ALLENTOWN, Penn. - Former Gardner-Webb University pitcher Jeremy Walker earned Lehigh Valley Pitcher of the Year honors, announced by the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Monday, Sept. 25.

The award is given by the Lehigh Valley IronPigs organization, and recognizes the accomplishments for an outstanding pitcher on the staff during the 2023 season. The IronPigs are the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. Lehigh Valley finished third overall in the International League East Division this season, with a record of 80-66.

Walker went 6-2 this season with a 2.90 ERA across 68.1 innings. In his 47 games played, Walker started two, striking out 52 batters and finishing with a WHIP of 1.24.

His most impressive outing was on April 12 at Durham, going 2.1 innings, allowing one run off one hit while striking out four batters. He also went 2.1 innings on July 4 at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, allowing just two hits and striking out a pair. Walker recently went 2.1 innings on Sept. 12 at Rochester, holding the Red Wings scoreless and striking out a batter. 

In his final season in Boiling Springs, Walker posted a 9-5 record to go with a career-low 3.77 ERA in 15 starts. He ranked second in the Big South Conference with a career-best 99 strikeouts and walked only 27 men in 100.1 innings of work,

Over his final seven starts in 2016, Walker went 5-1 with a 2.39 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 49.0 innings. He walked just 14 batters combined during that same stretch. For his efforts, Walker earned honorable mention All-Big South Conference honors that season.

In three seasons at Gardner-Webb, Walker won 14 games and fanned 155 batters in 181.0 innings of work. He forged a 4.23 ERA in 30 career starts.

Walker was drafted in the 5th round of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Atlanta Braves. Walker became the second-ever Runnin' Bulldog at the time to appear in the Major Leagues, making his debut on July 26, 2019, allowing one hit in one scoreless inning against the Phillies. 

Walker is one of four former Gardner-Webb baseball players currently in Minor League or Major League Baseball, including Mason Miller of the Oakland Athletics. Mason Fox, El Paso Chihuahuas (San Diego Padres/Triple-A), and Chandler Redmond, Springfield Cardinals (St. Louis Cardinals/Double-A), currently play in Minor League Baseball. 

The Gardner-Webb baseball program is coming off a 31-25 season with a fourth-place finish in the Big South conference, along with seven players earning All-Conference honors. For more information on the Gardner-Webb baseball team, fans can follow the Runnin' Bulldogs on Twitter/X at @GWUBaseball or on Instagram at @gwubaseball.