Austin Voth

Austin Voth
Voth with the Washington Nationals in 2022
Free agent
Pitcher
Born: (1992-06-26) June 26, 1992 (age 32)
Redmond, Washington, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 14, 2018, for the Washington Nationals
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Win–loss record17–19
Earned run average4.70
Strikeouts343
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Austin Lee Voth (/ˈvoʊθ/ VOHTH;[1] born June 26, 1992) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Nationals, Baltimore Orioles, and Seattle Mariners. Voth was drafted by the Nationals in the fifth round of the 2013 MLB draft and made hs MLB debut in 2018.

Amateur career

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Voth attended Kentwood High School,[2] where he helped the Conquerors win the 2010 state baseball championship. He was named to the Seattle Times' "All-Area team." Voth played college baseball at the University of Washington for the Huskies from 2011 to 2013. In 2011 and 2012, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League and was named a league all-star in 2011.[3] He ended college with a 16–12 record and 3.94 ERA, striking out 213 batters in 242 innings.[4]

Professional career

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Washington Nationals

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2013–2017: progressing through the minors

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The Washington Nationals drafted Voth with the last pick of the fifth round of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft.[5][6] He received a $272,800 bonus when he signed with the team.[7] Voth made his professional debut that summer with the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Nationals. The GCL Nationals finished their regular season with an .845 winning percentage, the highest for a full regular season ever achieved by an American minor league baseball team based in the United States.[8] Voth started two games for the team, giving up four hits but no runs or walks and striking out four in five innings. After those two games, Voth was promoted in early July to the Low-A Auburn Doubledays, then moved up again to the Single-A Hagerstown Suns in August.[9][10] Voth finished 2013 with a 1.75 ERA in 11 professional starts with 55 strikeouts in 46+1⁄3 innings.[11]

Austin Voth with the Senators in 2015
Voth with the Senators in 2015

Voth returned to Hagerstown to start the 2014 season. He was promoted to the High-A Potomac Nationals in June and then to the Double-A Harrisburg Senators in July.[12][13] Voth spent 2015 with Harrisburg. In the 2016 season, he was promoted to the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs and posted a 3.15 ERA in 157 innings.[14] After the Triple-A season, Voth played for the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League.[14] The Nationals added Voth to their 40-man roster in November 2016.[15] The Washington Post described him as "on the doorstep of the Nationals' rotation" during spring training in 2017.[1]

However, Voth suffered a setback in 2017, as his velocity dropped sharply with his fastball falling to the mid-80s (mph). This resulted in a poor season, with an overall ERA of 5.94 in 13 games with Syracuse, 10 with Harrisburg, and one with Auburn in which he gave up four hits, a walk, and three runs in two innings.[14][16][17] After peaking at eighth in the MLB Pipeline biannual ranking of prospects in the Nationals system before the 2017 season, Voth was not ranked in Pipeline's top 30 in advance of the 2018 season.[18]

2018: MLB debut

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After undergoing strength training during the 2017–2018 offseason, Voth's fastball velocity rose to a peak of 93 miles per hour (150 km/h). The improvement helped him to a strong start in 2018 season with Syracuse: he started four games, posting a 0.96 ERA in 182⁄3 innings, striking out 22 and walking two.[16] He combined with three relievers to throw a seven-inning no-hitter on April 18,[19] and his strikeouts-per-nine-innings for Syracuse rose from 5.7 in 2017 to 10.06 in 2018.[16]

On April 29, the Nationals called Voth up to the major leagues for the first time, as bullpen depth one day after manager Dave Martinez used his entire bullpen in a 10-inning loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.[20][21] However, Voth did not pitch for the Nationals on April 29, and a day later he was replaced by reliever Wander Suero and optioned back to Syracuse without a major-league appearance. Martinez said that the Nationals wanted Voth to gain experience as a starter in Triple-A .[22] Voth had another phantom player callup, joining Washington on June 18 for a double-header against the New York Yankees to make up games that had been rained out, but sent back to Syracuse the next day, without pitching in the majors.[23]

Voth eventually made his major league debut on July 14, 2018, at Citi Field against the New York Mets. He gave up three runs after allowing a succession of singles in the second inning, then to recover before running out of steam in the fifth inning, in which he allowed four more runs before exiting the game. He took the loss as the Nationals were unable to recover from the seven-run deficit.[24] He was optioned back to Syracuse the next day.[25] He returned to the Nationals in September, after the Triple-A season ended. He won his first MLB game in his second start, pitching 5 scoreless innings to beat the Mets on September 22.[26] Voth was 1–1 with a 6.57 ERA in four games for the Nationals.[27]

2019

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In 2019, Voth was 2–1 with a 3.30 ERA in nine games (eight starts), striking out 44 batters in 43+2⁄3 innings.[27] The Nationals finished the year 93–69, clinching a wild card spot. The team eventually went on to win the World Series over the Houston Astros, their first championship in franchise history. Voth was not part in any postseason action but still won his first world championship.[28]

