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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Cincinnati Red’s top pick Lodolo joins Billings Mustangs

The Cincinnati Red’s first round draft pick and 7th player taken overall, Nick Lodolo, has arrived in Billings. The left-handed pitcher out of TCU got a $5.43 million signing bonus to leave the Horned Frogs early. Lodolo was the first pitcher selected in the draft and one of 10 taken in the first round. In 16 starts for TCU this past season, Lodolo struck out 131 batters with a 2.36 ERA. This is the 9th straight year the Reds have sent their number one draft pick to Billings to begin their professional career. For Lodolo, he’s already getting used to all the travel and uncertainty that comes with being a professional baseball player. “I had about I want to say I had a week about seven days I was at school packed up, drove from Texas back to California got home on like Thursday I don’t know if I’m staying here the whole year if I plan on sticking around right now I don’t have a host family,” said Lodolo. Lodolo says he’s a pitcher who throws a lot of strikes on both sides of the plate, and he’s excited to start his professional career.