Josiah Gray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Josiah Gray |
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Gray with the Washington Nationals in 2022
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| Washington Nationals – No. 40 | |||
| Pitcher | |||
| Born: December 21, 1997 New Rochelle, New York, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| July 20, 2021, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| MLB statistics (through April 4, 2024) |
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| Win–loss record | 17–27 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.84 | ||
| Strikeouts | 382 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Josiah Gray (born December 21, 1997) is a talented American professional baseball pitcher. He plays for the Washington Nationals in Major League Baseball (MLB). Before joining the Nationals, he also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Josiah was first chosen by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2018 MLB draft.
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Josiah Gray's Early Baseball Days
Josiah Gray grew up in New Rochelle, New York. He wasn't a top recruit coming out of New Rochelle High School. Still, he received one scholarship offer. This offer was to play college baseball for the Le Moyne Dolphins. Le Moyne College is located in Syracuse, New York.
Playing in College
During his first two years at Le Moyne, Josiah played two positions. He was both a shortstop and a pitcher. Later, he decided to focus only on pitching. As a freshman, his hitting average was .265. His earned run average (ERA) as a pitcher was 8.31.
After becoming a full-time closing pitcher in his second year, his ERA improved a lot. It dropped to an amazing 0.63. In 2017, he played summer baseball. He joined the Chatham Anglers in the Cape Cod Baseball League. As a junior in 2018, he had a perfect pitching record. He won 11 games and lost none. His ERA was very low at 1.25 in 13 starts.
Josiah Gray's Professional Career
Josiah Gray began his professional baseball journey in 2018. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds.
Starting with the Reds
The Cincinnati Reds picked Josiah Gray in the second round of the 2018 MLB draft. He was the 72nd player chosen overall. After signing his contract, he started playing for the Greeneville Reds. In 12 starts, he had a record of 2 wins and 2 losses. His ERA was 2.58.
Moving to the Dodgers
On December 21, 2018, Josiah Gray was traded. The Reds sent him to the Los Angeles Dodgers. This trade also included other players. Josiah started the 2019 season with the Great Lakes Loons. This team is in Single-A baseball. In May, he moved up to the High-A team, the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. By July, he was promoted again. He joined the Double-A Tulsa Drillers.
In 2019, Josiah had a great year across these three teams. He started 25 games and pitched in one relief game. He won 11 games and lost only 2. His ERA was 2.70. He also struck out 147 batters in 130 innings. The Dodgers named him their Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
In 2020, minor league baseball was canceled. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, Josiah did not play any games that year.
Making His MLB Debut
In 2021, Josiah Gray played for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers. He was the starting pitcher for their opening day game. However, he had to stop playing for two months. This was because of a shoulder injury. When he returned, he pitched in three more games for Oklahoma City. He struck out 22 batters and walked only two.
On July 20, 2021, Josiah Gray got a big call. He was promoted to the major leagues for the first time! He made his MLB debut on the same day. He pitched four innings for the Dodgers. He allowed four runs and struck out seven batters. His first MLB strikeout was against Wilmer Flores. He made his first MLB start on July 25. He struck out six batters in four innings.
Playing for the Nationals
On July 30, 2021, Josiah Gray was traded again. He moved to the Washington Nationals. He debuted for the Nationals on August 2, 2021. He pitched five innings and allowed only one run. On September 22, 2021, Josiah earned his first Major League win. He pitched six innings and struck out eight batters.
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In 2022, Josiah had a record of 7 wins and 10 losses. His ERA was 5.02. He pitched 148.2 innings. He allowed the most home runs in the league that year.
Becoming an All-Star
In 2023, Josiah Gray had a much better season. He finished with 8 wins and 13 losses. His ERA was a career-best 3.91. Because of his great performance, he was chosen for the 2023 MLB All-Star Game. He was the only player from the Nationals to be selected. At the All-Star game, Josiah pitched in the third inning. He did not allow any batters to reach base. His National League team won the game 3–2.
In 2024, Josiah Gray only made two starts for the Nationals. On April 9, 2024, he was placed on the injured list. He had a flexor strain in his arm. Later, it was announced that he would need surgery. This surgery was to fix a partial tear in his elbow ligament. It meant he would miss the rest of the season.
Josiah Gray's Personal Life
Josiah Gray faced a difficult time in his life. His father passed away from cancer. This happened just one month after Josiah was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds. His father had been sick for a long time. He was not able to watch Josiah pitch often during his last college season.
