Kalispell pitcher Joe Pistorese is coming to Great Falls on Friday for an American Legion game.

He might be coming back for the Pioneer League season in a few weeks.

Pistorese, a talented left-hander for the Kalispell Lakers, was drafted by the Chicago White Sox Wednesday in the 44th round of the annual baseball draft. The southpaw earned Tribune Super-State baseball honors last season after striking out 150 batters in 84-plus innings. Earlier this spring, the Flathead High graduate struck out 19 in a seven-inning game against Helena.

“It’s pretty exciting,” said Lakers’ manager Ryan Malmin. “I’m real happy for Joe.”

Pistorese, a 6-foot-1, 160-pounder, has a live arm and an 87 mph fastball that features a lot of movement. He’s also a talented hitter and was a starter on Flathead’s basketball team this winter.

If he signs with the White Sox, Pistorese could be the latest Treasure State pitcher to toil for the Great Falls Baseball Club, joining a list that includes Erik Madsen, Josh Fields and Ronnie Morales. The White Sox, however, have traditionally sent most of their teen-age prospects to Bristol rather than have them make professional debuts in the Pioneer League.

Madsen and Morales played Legion ball in Great Falls, while Fields played for the Glacier Twins. There have been several Kalispell athletes chosen in the baseball draft, including Ryan Wardinsky, who was picked in the 30th round of the 2002 draft by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Pistorese is expected to be on the mound Friday afternoon at 5 at Centene Stadium when the Lakers open Western AA play against the talented Great Falls Chargers. Malmin said the southpaw is healthy.

“The thing that’s impressed me this year, where he’s made the most improvement, is with his presence and how he’s matured on the mound,” Malmin said. “If something bad happens, a couple of years ago he might have shown a lot of emotion about it. And now he just goes back to work.”

Pistorese was among three native Montanans who were selected in the 50-round baseball draft. Missoula outfielder Ben Roberts went in the seventh round to the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Gonzaga catcher Cameron Erman of Florence was selected in the 29th round by the Baltimore Orioles. Edman played Legion ball for the Bitterroot Bucs.