Joe Palumbo (baseball)

Joe Palumbo
Free agent
Pitcher
Born: (1994-10-26) October 26, 1994 (age 30)
Stony Brook, New York, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
MLB debut
June 8, 2019, for the Texas Rangers
MLB statistics
(through 2020 season)
Win–loss record0–4
Earned run average9.47
Strikeouts26
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Joseph Anthony Palumbo Jr. (born October 26, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. The Texas Rangers selected Palumbo in the 30th round of the 2013 MLB draft. and he made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut for them in 2019.

Amateur career

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Palumbo transferred to St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School, in West Islip, New York after his sophomore year of high school.[1][2] Due to institution age rules, he was forced to reclassify back to a sophomore and complete five years of high school.[2] Due to New York State rules, he was deemed to have exhausted his eligibility after his junior year (his fourth season) and was made ineligible for his senior season.[2] He instead pitched for the Long Island Black Sox, a local men's league baseball team, where he was seen by Rangers area scout Takeshi Sakurayama.[1] The Texas Rangers selected Palumbo in the 30th round, with the 910th overall selection, of the 2013 MLB draft.[1][3] He signed for a $32,000 signing bonus, forgoing a commitment to San Jacinto College.[3]

Professional career

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Texas Rangers

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After signing, he made his professional debut with the AZL Rangers of the Rookie-level Arizona League, going 1–1 with a 5.03 ERA in 19+23 innings pitched in which he struck out 22 batters. In 2014, he returned to the AZL Rangers and compiled a 4–4 record with 49 strikeouts and a 2.32 ERA over 42+23 innings in 14 games (seven starts). In 2015, he pitched for the Spokane Indians of the Low– Northwest League and the Hickory Crawdads of the Single–A South Atlantic League, pitching to a combined 3–3 record with a 3.07 ERA over 58+23 innings in 13 games (nine starts). Palumbo spent 2016 with Hickory where he posted a 7–5 record with 8 saves and a 2.24 ERA in 96+13 innings pitched with 122 strikeouts (11.4 strikeouts per 9 innings).[4]

Palumbo began 2017 with the Down East Wood Ducks of the High–A Carolina League. After compiling a 0.66 ERA with 22 strikeouts over 13+23 innings in three starts,[5] he underwent Tommy John surgery in April, and missed the remainder of the season.[6] The Rangers added him to their 40-man roster after the 2017 season.[7]

Palumbo rehabbed through Tommy John surgery in the first half of the 2018 season, returning to game action June 24. In a combined 11 starts between the AZL Rangers, Down East, and Frisco RoughRiders of the Double-A Texas League, he posted a 2–4 record with a 2.78 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 45+13 innings (11.7 strikeouts per 9 innings).[8] He was named an MiLB 2018 Organization All Star. Palumbo was ranked as the #105 overall prospect in baseball by ESPN's Keith Law, on his just missed preseason 2019 Top 100 list.[9]

In 2019, Palumbo split minor league time between Frisco and the Nashville Sounds of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League,[10] going a combined 3–0 with a 3.01 ERA and 108 strikeouts over 80+23 innings (12.0 strikeouts per 9 innings).[11][12] He was named an MiLB 2019 Organization All Star.

On June 8, he was promoted to the major leagues for the first time, to start versus the Oakland Athletics.[13][3] In his debut, he allowed four runs over four innings of work, while recording four strikeouts.[14] Palumbo missed over three weeks due to a blister suffered during a game on August 20.[15] Palumbo finished the 2019 season going 0–3 with a 9.18 ERA and 21 strikeouts over 16+23 innings (11.3 strikeouts per 9 innings) for Texas.[16]

Palumbo appeared in just two games for Texas in 2020, before missing the rest of the season after being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis.[17] Palumbo played the 2021 season with the Round Rock Express of the Triple-A West league.[18] Before suffering a season-ending back injury, Palumbo pitched only 6+23 innings.[19]

San Francisco Giants

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On November 5, 2021, Palumbo was claimed off waivers by the San Francisco Giants.[20] Palumbo became a free agent on November 30 after he was non-tendered by the Giants.[21]

