| Taylor Jungmann | |
|---|---|
 Jungmann with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2015 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1989-12-18)December 18, 1989 (age 35) Temple, Texas, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| Professional debut | |
| MLB: June 9, 2015, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |
| NPB: July 1, 2018, for the Yomiuri Giants | |
| Last appearance | |
| MLB: April 5, 2017, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |
| NPB: August 17, 2019, for the Yomiuri Giants | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 9–13 |
| Earned run average | 4.54 |
| Strikeouts | 126 |
| NPB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 6–5 |
| Earned run average | 4.86 |
| Strikeouts | 53 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Taylor Heath Jungmann (born December 18, 1989) is an American former professionalbaseballpitcher. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theMilwaukee Brewers and for theYomiuri Giants ofNippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Prior to playing professionally, Jungmann playedcollege baseball for theTexas Longhorns, where he was a consensusAll-American and won theDick Howser Trophy.
The son of Leland Jungmann and the former Sharon Burton ofZabcikville inBell County,Texas[1] Jungmann attendedRogers High School inRogers, Texas. The Rogers baseball team won the Texas 2A State Championship in 2007. He also played on the Rogers basketball team, and in the 2006-07 season he blocked 266 shots, which is tied for 23rd most in a single season in U.S. high school sports history.[2] He transferred toGeorgetown High School inGeorgetown, Texas, where he played his senior year in 2008.[3]
After high school, Jungmann enrolled at theUniversity of Texas at Austin, at which he participated incollege baseball for theTexas Longhorns. In 2009, Jungmann pitched acomplete game against theLouisiana State Tigers in the best-of-three final round of the2009 College World Series.[4] In 2011, he won theDick Howser Trophy as the best collegiate baseball player.[5][6] He finished his career with the Longhorns with a 32–9win–loss record, a 1.85earned run average (ERA), and 356strikeouts in 45games started.[3]
TheMilwaukee Brewers selected Jungmann in the first round, with the 12th overall selection, of the2011 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft.[7][8] He signed with the Brewers, receiving a $2.525 millionsigning bonus.[9] Jungmann pitched for theBrevard County Manatees of theClass A-AdvancedFlorida State League in 2012, where he had a 3.53 ERA, and for theHuntsville Stars of theClass AASouthern League in 2013, where he pitched to a 4.33 ERA.[3]
In 2014, Jungmann began the season with Huntsville,[10] and was named a Southern League All-Star.[11] He also played for theNashville Sounds of theClass AAAPacific Coast League (PCL).[12]He finished the season with a 12–10 win–loss record, a 3.57 ERA, and 147 strikeouts in153+2⁄3 innings. The Brewers added him to their40-man roster to protect him from being chosen in theRule 5 draft on November 20, 2014.[13]
Jungmann began the 2015 season with theColorado Springs Sky Sox of the PCL. The Brewers promoted Jungmann to the major leagues to make his MLB debut on June 9.[14] On July 11, 2015, Jungmann became the first Brewers pitcher in franchise history to throw acomplete game atDodger Stadium.[citation needed] After posting a 3.77 ERA in his rookie season, Jungmann struggled to recapture that form, with a combined ERA of 7.90 in 9 MLB games (6 starts) from 2016 through 2017. He was released on January 10, 2018, to pursue an opportunity in Japan.[15]
On January 16, 2018, Jungmann signed with theYomiuri Giants ofNippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the 2018 season.[16]
On November 14, 2018, he re-signed with the Giants for the 2019 season.[17]
On December 2, 2019, he become a free agent.[18]
On February 11, 2020, Jungmann signed a minor league deal with theTexas Rangers. He was released on June 1, 2020.
In July 2020, Jungmann signed on to play for theSugar Land Skeeters of theConstellation Energy League (a makeshift 4-team independent league created as a result of theCOVID-19 pandemic) for the 2020 season.[19] He became a free agent following the season. He appeared in 8 games (6 starts) throwing 26.2 innings going 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA and 30 strikeouts.
Jungmann brandishes a four pitch repertoire. At 6-foot-6, hisfour-seam fastball is thrown around 92-94 MPH and on a downward plane, inducing many ground balls. He also features asinker in the upper-80s, also to induce ground balls, as well as to mask the velocity of his four-seamer. Hiscurveball is likely his best pitch, frequently causing many swings-and-misses. Sitting in the upper-70s, the curveball has a hard, late break as it reaches the batter, and his mechanics are consistent across all of his pitches, making any off-speed offerings more deceptive. His curveball has been referred to by some as aslurve, due to its late break and decent velocity. He also features achangeup in the lower-80s with good sinking movement, though he doesn't throw it very often. Despite relying heavily on inducing ground balls, his pitches have enough velocity, movement, and deceptiveness to make him an effective strikeout pitcher.