| Jared Shuster | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Shuster with theGwinnett Stripers in 2023 | |
| Chicago White Sox – No. 51 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1998-08-03)August 3, 1998 (age 26) New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
Bats: Left Throws: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 2, 2023, for the Atlanta Braves | |
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 6–8 |
| Earned run average | 5.00 |
| Strikeouts | 86 |
| Teams | |
| |
Jared Craig Shuster (born August 3, 1998) is an American professionalbaseballpitcher for theChicago White Sox ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He playedcollege baseball atWake Forest University. TheAtlanta Braves selected him in the first round of the2020 MLB draft, and he made his MLB debut with them in 2023.
Shuster attendedNew Bedford High School before transferring toTabor Academy inMarion, Massachusetts, graduating in 2017.[1][2] He had a 6–0win–loss record with an 0.45earned run average (ERA) as a freshman at New Bedford High School, throwing in the mid-80s and touching the high-80s.[3] Then at Tabor Academy, he was 2–1 with a 1.88 ERA as a sophomore, 3–2 with a 2.40 ERA as a junior, and 4–3 with a 1.26 ERA and 64strikeouts in 39innings pitched as a senior while he was captain of the team.[1][4] As a junior he batted .506 with ninedoubles and sixhome runs in 25 games, and as a senior both pitching and playingoutfield he batted .347 with four home runs.[1][4] He also played basketball.[1]
Shuster played college baseball atWake Forest University for theDemon Deacons.[5][6] As a freshman he was 0–3 with a 7.41 ERA, and as a sophomore he was 4-4 with a 6.49 ERA while striking out 94 batters in 68 innings (12.4K/9IP, the third-highest ratio in school history) and was twice namedAtlantic Coast Conference Pitcher of the Week.[1][7][8] As a junior in 2020 in a season shortened byCovid he was 2–1 with a 3.76 ERA, as in four starts he struck out 43 batters (tied for third in the ACC) andwalked 4 in 261⁄3 innings (14.7 K/9IP), and had 10.75 strikeouts per walk (second), holding batters to a .221batting average.[9][1][7][8][10]
After the 2018 season, he playedcollegiate summer baseball with theNew Bedford Bay Sox of theNew England Collegiate Baseball League, and was 2–4 with a 2.76 ERA and a league-leading 62 strikeouts in 49 innings.[1] After the 2019 season, Shuster played collegiate summer baseball with theOrleans Firebirds of theCape Cod Baseball League, and was 4–0 with a 1.36 ERA with 36 strikeouts (6th in the league) and 5 walks in 33 innings, and was named a league All-Star.[1][11][12]
His sinkingtwo-seam and ridingfour-seamfastball was 92–94mph and hit 97 mph, and Shuster's best pitch was his 80 mphchangeup (that he throws over 10 miles per hour slower than his fastball, and which he throws in any count), which produced a 60%whiff rate.[13][14][15][16][3][17] He also had an improvingslider.[18]
TheAtlanta Braves selected Shuster in the first round, with the 25th pick, of the2020 Major League Baseball Draft.[7][19][20] He was the seventh first-round draft pick in Wake Forest history.[16][2] He signed for asigning bonus of $2,197,500; because the 2020 season was uncertain, 2020 draft picks received a maximum of $100,000 up front, and the rest of their bonus was to be deferred over the following two years.[10][21][22] Shuster's signing bonus was regarded as under slot, and the Braves reallocated the savings to signBryce Elder.[23]
Shuster was included in the Braves' pool of 60 players eligible to participate in the 2020 regular season, which was shortened due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, but did not play.[24] He started the 2021 season at theSingle-A level with theRome Braves.[25] In September 2021, Shuster was promoted to the Double-AMississippi Braves.[26] Between the two teams, in 2021 he was 2-0 with a 4.44 ERA, as in 73 innings he struck out 90 batters (11.1 strikeouts per 9 innings).[27] He was named a 2021 MiLB.com Organization All-Star.[28]
Shuster was placed on the Mississippi Braves 2022 Opening Day roster after spending some time at minor league spring training camp.[29][30] On April 16, 2022, Shuster struck out eight consecutiveBiloxi Shuckers' batters, which tied aSouthern League record.[31] Mid-season, he was a 2022All-Star Futures Game selection.[32] He was named a Southern League Post-Season All-Star.[33] With Mississippi, he was 6-7 with one save and a 2.78 ERA (10th in the league) in 17 games (16 starts) covering 902⁄3 innings, in which he gave up 65 hits and 22 walks, and had 106 strikeouts and an 0.960 WHIP (6th), with 4.82 strikeouts/walk (7th).[34][35] He then pitched for the Triple-AGwinnett Stripers in theInternational League, and was 1-3 with a 4.25 ERA in 10 games (9 starts) in which he pitched 482⁄3 innings.[34] He was named an MiLB Organization All-Star for the second straight season.[33]
Shuster began 2023 rated as the No. 1 prospect in the Braves organization by mlb.com.[36] In spring training prior to the 2023 regular season, Shuster competed withDylan Dodd for the fifth spot in the Atlanta Braves’ starting rotation.[37][38] On March 26, 2023, afterKyle Wright was placed on the injured list, it was announced that both Shuster and Dodd had made the Opening Day roster and would pitch out of the rotation for the time being.[39] Shuster lost his major league debut against theWashington Nationals on April 2, pitching4+2⁄3 innings, and yielding four earned runs, all during the first inning.[40][41] On May 21, Shuster gained his first win, giving up only one hit and one walk along with seven strikeouts in six innings in a game against theSeattle Mariners.[42][43][44]
In 2023 with the Braves, Shuster was 4-3 with a 5.81 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 11 starts covering52+2⁄3 innings.[34]
On November 16, 2023, the Braves traded Shuster to theChicago White Sox, along withMichael Soroka,Nicky Lopez,Braden Shewmake andRiley Gowens in exchange forAaron Bummer.[45][46] He was optioned to the Triple–ACharlotte Knights to begin the 2024 season.[47] On April 8, 2024, Shuster was called up to the White Sox's roster and made his White Sox debut the same day, pitching 3 innings as a reliever against theCleveland Guardians.[48] Shuster was optioned to Triple–A on April 16,[49] was called back up to the White Sox's roster for a doubleheader against theKansas City Royals, but saw no action and was optioned again to Triple–A on April 17.[50][51]
Shuster made 39 appearances (4 starts) for the White Sox during the 2024 campaign, compiling a 2-5 record and 4.30 ERA with 56 strikeouts across73+1⁄3 innings pitched. He was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte to begin the 2025 season.[52]
Shuster is the son of Bennett and Lori Shuster, and is Jewish.[1][53] He has a sister, Alexa.[54] His hometown isNew Bedford, Massachusetts.[1] He is 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m), and 210 pounds (95 kg), and is considered athletic, as he runs a 6.5 second60-yard dash.[17] As a child, Shuster's favoriteMajor League Baseball team was theBoston Red Sox.[55]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Shuster signed for a $2.20 million bonus, which was just enough below slot to be able to reallocate that pool money toward fifth-rounder Bryce Elder's $847,500 bonus.
