always his dream to play pro ball and we’re very proud of him. I’m personally proud to play a small part in that, as are our pitching coaches Dennis Banks and Kevin Edwards.”
Rohrbough’s contract includes a $675,000 signing bonus and $53,000 to continue school after his baseball career ends. He had previously signed a national letter of intent to play at Arizona State University.
Last year, the Braves drafted Rohrbough in the 22nd round, 670 overall, after he ended his first season with a 3.23 earned run average, a 5-3 record, and 52 strikeouts in 56.1 innings. He improved on those numbers in his second season finishing with a 10-3 record, a 1.34 earned run average, 99 innings pitched, two shutouts, a .181 opponents’ batting average, and a Scenic West Athletic Conference-leading 132 strikeouts.
As Western’s top pitcher, Rohrbough led the Wildcats to eight-straight post-season wins that advanced them to the NJCAA World Series. Rohrbough opened the series with a dominating performance over Delgado Community College, allowing only three hits in 7.1 scoreless innings and striking out 12 in a 2-0 victory.
“He pitched an outstanding game in the World Series,” added Whittemore. “He put us in a position to keep our dream to win a national championship alive. I’m happy to see that he was rewarded with all-tournament honors.”
Rohrbough is a graduate of North Medford High School in Medford, Ore. At WNCC, he earned an Associate of General Studies degree.
Cole Rohrbough pitched brilliantly in the NJCAA World Series in his final game as a Western Wildcat.
