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Sean Hjelle

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Sean Hjelle
Hjelle with the Giants in 2024
San Francisco Giants – No. 64
Pitcher
Born: (1997-05-07) May 7, 1997 (age 27)
Fridley, Minnesota, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 6, 2022, for the San Francisco Giants
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Win–loss record6–7
Earned run average4.81
Strikeouts134
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Sean Anthony Hjelle (/ˈdʒɛli/ JEL-ee;[1] born May 7, 1997) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball for the University of Kentucky. The Giants selected Hjelle in the second round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft. He is listed at 6 feet 11 inches (2.11 m) tall.[2][3] Hjelle is tied with former pitcher Jon Rauch as the tallest players in MLB history.

Amateur career

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Hjelle attended Mahtomedi High School in Mahtomedi, Minnesota, where he played baseball and basketball.[4] In baseball as a pitcher, he threw a two-seam fastball, a four-seam fastball, a changeup, and a cutter. Hjelle was not drafted out of high school, and enrolled at the University of Kentucky to play college baseball for the Kentucky Wildcats.[5]

In 2017, as a sophomore at Kentucky, Hjelle was named the Southeastern Conference's Pitcher of the Year after going 9–2 with a 3.17 earned run average (ERA) in the regular season, including a 7–1 record and a 1.90 ERA in SEC games.[6] As a junior in 2018, he appeared in 15 games (14 starts), compiling a 7–5 record with a 3.44 ERA.[7]

Professional career

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The San Francisco Giants selected Hjelle in the second round, with the 45th overall selection, of the 2018 MLB draft.[8] He signed for a $1.5 million signing bonus[9] and made his professional debut with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes.[10] Hjelle spent the whole season with Salem-Keizer, compiling a 5.06 ERA in 12 starts.[11]

Hjelle began the 2019 season with the Augusta GreenJackets of the Single–A South Atlantic League, and was their Opening Day starter.[12] He was promoted to the High–A San Jose Giants in May.[13] In August, the Giants promoted Hjelle to the Richmond Flying Squirrels of the Double–A Eastern League,[14] with whom he finished the year. Over 28 starts between the three clubs, Hjelle went 7–9 with a 3.32 ERA.[15]

In 2021, Hjelle pitched for the Sacramento River Cats of the Triple–A Pacific Coast League.[16] After the season, the Giants added Hjelle to their 40-man roster.[17] He started the 2022 season with Sacramento and made his MLB debut on May 6.[18] On September 28, Hjelle earned his first career win after pitching four innings of one–run ball against the Colorado Rockies in a 6–3 victory.[19]

In 2022 with Sacramento, Hjelle was 6–8 with a 4.92 ERA in 22 starts, in which he pitched 97 innings.[20] With the Giants in 2022 he was 1–2 with a 5.76 ERA in eight relief appearances, covering 25 innings in which he struck out 28 batters.[20] The Giants optioned Hjelle to Sacramento for the start of the 2023 season.[21]

Personal life

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Hjelle and his wife Caroline have two children.[22][16]

References

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  1. ^ Guardado, Maria (May 7, 2022). "Giants' 6-foot-11 prospect Sean Hjelle debuts". MLB.com. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  2. ^ Rule, Heather (July 12, 2015). "Kentucky-bound Hjelle long on pitching prowess". startribune.com. Star Tribune. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  3. ^ Law, Keith (April 7, 2018). "Law: Kentucky's Sean Hjelle could be standing tall on first day of draft". ESPN.com. ESPN. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  4. ^ Mizutani, Dane (January 18, 2015). "Mahtomedi's Sean Hjelle brings skill, height to Kentucky … for baseball". twincities.com. St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  5. ^ Frederick, Jace (June 9, 2015). "Mahtomedi's Sean Hjelle is Pioneer Press East Metro baseball player of the year". twincities.com. St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  6. ^ Frederick, Jace (May 23, 2017). "Mahtomedi grad Sean Hjelle named SEC Pitcher of Year at Kentucky". twincities.com. St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  7. ^ Hale, Jon (June 3, 2018). "Two Kentucky baseball players could be picked on Day 1 of MLB draft". usatoday.com. USA Today. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  8. ^ Pavlovic, Alex (June 4, 2018). "Giants Take 6-foot-11 Pitcher Sean Hjelle No. 45 Overall in 2018 MLB Draft". nbcbayarea.com. NBC Bay Area. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  9. ^ Schulman, Henry (June 17, 2018). "Giants' Buster Posey 'needs a break,' gets another day off against Dodgers". sfgate.com. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  10. ^ Koch, Drew (July 16, 2018). "How are the Kentucky Baseball draftees doing so far?". aseaofblue.com. SB Nation. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  11. ^ "Sean Hjelle Stats, Highlights, Bio". MiLB.com. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  12. ^ Cheney, Will (April 3, 2019). "GreenJackets open season Thursday at Asheville". augustachronicle.com. Augusta, Georgia: The Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  13. ^ Cunningham, Kevin J. (May 27, 2019). "The SF Giants Prospect Roundup: Two Big Promotions". mccoveychronicles.com. SB Nation. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
  14. ^ Dykstra, Sam (August 8, 2019). "San Francisco Giants Promote Joey Bart, Heliot, Ramos to Double-A Richmond". MiLB.com. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  15. ^ "Sean Hjelle's velocity and other stats to track for Giants prospects in 2021". Theathletic.com. February 23, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  16. ^ a b Cats, River (March 23, 2022). "River Cats Conversation: Sean Hjelle | River Cats". Milb.com. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  17. ^ "Giants add top prospects Ramos, Hjelle to 40-man roster". Nbcsports.com. November 20, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  18. ^ "Giants' Sean Hjelle ties record for MLB's tallest pitcher as 6-foot-11 righty debuts vs. Cardinals". May 7, 2022.
  19. ^ "Giants disgustingly celebrate Sean Hjelle's first MLB win with gross shower". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  20. ^ a b "Sean Hjelle Amateur, College & Minor Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  21. ^ Ho, Soleil (March 30, 2023). "Giants' Opening Day roster reshuffle crowds out Johnson, Hjelle". Sfchronicle.com. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  22. ^ "SF Giants' Hjelle got 'reset,' became a dad and sounds hopeful in return". www.knbr.com.
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