"It's fitting that he landed with San Francisco, as the 6'11" hurler is listed alongside Jon Rauch as the tallest players in MLB history. Hjelle's long limbs get him good extension down the mound, albeit not quite at the level one might expect. The downhill angle leads him to generally work lower in the zone with a sinker, as he essentially doesn't throw a four-seam fastball."
"The 28-year-old Hjelle has gotten ground-balls at a lofty 56% rate over parts of four big league seasons. He hasn't missed many bats, and the Giants moved him into a long relief role after the 2023 season. Hjelle soaked up 80 2/3 innings of 3.90 ERA ball two seasons ago but wasn't much of a factor last year."
"Hjelle pitched well in the minors. He tossed 67 2/3 frames, turning in a 3.06 ERA in the Pacific Coast League. He struck out nearly a quarter of opponents with a 55% ground-ball percentage while limiting his walks to a tidy 5.6% clip. Rather than settling for a minor league deal with a Spring Training invitation, he'll lock in a stronger guarantee in his first move to an Asian league. Hjelle could build back as a starting pitcher in Japan."
Sean Hjelle, a 6'11" right-hander and 2018 second-round pick from the University of Kentucky, signed with the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball after electing minor league free agency. His long limbs provide extension and a downhill angle that favors a sinker-heavy approach, supplemented by a knuckle-curve and cutter. Hjelle has induced a 56% ground-ball rate across parts of four MLB seasons but has limited strikeout ability. He moved into a long-relief role with San Francisco after 2023 and struggled in limited 2024 MLB action. He posted a 3.06 ERA in 67 2/3 Triple-A innings and may rebuild as a starter in Japan.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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