University of Arizona Athletics

Arizona 2023 (Senior)
Made 20 relief appearances for the Wildcats in his final collegiate season...Went 2-0 with a 5.49 ERA (12ERx19.2IP) while striking out 22...Made Arizona debut on Feb. 25 against West Virginia, holding the Mountaineers scoreless (1.2,0,0,0,0,3)...Limited opposing hitters to a stingy .212 batting average...Held opponents scoreless in 13-of-20 appearances, including in six of his last eight outings of the year to drop his ERA nearly a run and a half...Logged six multi-strikeout appearances; season-high three in first outing of the year...Performed well in Pac-12 play, posting a 5.91 ERA (7ERx10.2IP) across 11 outings...Limited Pac-12 opponents to a .222 batting average. POSTSEASON: Made one postseason appearance, a relief outing in an elimination game against Santa Clara at the NCAA Fayetteville Regional (1.0,0,0,0,0,2).

Before Arizona
Spent four years (2019-22) at Butler and logged playing time in three seasons before transferring to Arizona…Across 33 appearances (three starts) with the Bulldogs went 5-4 with four saves, a 3.12 ERA, and 67 strikeouts in 52 innings…Made career-high 17 appearances (two starts) in 2022 and went 4-3 with four saves and a 1.27 ERA while limiting opposing hitters to a .205 batting average…Earned Second Team All-Big East honors in 2022…Four-time Academic All-Conference selection at Butler…Prepped at Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School in Minnesota where he lettered three years in baseball and three years in basketball…Pitched and played shortstop under the direction of head coach Tony Cicalello…Helped Red Knights finish fourth in the State 3A Tournament during 2016 season…Earned All-Conference and All-State honors in both 2016 and 2017…Ranks second on school’s all-time made three pointers leaderboard.
 
Personal
Derek John Drees…Son of Tom and Stephanie Drees…One brother, Dylan…One sister, Sydney…Pursuin graduate certificate in Real Estate Development Analysis...Father played baseball at Creighton and logged time in Major League Baseball with the Chicago White Sox…Brother plays baseball at Creighton…Sister plays soccer at Creighton…Enjoys extensive hours in the sauna, reading, bingeing TV shows, laying in the sun, and playing pickup basketball in his free time…Allergic to hair dye (figured it out the hard way)…Has been in 100 degree heat and -10 degree cold in the same day…Chose Arizona because, “The expectation to get to Omaha and the chance to pitch in front of thousands of fans that love Arizona baseball!”