| Griffin Jax | |
|---|---|
 Jax in 2018 with theFort Myers Miracle | |
| Minnesota Twins – No. 22 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1994-11-22)November 22, 1994 (age 30) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 8, 2021, for the Minnesota Twins | |
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 22–24 |
| Earned run average | 3.99 |
| Strikeouts | 306 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| |
James Griffin Jax (born November 22, 1994) is an American professionalbaseballpitcher for theMinnesota Twins ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2021. He is also anofficer in theUnited States Air Force Reserve.
Jax attendedCherry Creek High School inGreenwood Village, Colorado. In 2013, his senior year, he went 7–1 with a 1.74 ERA and was named Colorado's Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year.[1][2] He was selected by thePhiladelphia Phillies in the 12th round of the2013 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign and instead enrolled at theUnited States Air Force Academy where he playedcollege baseball for theAir Force Falcons.[3]
Jax struggled during his first two years at the Air Force Academy, pitching to a 5.86 ERA as a freshman and a 5.17 ERA as a sophomore. He broke out as a junior in 2016, starting 15 games and going 9–2 with a school-record 2.05 ERA, striking out ninety and walking only ten in105+1⁄3 innings.[4] He was named theMountain West Conference Co-Pitcher of the Year alongsideJimmy Lambert.[5]
After his junior year, Jax was selected by theMinnesota Twins in the third round of the2016 Major League Baseball draft.[6] He signed for $645,000 and made his professional debut with theElizabethton Twins of theRookie-levelAppalachian League, pitching8+2⁄3 innings.[7][8] In 2017, he pitched in only five games before he was required to reportCape Canaveral, Florida for active duty.[9][10][11] In those five starts, he went 2–2 with a 2.61 ERA between Elizabethton and theCedar Rapids Kernels of theClass AMidwest League.[12] In 2018, he was granted membership into theUnited States military'sWorld Class Athlete Program, allowing him to make Olympic training his full-time responsibility (which counts towards his five years of required active duty) which in turn allowed him to play in the minor leagues full-time.[13][14] During the season, he pitched for theFort Myers Miracle of theClass A-AdvancedFlorida State League, going 3–4 with a 3.70 ERA in 15 games (14 starts).[15][14][16] After the season, he played in theArizona Fall League.[17]
Jax began 2019 with thePensacola Blue Wahoos of theClass AASouthern League with whom he was named an All-Star.[18][19] While with Pensacola, he missed nearly three weeks due to fatigue.[20] In August, Jax was promoted to theRochester Red Wings of theClass AAAInternational League, with whom he finished the season.[21] Over 23 starts between the two clubs, Jax pitched to a 5–7 record with a 2.90 ERA, striking out 94 over127+1⁄3 innings.[22] Jax did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by theCOVID-19 pandemic.[23] To begin the 2021 season, he was assigned to theSt. Paul Saints of theTriple-A East.[24]
On June 5, 2021, Jax was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[25] Jax made his MLB debut three days later on June 8 in relief at home against theNew York Yankees, becoming the firstAir Force Academy graduate in MLB history (he is still acaptain in theAir Force Reserve).[26] He pitched one inning, giving up three earned runs on two home runs while also registering his first strikeout versusTyler Wade.[27] He finished the 2021 season with a 6.37 ERA over fourteen starts and four relief appearances.
Jax became a full-time relief pitcher for the Twins in 2022 and had a career year in 2024, when he set career highs with 10 saves, 95 strikeouts, a 2.03 ERA, and a 0.87 WHIP.
Jax's father,Garth Jax played for 10 seasons in theNFL for theDallas Cowboys and theArizona Cardinals in the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s.[28]
Jax is currently pursuing a graduate degree in business administration fromColorado State University.[29]
Jax and his wife, Savannah, married in January 2021 inGilbert, Arizona.[30] Savannah holds the rank of captain in the Air Force.[31] In March 2023, the couple had their first child, a daughter.[32]