Jacob deGrom

Jacob Anthony deGrom (born June 19, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the New York Mets. DeGrom began playing baseball as a shortstop and was converted into a pitcher during his junior year at Stetson University. The Mets selected him in the ninth round of the 2010 MLB draft and he made his major league debut with them on May 15, 2014. That same year, deGrom was named the National League's (NL) Rookie of the Month twice, and the NL Rookie of the Year. In 2015, 2018, 2019, and 2021 deGrom was selected as an MLB All-Star. In 2018, deGrom was the NL leader in earned run average and won the Cy Young Award. In 2019, he led the NL in strikeouts and won the Cy Young Award for the second year in a row. In 2020, he again led the National League in strikeouts. DeGrom signed with the Rangers on a five-year deal in 2023 and was named an All-Star again in 2025. As of the 2025 season, deGrom has the lowest career WHIP and the second lowest earned run average of any starting pitcher in the live-ball era (min. 1000 IP).