Illinois pitcher Jack Crowder emerged this past season as the ace for Dan Hartleb's Illini.

Now, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound right-hander from Romeoville will get a chance at pro baseball. The Baltimore Orioles selected the 21-year-old in the ninth round of Monday's Major League Baseball draft with the 279th overall pick. The approximate pick value is $189,000.

Crowder went 7-2 with a 4.88 earned run average this past season at Illinois, helping the program win a Big Ten regular-season title and get back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2019.

Crowder threw 90 1/3 innings at Illinois in 2024, making 16 starts. He struck out 80 and walked 38, with opponents hitting .217 off him.