PHOENIX -- East Carolina pitcher Trey Yesavage struggled to talk and breathe as he arrived in Clearwater, Fla., for the American Athletic Conference tournament in May. As the weekend progressed, so did the tightness in his chest, and a visit to the doctor’s office confirmed those worries.

The X-rays showed that Yesavage suffered a collapsed lung, meaning the 2024 AAC Pitcher of the Year wasn’t going to pitch in the conference tournament. As Yesavage spent a few days in the hospital, he didn’t let the devastating diagnosis bring him down. He still found ways to support his teammates during the most important weekends of the season.

The right-hander eventually was discharged from the hospital, but not in time to take the mound at the tournament. Luckily for him, ECU’s season wasn’t over. Yesavage faced off against Wake Forest and Chase Burns, who would go on to be the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, in the NCAA Greenville Regional. Yesavage -- a product of Boyertown, Pa. -- earned the win in his last college start, hurling 7 1/3 innings, striking out six and allowing one run on one hit.

“I have a competitive nature,” Yesavage said at the 2024 MLB Draft Combine. “Put me up against two grizzly bears and I’m not afraid.

“I’m the guy at East Carolina. That puts a lot of pressure on me. Going into that game with our backs against the wall, I had to show out for our team, fans and for the city of Greenville.”

Yesavage left campus as one of the most decorated pitchers in the program’s history, and he can now add first-round Draft pick to his accomplisments, as the Blue Jays selected him No. 20 overall. But the 20-year-old’s stint in Greenville wasn’t always electric.

Pitching out of the bullpen as a freshman, Yesavage made 34 appearances, tying a program record for a single season, but he had a 4.50 ERA and walked 19 batters in 26 innings.

Yesavage said there wasn’t anything mechanical causing his struggles. Instead, he pointed at the mental aspect of the game. He took advantage of his resources, consulting with teammates and coaches while working closely with ECU’s support staff.

Yesavage played with the Charlottesville Tom Sox of the Valley Baseball League that summer. While he didn’t make any mechanical adjustments, he soaked in all the knowledge around him to improve heading into his sophomore year and transition to the starting rotation. Over the next two seasons at ECU, he posted a 2.28 ERA, 250 strikeouts and a 50:11 K/BB ratio.

His quality four-pitch selection is powered by a mid-80s slider/cutter with more depth than downward movement. He also has a fastball that resides in the 93-95 mph range and has a spiked curveball and splitter that helps him get whiffs.

He earned an AAC First Team selection after his sophomore season, pitched for Team USA and ended his collegiate run as a 2024 Golden Spikes Award semifinalist.

“Just shows off all the hard work and dedication,” Yesavage said, “the hours spent on the baseball field put in, and [the] focus of pretty much my entire life these past three years.”

Baseball wasn’t Yesavage’s first choice. Growing up on the family farm, he was riding ATVs and hunting out in the open. He felt more at home as a football player, but everything changed when he turned 14 and recognized the talent in his right arm.

Now, he is the third pitcher from ECU selected in the first two rounds of the MLB Draft. While a new challenge will arise when he begins his professional career, the young pitcher knows that there is one key attribute that has propelled him to this position.

“Whether you’re doing good or bad, you have to treat each game like it’s the same,” Yesavage said. “You can’t show up with half [energy] one day and [full energy] the next day. You have to stay consistent with what you do.”