Sulphur’s Will Dion Makes MLB Debut with Guardians

Cleveland, Ohio - It’s always special when a Southwest Louisiana boy makes it to the big leagues, and on Tuesday night, one of Southwest Louisiana’s own saw his childhood dream come true. Former McNeese Cowboy and Sulphur High standout Will Dion made his Major League Baseball debut for the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday night.

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The left-handed pitcher from Sulphur got the call to the big leagues after being promoted from Triple-A Columbus earlier in the day. Instead of spending Tuesday morning on the golf course with teammates, Dion found himself inside a major league clubhouse in Cleveland.

The call-up came as a complete surprise. Dion said his manager and pitching coach stopped by his hotel room Monday night pretending to ask about meal vouchers before a golf outing.

"I was like, 'yeah, I'm going golfing too', and he's like, 'no, you're going to Cleveland'" Dion said with a laugh.

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Dion was drafted by Cleveland in the ninth round of the 2021 MLB Draft after a standout career at McNeese. He helped lead the Cowboys to Southland Conference championships in 2019 and 2021 and was named the conference’s Pitcher of the Year in 2021.

Will Dion's Major-League Debut

Dion entered Tuesday night’s game against the Washington Nationals in the seventh inning. He pitched three innings, gave up two runs, struck out three batters, and did not walk anyone.

He also picked up his first career strikeout in the majors when he struck out CJ Abrams looking in the eighth inning.

“I can’t even put it into words, honestly,” Dion said. “It was everything I dreamed of and more as a kid.”

Dion Makes 3 McNeese Cowboys in 'The Show'

Dion is now one of several former McNeese players currently connected to Major League Baseball. Former Cowboys Bryan King pitches for the Houston Astros, while Grant Anderson is with the Milwaukee Brewers.

"It's surreal," said McNeese head coach Justin Hill. "There's a lot of luck that has to happen to get to that point. They all have the 'it' factor. They love having the ball with the game on the line. I'm not surprised one bit that these guys made it."