Tyrell Jenkins

Position: RHP
Born: 7/20/1992
Height: 6'4
Weight: 210
B/T: R/R
Acquired: Via trade from the Cardinals on November 17, 2014, with RHP Shelby Miller in exchange for OF Jason Heyward and RHP Jordan Walden (CHC). Originally drafted in the first round (CBA, #50 overall) of the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft (STL).

Most Recent Stats at Time of Debut
CURRENT SEASON STATS: 6-3 with a 2.91 ERA in 14 games, nine of them starts, at Gwinnett (Triple-A), striking out 45 in 65 innings while walking 24 and allowing 70 hits.

Info & MLB Debut Date
Recalled from Gwinnett on June 16 when RHP Casey Kelly was sent down.
MLB Debut Date: 6/22/2016

Debut Details
June 22, in a 3-0 loss to the Marlins. The last of three pitchers, he tossed one inning of one-hit shutout ball. Coming on to start the eighth inning in relief of Ian Krol, he retired the first batter he faced, Adeiny Hechavarria, on a soft comebacker to the mound. Christian Yelich followed with a groundout to second base before Marcell Ozuna collected the lone hit off of Jenkins, a single to center field. Miguel Rojas then grounded back to Jenkins for the final out and the rookie’s second infield assist in 16 pitches.

Player Notes
The Braves’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2015 when he went 8-9 with a 3.19 ERA between Gwinnett and Mississippi (Double-A) in 25 starts, including three complete games, with 88 strikeouts and 61 walks in 138 1/3 innings, Jenkins was converted to relief a few weeks into the 2016 season to accelerate his arrival in the majors. A big-time four-sport high school athlete in Texas (baseball, basketball, football and track), he had committed to play football and baseball at Baylor University (where he would have been the quarterback) had he not signed with the Cardinals. Climbing quickly through the minors armed with a fastball in the middle 90s and achieving All-Star status at almost every stop, his ascent was interrupted in 2014 when he missed three months following shoulder surgery. Jenkins, who becomes just the second player named Tyrell to make it to the majors (Tyrell Godwin had three at-bats with the Nationals in 2005) has already developed a big following on his Twitter account where, as “Brotha Jenkins,” he’s interacted with the fans with ease and an endearing humility. The day he was called up, he tweeted “Momma we did it” to his mother Sharon. You can read more about his life on and off the field in this excellent story by Guerry Clegg of the Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer.