Former St. Cloud State University pitcher Nick Anderson is set to appear in the World Series with the Tampa Bay Rays. The series between the Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers begins Tuesday night.

Anderson, 30, will be the first former Husky to appear in a World Series since Jim Eisenreich, who won it all with the (then) Florida Marlins in 1997.

Anderson pitched for the Huskies under coach Pat Dolan from 2009-2011. The Crosby, Minnesota native registered 151 strikeouts with the Huskies before playing independent baseball in the Frontier League with the Rockford Aviators.

"He threw 90 miles per hour in high school and had some big years for us, so we knew he had a chance," SCSU baseball coach Pat Dolan said. "He had that pro mentality, where they don't let outside stuff affect them as much as other guys do and when you put that along with talent and get put in the right spot.. it's a really good success story."

Anderson was drafted by the Brewers in the 32nd round of the 2012 draft but did not sign. Three years later, after pitching with the Aviators then spending a summer playing amateur baseball, he signed a free agent contract with his hometown Minnesota Twins.

He climbed the ladder of the Twins organization and posted great numbers, but never got a chance at the MLB level.

He was traded to the Marlins after the 2018 season, during which he went 8-2 with 88 strikeouts in 60 innings pitched, and made his MLB debut in 2019 with Miami.

Anderson was 2-4 with the Marlins with 69 strikeouts in just 43 innings before being swapped to the Tampa Bay Rays, where he truly blossomed into a dominant reliever.

"I feel so proud of Nick," Dolan said. "I'm so happy for Nick and we are all Rays fans here."

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