Blue Jays P Marcus Stroman walks at Duke graduation

Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman stayed busy while he was recovering from an ACL injury last spring, working towards finishing his sociology degree from Duke. On Sunday, Stroman was on campus to walk at commencement and officially receive his diploma.

SI Wire | May 15, 2016

Blue Jays P Marcus Stroman walks at Duke graduation /

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When Stroman was drafted in the first round by Toronto in 2012, he was just a few credits short of his degree. However, he promised his mother that he would complete his education when the opportunity arose.

“I can’t wait, it was a long time coming," Stroman said to MLB.com earlier in the week. “There was a lot that went into this, and the fact that I have my whole family, my friends there with me, I can’t wait to walk across that stage.

“I never thought I’d say I was thankful for tearing my ACL, but I am, because I grew so much as an individual. I was able to get my degree and I got stronger mentally, physically, through it all. I’m in a great position now, and that has a large part to do with the summer I had at Duke University.”