Daniel Poncedeleon became the first Embry-Riddle draftee to reach the major leagues on Monday.
The St. Louis Cardinals purchased the 26-year-old right-hander's contract from their Triple-A affiliate in Memphis, optioning first baseman Luke Voit in a corresponding roster move.
Poncedeleon has appeared in 12 games (11 starts) for Memphis this season, going 5-2 with a 2.41 ERA. The 6-foot-4, 185-pound hurler ranks second in the Pacific Coast League with 71 strikeouts in 59.2 innings.
According to Baseball Reference, Embry-Riddle has produced 15 MLB draft picks. Poncedeleon, a ninth-rounder in 2014, is the highest-selected Eagle in program history.
"I'll steal a quote from my brother (ERAU assistant coach Chuck Stegall). It feels like we've all been called up to the big leagues," Eagles head coach Randy Stegall said. "His work ethic here was at a different level. A lot of guys work hard, but he worked smart.
"He's really matured the last four years, and we have kept the relationship with him. It's really been fun to see."
Though Poncedeleon is the first draftee to reach the majors, ERAU has had one former player get the call-up. Nick Regilio played for the Eagles in 1997, transferred to Jacksonville and was picked in the second round by the Texas Rangers in 1999.
Regilio, now the head coach at New Smyrna Beach High School, appeared in 24 games across two MLB seasons.
Prior to his arrival at ERAU, Poncedeleon made stops at the University of Arizona, Cypress (California) College and the University of Houston. He was drafted on three separate occasions before 2014 — by the Tampa Bay Rays as a high-schooler in the 24th round in 2010, by the Cincinnati Reds out of JUCO in the 38th round in 2012, and by the Chicago Cubs after his junior year in the 14th round in 2013.
During his lone campaign with the Eagles, Poncedeleon posted a 9-2 record with a 1.60 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 95.2 innings. ERAU won 40 games and advanced to the NAIA national tournament.
Poncedeleon quickly advanced through the lower levels of the minors, cracking the Triple-A roster at the start of 2017. However, his season was cut short after six games because of a freak injury.
A line drive off the bat of Iowa Cubs catcher Victor Caratini struck Poncedeleon in the right temple last May. He required emergency surgery to remove a bone flap from his skull and close an arterial laceration to relieve pressure from his cranial cavity.
Poncedeleon spent 10 days in intensive care and was not cleared to resume throwing until Aug. 9, exactly three months after the injury occurred.
"I remember everything," he told The News-Journal in March. "I remember throwing the pitch. I remember the ball hitting me in the head. I remember laying there. I remember everyone around me. I remember being put in the ambulance and driving to the hospital."
He returned to spring training with a clean bill of health and the confidence he could continue his promising career unfazed.
"I wasn’t scared. Nothing. It’s all back to normal," he said of his first time back on a mound before live batters. "Not really worried about it. I wanted to get it out of the way and get everybody’s mind off it, that I’m OK."
The Cardinals issued Poncedeleon the No. 62 jersey ahead of Monday's series opener against San Diego. He's not listed among the probable starters over the next three days. St. Louis will roll out Jack Flaherty, Miles Mikolas and DeLand High product Luke Weaver against the Padres.