Bats Right Throws Right Earned run average 3.06 WHIP 1.30 Weight 108 kg | Win–loss record 4–3 Strikeouts 62 Height 1.96 m | |
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Current team Toronto Blue Jays (#31 / Pitcher) Parents Michele Biagini, Rob Biagini Education University of California, Davis, College of San Mateo Similar Roberto Osuna, Jason Grilli, Ezequiel Carrera, Aaron Sanchez, Ryan Tepera | ||
Joseph Carlo Biagini (born May 29, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB).
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High school and college
Biagini attended The King's Academy in Sunnyvale, California. After graduation, he attended the College of San Mateo and later the University of California, Davis. While attending the College of San Mateo in 2010, Biagini underwent Tommy John surgery.
Minor leagues
Biagini was selected in the 26th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft by the San Francisco Giants. He made his professional debut with the Class-A Augusta GreenJackets in 2012, and struggled in his 9 starts with the team, pitching to a 0–4 win–loss record, 7.41 earned run average (ERA), and 36 strikeouts in 34 innings. He was demoted to the Short Season-A Salem-Keizer Volcanoes in June, where he made 14 appearances (12 starts) and pitched to a 2–4 record, 4.27 ERA, and 63 strikeouts in 59 innings. Biagini played the entire 2013 season with the GreenJackets, pitching 96 2⁄3 total innings in 20 starts. He posted a 7–6 record, 5.03 ERA, and 79 strikeouts.
In 2014, Biagini was promoted to the Advanced-A San Jose Giants, and made 23 starts for the team, finishing the year with a 10–9 record, 4.01 ERA, and 103 strikeouts in 128 innings pitched. He would play the entire 2015 season with the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels and threw a career-high 130 1⁄3 innings over 23 appearances (22 starts). Biagini finished the season with a 10–7 win–loss record, 2.42 ERA, and 84 strikeouts. On December 10, 2015, Biagini was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the Rule 5 draft.
Major Leagues
On March 30, 2016, manager John Gibbons announced that Biagini had made the Opening Day roster, and would pitch out of the bullpen. He made his Major League debut on April 8, pitching a perfect 9th inning against the Boston Red Sox, and struck out David Ortiz for his first career strikeout. He earned his first win on May 3, pitching a perfect 10th inning in an eventual 3–1 walk-off victory over the Texas Rangers. On May 19, Biagini earned his first save, pitching the 11th inning in a 3–2 win over the Minnesota Twins. Biagini did not yield a home run until September 3, when Kevin Kiermaier of the Tampa Bay Rays hit a two-run shot in a 7–5 loss for the Blue Jays. Biagini finished his first MLB season with a 4–3 record, 3.06 ERA, and 62 strikeouts in 67 2⁄3 innings pitched.
Personal life
Biagini's father, Rob, played for the San Francisco Giants organization from 1981 to 1982.
In November 2016, Biagini was a member of the audience at a taping of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. During the show, Fallon passed Biagini in the audience and attempted to high-five him along with other audience members, but missed Biagini's hand. During the November 18 episode, Fallon stated that he had taken criticism on Twitter for botching the high-five, and brought Biagini out on stage briefly to complete their high-five.