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Jacob Allen "J. B." Bukauskas (born October 11, 1996) is an American college baseball pitcher for the North Carolina Tar Heels of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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Career
Bukauskas attended Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn, Virginia. As a freshman, he helped Stone Bridge win both the regular season and district titles. On July 7, 2012, Bukauskas committed to the University of North Carolina, which he considered his "dream school." As a sophomore, he was named first-team All-Met. Bukauskas reclassified during the summer after his sophomore year in order to graduate and attend North Carolina a year early. He was named the 2014 All-Met Baseball Player of the Year after compiling a 7-0 record, striking out 88 batters, and not allowing an earned run during the season. Bukauskas finished his high school career with a 21-3 record, 264 strikeouts, and a 0.88 ERA.
Despite being expected by some to be drafted within the first two rounds of the 2014 MLB Draft, Bukauskas asked every MLB team not to draft him. He was selected in the 20th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks but did not sign with the club, reaffirming his commitment to North Carolina.
In his freshman year, Bukauskas led the Tar Heels with 14 games started and was part of the weekend rotation.
Pitching style
Bukauskas regularly throws a mid-90's fastball and been able to hit 100 mph with it since his last year of high school. He also has a slider that sits in the mid 80's and a changeup in his repertoire.
Personal life
J.B.'s parents are Ken and Lynn Bukauskas. He is majoring in communications.