LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Joe Boyle made his first career start in the MLB on Sunday, becoming the first-ever graduate from North Oldham High School to play at baseball's highest level.

After spending the past three seasons ascending in the minor leagues, Boyle pitched three scoreless innings for the Oakland Athletics, limiting the San Diego Padres to one hit and two walks while striking out four.

Boyle, who graduated from North Oldham High School in 2017, was drafted in the fifth round as the 143rd overall pick by the Cincinnati Reds in 2020 after playing three seasons at Notre Dame. The 24-year-old was traded to the Athletics earlier this summer.

He started the season in Double-A before making three starts at Triple-A Las Vegas. At 6 feet, 7 inches tall, Boyle features a four-seam fastball that touches 100 mph, a cutter, curveball and slider.

"I thought Boyle did a great job," Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said to MLB.com at a postgame press conference. "We talked before the game a little bit about command. His strike percentage throughout the Minor Leagues was a little bit low, but we saw a kid come out with some confidence today. He attacked the zone, used his fastball. You saw his breaking ball can be a finish pitch."

Boyle transferred to North Oldham for his senior year, striking out 84 hitters in 40 innings as a hard-throwing right hander. North Oldham coach Zach Ivester believed Boyle had the arm talent and ability to pitch at the highest level.

"You could kind of see that he really had the ability to be really special," Ivester said. "It's kind of surreal to think six years ago he's pitching for us on our rinky-dink mound. Just proud of him. He's just a great person who works his butt off and was always a super teammate."

In his first MLB outing, Boyle struck out Fernando Tatis Jr. twice and threw five pitches 99 mph. He faced 12 hitters in three innings, throwing 58 pitches.

"I didn't try to predict how it was going to go," Boyle said to MLB.com. "But I'm definitely happy with the way it went. I think it's a good outing to build on and learn from going forward."

Ivester has followed Boyle's career in the minor leagues and was watching his MLB debut on Sunday.

"He really wasn't throwing harder yesterday than he was in high school but he looks so much more confident and composed," Ivester said. "It's clear that he's matured a lot, and he still has all the talent in the world."

This year between Double-A and Triple-A, Boyle has posted a 3.84 ERA in 117.1 innings and 168 strikeouts as a starting pitcher. At Double-A Midland, Boyle was briefly reconnected with a former North Oldham teammate, Cameron Masterman, who played collegiately at the University of Louisville.

Ivester plans for the baseball program, which has been around for 20 years, to recognize Boyle in some way next spring.

"It's just a cool little benchmark," Ivester said. "To be the first for a young school, it's a big deal."

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