Austin Voth pitching for the Washington Nationals in 2020
Voth pitching for the Nationals in 2020

2020

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In the shortened 2020 season, Voth was part of the Nationals starting rotation, with a 2–5 record and 6.34 ERA in 11 starts, striking out 44 batters and walking 18 in 49+2⁄3 innings.[27] He threw the only complete game of his MLB career on September 22, a 7-inning game in which he allowed a home run to Jean Segura but otherwise blanked the Philadelphia Phillies, striking out 7.[29][30]

2021–2022: move to the bullpen and DFA

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Voth moved to the bullpen in 2021,[31] making only one start,[27] which ended in pain. On June 6, he started a bullpen game against the Phillies. He lasted into the third inning, when, while attempting to bunt, he was hit by a pitch from Vince Velasquez, breaking his nose.[32][33][34] He went on the injured list on Jun 8.[35] His ERA nearly doubled after he came off the injured list, rising from 2.73 before the injury to 5.34 by the end of 2021.

After allowing 21 earned runs in 18+2⁄3 innings for a 10.13 ERA in 19 relief appearances to start 2022,[36] Voth was designated for assignment by the Nationals on May 31.[37] He started 22 of 92 games and had a 9–8 record with a 5.70 ERA in parts of five seasons with the Nationals.

Baltimore Orioles

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On June 7, 2022, Voth was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles.[36] He returned his preferred role as a starter,[38] making a career-high 17 starts to go along with 5 relief appearances. With the Orioles, he had a 5–4 record and 3.04 ERA in 83 innings.[27]

In 2023, Voth resumed a relief role. He posted a 4.94 ERA across 23 appearances for Baltimore before he was placed on the injured list with right elbow discomfort on June 14.[39] He was transferred to the 60–day injured list on August 7.[40] On August 23, Voth came off the injured list.[41] After two more appearances, he was designated for assignment by Baltimore on September 3.[42] He cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides on September 5.[43] In Game 2 of the International League championship series, Voth recorded eight consecutive strikeouts as part of his four inning scoreless innings in a Norfolk win.[44] Voth elected free agency on October 11.[45]

Seattle Mariners

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On January 17, 2024, Voth signed a one-year, $1.25 million major league contract with the Seattle Mariners.[46] He had a 2–5 record with a 3.69 ERA in 68 games, the most in his career. In 2024, Voth was fifth among qualified pitchers at limiting hard contact.[47] He began throwing his cut fastball, rather than a four-seam fastball, as his most frequent pitch, also throwing more sweepers.[48] On November 22, Voth was non-tendered by the Mariners making him a free agent.[49]

Personal life

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Voth is married to Liz (née Mills) Voth.[50] She played basketball for Kentwood and later the Sacramento State Hornets.[51] They have a dog, Koda, who was born in 2019.[52] The Voths had their first child, Charlotte Ann, in November 2022.[53] Austin Voth's parents are Heidi and Ken Voth, and he has a younger brother, Collin.[3]

Voth is a cousin of former MLB pitcher Sam Gaviglio.[3] They competed against one another in 2011, when Gaviglio pitched for the Oregon State Beavers.[54]