On December 13, 2021, Palumbo re-signed with the Giants.[22] He made 3 appearances for the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, struggling immensely to the tune of a 33.75 ERA with one strikeouts in 1.1 innings pitched. On July 4, 2022, Palumbo was released by the Giants.[23]

Texas Rangers (second stint)

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On February 20, 2023, Palumbo signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers organization.[24] He pitched in 3 games for the Triple-A Round Rock Express, recording a 9.00 ERA with no strikeouts in 2.0 innings of work. Palumbo was released by the Rangers on May 17.[25]

Hagerstown Flying Boxcars

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On February 22, 2024, it was announced that Palumbo would be signing with the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars for their inaugural season of play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.[26] In six starts for Hagerstown, he struggled to a 7.63 ERA with 15 strikeouts across 15+13 innings pitched. On June 5, Palumbo was released by the Flying Boxcars.[27]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Jamey Newberg (August 22, 2018). "The long road to recovery: Joe Palumbo — and his organization — are on a mound mission". The Athletic. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c Michael Tepid (June 7, 2018). "Joe Palumbo Is Cool. And coming to Arlington on Saturday". Lone Star Ball. SB Nation. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c Levi Weaver (June 7, 2019). "Joe Palumbo was a 30th round draft pick. He's about to make his big-league debut". The Athletic. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  4. ^ "Joe Palumbo". MiLB.com. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  5. ^ Matt Present (June 8, 2019). "Former Wood Duck Joe Palumbo Makes MLB Debut for Rangers". MiLB.com. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  6. ^ Stefan Stevenson (April 22, 2017). "Rangers prospect Joe Palumbo to have Tommy John surgery". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  7. ^ RotoWire Staff (November 20, 2017). "Rangers' Joe Palumbo: Added to 40-man roster". CBSSports.com. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
  8. ^ Jeff Wilson (September 4, 2018). "Derailed a season ago by surgery, this left-handed Rangers prospect is back on track". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  9. ^ Keith Law (January 28, 2019). "Keith Law's 2019 prospect rankings: Who just missed the top 100?". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  10. ^ RotoWire Staff (March 8, 2019). "Rangers' Joe Palumbo: Optioned to minors". CBSSports.com. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  11. ^ T.R. Sullivan (September 19, 2019). "Pipeline names Rangers Prospects of the Year". MLB.com. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  12. ^ Tyler Maun (August 15, 2019). "It's the Sounds of silence for Palumbo". MiLB.com. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  13. ^ T.R. Sullivan (June 6, 2019). "No. 7 prospect Palumbo to debut Saturday". MLB.com. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  14. ^ T.R. Sullivan (June 8, 2019). "Palumbo starts strong as Texas' bats take over". MLB.com. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  15. ^ Randy Jennings (September 15, 2019). "Joe Palumbo returns, Rangers bats go cold". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  16. ^ T.R. Sullivan (September 27, 2019). "Palumbo shows K potential vs. Yankees". MLB.com. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  17. ^ T.R. Sullivan (August 8, 2020). "Palumbo (ulcerative colitis) goes to IL". MLB.com. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  18. ^ Kennedi Landry (April 30, 2021). "Where will Rangers' top prospects begin '21?". MLB.com. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  19. ^ Wilson, Jeff (July 19, 2021). "Texas Rangers should make changes to rotation. The problem is it's just not that simple". jeffwilson.substack.com. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  20. ^ Crowley, Kerry (November 5, 2021). "SF Giants make first three offseason moves, add former first round draft choice". The Mercury News. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  21. ^ Franco, Anthony (November 30, 2021). "National League Non-Tenders: 11/30/21". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  22. ^ "Giants Sign Corey Oswalt, Luis Gonzalez, Joe Palumbo To Minor League Contracts". MLB Trade Rumors. January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  23. ^ "Joe Palumbo: Searching for new organization". cbssports.com. July 5, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  24. ^ "Rangers' Joe Palumbo: Rejoins Texas organization". cbssports.com. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  25. ^ "Transactions".
  26. ^ "Hagerstown adds three to 2024 roster". atlanticleague.com. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  27. ^ "Transactions". baseball.pointstreak.com. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
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