The Heidenheim Heidekoepfe have announced their first acquisition for the upcoming season in the German Baseball-Bundesliga. The 23-year-old right-handed pitcher Patrick Lawson is going to replace former Major Leaguer Dusty Bergman as starting pitcher in game two each week and as pitching coach.
Lawson is from Hilton Head, South Carolina, where he also went to High School. He started his college career at the Middle Georgia Junior College and later transferred to the Division I University of North Carolina in Charlotte. He signed with the Detroit Tigers organization as an undrafted free agent in 2010 and made his professional debut in the same year.
After a solid season in the NY-Penn League with a 3-3 record and an ERA of 2.93 in 16 games (nine starts) Lawson only made it to Extended Spring Training in 2011, getting released after being put on the roster of the West Michigan Whitecaps.