Voth and Taylor Jones were high school baseball teammates in 2010.[55] Voth has faced fellow Kentwood alum Reese McGuire in the majors.[56]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Castillo, Jorge (March 11, 2017). "Introducing Austin Voth, now on the doorstep of the Nationals' rotation - The Washington Post". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  2. ^ "Kentwood High grad Voth makes MLB debut". July 16, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "Austin Voth - Baseball". University of Washington Athletics. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  4. ^ "Austin Voth - Statistics and Bio - The Baseball Cube". www.thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  5. ^ Schad, Tom (2013). "Nats take Washington pitcher Voth to cap fifth round". Archived from the original on October 24, 2014. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  6. ^ "Voth Drafted By Nationals In 5th Round Of MLB Draft". GoHuskies. June 7, 2013.
  7. ^ "5th Round of the 2013 MLB June Amateur Draft". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  8. ^ Wagner, James (August 29, 2013). "Nationals GCL team sets a minor league record". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 25, 2024.
  9. ^ Jake Johansen, Austin Voth are bright spots for Nats affiliate Auburn
  10. ^ Cathcart on Voth's opponents: "Looked like they were swinging underwater"
  11. ^ "Austin Voth 2013 Amateur, College, Minor & Fall Leagues Game Logs & Splits". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  12. ^ Nationals prospect Austin Voth gets on the fast track
  13. ^ Voth puts on another show for P-Nats
  14. ^ a b c "Austin Voth Amateur, College, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  15. ^ Janes, Chelsea (November 18, 2016). "Austin Voth, Rafael Bautista among five additions to Nationals 40-man roster". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
  16. ^ a b c Castillo, Jorge, "Nationals recall Austin Voth, option Austin Adams," washingtonpost.com, April 29, 2018
  17. ^ Erickson, Luke (August 30, 2017). "Luke Erickson: Who they gonna call?". MASN Sports. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
  18. ^ "MLB Pipeline releases new #Nats prospect rankings!". TalkNats. February 21, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  19. ^ "4 pitchers hurl 7-inning no-hitter for Syracuse Chiefs". The Tribune. April 18, 2018. Archived from the original on April 29, 2018. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
  20. ^ Reddington, Patrick (April 29, 2018). "Washington Nationals call up Austin Voth; option Austin L. Adams to Triple-A Syracuse". Federal Baseball. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
  21. ^ "Arizona Diamondbacks vs Washington Nationals Box Score: April 28, 2018". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  22. ^ Castillo, Jorge, "Nationals recall Wander Suero, option Austin Voth a day after call-up," washingtonpost.com, April 30, 2018
  23. ^ "National Roster and Staff June 2018 Retrieved June 19, 2018". MLB.com. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  24. ^ Reddington, Patrick (July 15, 2018). "Nationals' starter Austin Voth takes loss in MLB debut, gets advice from Max Scherzer". Federal Baseball. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
  25. ^ "Nationals' Trevor Gott: Promoted from Triple-A". CBS Sports. July 15, 2018. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
  26. ^ "Austin Voth 2019 Pitching Game Log". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  27. ^ a b c d e "Austin Voth Stats". Baseball-Reference.com.
  28. ^ "Washington Nationals win 2019 World Series". MLB. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  29. ^ "Austin Voth throws 7 strikeouts in his complete game". MLB.com. September 22, 2020. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  30. ^ "Philadelphia Phillies vs Washington Nationals Box Score: September 22, 2020". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  31. ^ Camerato, Jessica (May 27, 2021). "Voth's new role pays dividends for Nats". MLB.com. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  32. ^ Cooney, Kevin (June 6, 2021). "Netting collapses, Phils beat Nats; Voth HBP, broken nose". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  33. ^ "Austin Voth exits after he's hit by a pitch". MLB.com. June 6, 2021. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  34. ^ Austin, Voth [@a_voth50] (June 8, 2021). "Thank you to everyone at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital for the great hospitality and setting me straight" – via Instagram.
  35. ^ "Austin Voth Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News". MLB.com. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  36. ^ a b "Orioles claim RHP Austin Voth off waivers from Nationals," Reuters, Tuesday, June 7, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  37. ^ Dougherty, Jesse. "Why the Nationals’ Austin Voth experiment lasted as long as it did," The Washington Post, Wednesday, June 1, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  38. ^ Kreuz, Julia (August 18, 2022). "Voth emerging as rotation stalwart for O's". MLB.com. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  39. ^ "Orioles' Austin Voth: Shelved with elbow discomfort". cbssports.com. June 14, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  40. ^ "Orioles' Austin Voth: Shifts to 60-day IL". cbssports.com. August 7, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  41. ^ "Reliever Austin Voth Returning to Baltimore Orioles After 2 Months on Injured List". si.com. August 23, 2023. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  42. ^ "Orioles' Austin Voth: DFA'd by O's". cbssports.com. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  43. ^ "Orioles' Austin Voth: Accepts outright assignment". cbssports.com. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  44. ^ "2023 International League playoffs coverage". milb.com. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  45. ^ "Transactions".
  46. ^ "Mariners sign Washington native Voth to 1-year deal". MLB.com. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  47. ^ "Statcast Percentile Rankings". baseballsavant.com. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  48. ^ "Austin Voth Stats: Statcast, Visuals & Advanced Metrics". baseballsavant.com. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  49. ^ McDonald, Darragh. "Mariners Non-Tender Josh Rojas, Three Others". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
  50. ^ Farkas, Brady (August 30, 2024). "Wives of Seattle Mariners Players Go Viral For Participation in Annual 'Salmon Run'". Seattle Mariners On SI. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  51. ^ "Liz Mills - 2012-13 - Women's Basketball". Sacramento State. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  52. ^ "Captain Koda on Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  53. ^ Austin, Voth [@a_voth50] (November 21, 2022). "Newest member of the family alert!! Charlotte Voth!" – via Instagram.
  54. ^ Schnell, Lindsay (May 13, 2011). "Gameday preview: No. 2 Oregon State at Washington". OregonLive. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  55. ^ "Taylor Jones - Baseball". Gonzaga University Athletics. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  56. ^ Ray, Benjamin (April 5, 2024). "Kentwood grads meet again in the big leagues". Kent Reporter. Archived from the original on October 25, 2024. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
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