Who is Drew Rom? Everything you need to know about Cardinals pitcher making MLB debut vs Pirates

The St. Louis Cardinals have promoted rookie pitcher Drew Rom to the MLB, giving him a shot to make his dream come true. The 23-year-old will now be given the opportunity to establish himself at the major league level and prove to the club that he can be a part of the franchise's future.

The left-handed pitcher will be thrown right into the fire, making the first start of his MLB debut on the same day he was promoted. Drew Rom will be tasked with an easier matchup in his debut as he is taking on a Pittsburgh Pirates team that has struggled throughout the season.

"LHP Drew Rom has been selected from Memphis (AAA). He will wear uniform no. 38 and make his Major League debut as tonight’s starter." - @Cardinals

The 23-year-old from Cincinnati, Ohio, will have the opportunity to secure a spot in the St. Louis Cardinals pitching rotation for the remainder of the season. Given the notable departures at the trade deadline, if Rom can deliver in his MLB debut, the club may look to him as a key part of the rotation for next year as well.

Rom was originally drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 4th round of the 2018 MLB Draft from Highlands High School in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. However, after five mixed, and generally underwhelming seasons in the minor leagues, Baltimore opted to move on from the starting pitcher.

Drew Rom was a key part of the Jack Flaherty trade this summer

Rom was acquired by the St. Louis Cardinals on August 1st in a package that included Cesar Prieto and Zack Showalter. In exchange for Rom, the Baltimore Orioles landed former Cardinals ace Jack Flaherty.

"LHP Drew Rom, who was acquired in the Jack Flaherty trade with the #Orioles, struck out 10 in his first start in the #STLCards system. He grew up in Fort Thomas, KY in the shadow of Great American Park. His dream was to pitch vs the #Reds. He’ll make his MLB debut vs. #Pirates." - @JohnDenton555

Rom has been inconsistent throughout his time in the minors, experiencing various amounts of success at each minor league level. Through two seasons at Triple-A, Rom has posted a 10-7 record with a 4.75 ERA with 161 strikeouts over 134.2 innings.

However, since joining the St. Louis Cardinals, he owns a 2-0 record with a dazzling 0.82 ERA and 18 strikeouts with Triple-A Memphis. This level of production was convincing enough for the club to take a shot on the rookie at the MLB level.