Kyle Funkhouser returning to Louisville for senior season

Louisville baseball fans are going to have one more year to enjoy watching ace Kyle Funkhouser do his thing on the mound.

Wanted to be the first to announce tht I will not be signing, and will return to the University of Louisville for my senior season #L1C4 #⚾️

— Kyle Funkhouser (@k_funk16) July 17, 2015

Funkhouser became the highest draft pick in the history of Louisville baseball when he was selected 35th overall by the Los Angeles Dodgers last month. The Dodgers, however, could not come to terms with the hard-throwing righty before today's 5 p.m. deadline.

During the late months of winter and early months of spring, some believed Funkhouser might be selected No. 1 overall in the draft. Even when his numbers took a bit of a dip towards the end of his junior year, most believed he would be, at worst, a top 20 pick set to sign an initial pro contract for somewhere in the vicinity of $5 million. Instead, the Dodgers reportedly offered Funkhouser a deal worth closer to $2 million, leading to the star's decision to return to school.

A season after he set the U of L single-season record for wins by going 13-3 with a 1.94 ERA and 122 strikeouts (third most at Louisville) in 120.1 innings pitched (second most at Louisville), Funkhouser finished his junior year with an 8-5 mark to go along with a 3.20 ERA. His return coupled with the return of national Freshman of the Year Brendan McKay (9-3, 1.77 ERA) will give Louisville arguably the most lethal 1-2 pitching punch in the country in 2016.

A proven stud who just so happens to be the program's highest all-time draft pick returning for one more year with a massive chip on his shoulder .... this is not a bad deal for Cardinal fans. This team is going to be awfully good yet again.