Joel Kuhnel
Joel Kuhnel | |
---|---|
Free agent | |
Pitcher | |
Born: Goldsboro, North Carolina, U.S. | February 19, 1995|
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
MLB debut | |
August 16, 2019, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
MLB statistics (through 2023 season) | |
Win–loss record | 4–3 |
Earned run average | 6.02 |
Strikeouts | 71 |
Teams | |
Joel Kenneth Kuhnel (born February 19, 1995) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds and the Houston Astros.
Amateur career[edit]
Kuhnel attended Sunrise Mountain High School in Peoria, Arizona. Undrafted in the 2013 Major League Baseball draft, he enrolled at Central Arizona College where he played college baseball.
As a freshman at Central Arizona in 2014, Kuhnel pitched to a 2–0 record with a 1.62 ERA over 39 innings. After the season, he transferred to the University of Texas at Arlington. In 2015, his first season with UTA, he went 4–4 with a 3.55 ERA over 16 games (12 starts).[1] As a junior in 2016, Kuhnel compiled a 6–4 record with a 2.99 ERA across 12 starts.[2] After the year, he was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 11th round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft.[3]
Professional career[edit]
Cincinnati Reds[edit]
Kuhnel signed with the Reds and made his professional debut with the rookie–level Billings Mustangs, pitching to a 0–1 record and a 3.43 ERA over 18 relief appearances.[4] In 2017, he pitched with the Single–A Dayton Dragons and compiled a 2–4 record, a 4.36 ERA, and 54 strikeouts over 64 relief innings pitched, and in 2018, he played for the High–A Daytona Tortugas, with whom he was named a Florida State League All-Star,[5] going 1–4 with a 3.04 ERA in 44 games pitched out of the bullpen.[6] Kuhnel began 2019 with the Double–A Chattanooga Lookouts, earning Southern League All-Star honors, and was promoted to the Triple–A Louisville Bats in June.[7] Over 41 relief appearances between the two teams, he went 5–3 with a 2.18 ERA and fifty strikeouts over 53+2⁄3 innings.[8]
On August 15, 2019, the Reds selected Kuhnel's contract and promoted him to the major leagues.[9] He made his major league debut on August 16 versus the St. Louis Cardinals.[10] He pitched a total of 9+2⁄3 innings for the Reds in 2019, going 1–0 with a 4.66 ERA and nine strikeouts.[11] In 2020, Kuhnel pitched to a 6.00 ERA over three games and three innings pitched. On October 26, 2020, he was outrighted off of the 40-man roster.[12] He spent all of 2021 in the minor leagues, but missed a majority of the season while dealing with a shoulder injury, and pitched only eight innings throughout the course of the year.[13]
He was assigned to Triple-A Louisville to begin the 2022 season. On May 8, 2022, Kuhnel was selected to the 40-man and active rosters.[14] In 53 appearances for Cincinnati, Kuhnel worked to a 6.36 ERA with 56 strikeouts and 1 save in 58.0 innings pitched.
In 2023, Kuhnel spent the majority of his time in Louisville, but struggled to a 7.13 ERA across 21 games. In 2 games for Cincinnati, he allowed 3 runs in 6 hits in 3+1⁄3 innings. On June 13, 2023, Kuhnel was designated for assignment by the Reds following the promotion of Daniel Duarte.[15]
Houston Astros[edit]
On June 16, 2023, Kuhnel was traded to the Houston Astros in exchange for cash considerations.[16] He appeared in 7 games for the Astros, registering a 4.66 ERA with 3 strikeouts across 9+2⁄3 innings of work.
On January 4, 2024, Kuhnel was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Declan Cronin.[17] He cleared waivers and was sent outright to the Triple–A Sugar Land Space Cowboys on January 10.[18] However, Kuhnel elected free agency on January 13.[19] Kuhnel re-signed with the Astros on a minor league contract on January 29.[20] On April 12, Kuhnel had his contract selected to the major league roster.[21] He made only one appearance before he was designated for assignment on April 30.[22]
Toronto Blue Jays[edit]
On May 4, 2024, Kuhnel was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for cash considerations.[23] He posted a 1.04 ERA in six games for the Triple–A Buffalo Bisons, but was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays on May 31.[24] Kuhnel cleared waivers and elected free agency on June 4.[25]
References[edit]
- ^ "UTA looking for atonement from disappointing 2015 baseball season". Arlington Voice. February 6, 2016.
- ^ "BSB: Kuhnel selected in 11th round of MLB Draft".
- ^ staff, Selby Lopez, The Shorthorn. "Two UTA baseball players get drafted to MLB". The Shorthorn.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Dayton Dragons player profile: Pitcher Joel Kuhnel".
- ^ Dean, Zach. "Tortugas sending eight players to All-Star game on Saturday". Daytona Beach News-Journal Online.
- ^ "Vaqueros in pro baseball: Final 2018 statistics". PinalCentral.com.
- ^ "Five Lookouts tabbed as Southern League midseason all-stars". 2019-06-07.
- ^ "Cincinnati Reds notebook: Joel Kuhnel cherishes 1st strikeout; Nick Senzel scratched from lineup".
- ^ John Fay (August 15, 2019). "Joel Kuhnel: The pitching version of Josh VanMeter for the Cincinnati Reds". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
- ^ "St. Louis Cardinals at Cincinnati Reds Box Score, August 16, 2019". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
- ^ "Reds recall Joel Kuhnel, option José de León". 8 August 2020.
- ^ "Reds Outright Joel Kuhnel".
- ^ "Kuhnel healthy, eager to compete for bullpen spot". MLB.com.
- ^ "Reds' Joel Kuhnel: Contract selected by Cincy". yardbarker.com. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
- ^ "Reds' Joel Kuhnel: Designated for assignment". cbssports.com. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
- ^ "Astros' Joel Kuhnel: Traded to Houston". CBSSports.com. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
- ^ "Astros Designate Joel Kuhnel For Assignment". MLB Trade Rumors. January 4, 2024.
- ^ "Astros Outright Joel Kuhnel". MLB Trade Rumors. January 11, 2024.
- ^ "Joel Kuhnel: Elects free agency". cbssports.com. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
- ^ "Astros sign pitchers Joel Kuhnel, Drew Strotman to minor-league deals with camp invites". houstonchronicle.com. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ "Astros' Joel Kuhnel: Added to big-league roster". cbssports.com. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
- ^ "Astros Designate Joel Kuhnel For Assignment". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
- ^ "Blue Jays Acquire Joel Kuhnel". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
- ^ "Blue Jays Designate Joel Kuhnel For Assignment". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ "Joel Kuhnel Elects Free Agency". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
External links[edit]
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- 1995 births
- Living people
- Arizona Complex League Reds players
- Baseball players from North Carolina
- Billings Mustangs players
- Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players
- Central Arizona Vaqueros baseball players
- Chattanooga Lookouts players
- Cincinnati Reds players
- Dayton Dragons players
- Daytona Tortugas players
- Houston Astros players
- Louisville Bats players
- Major League Baseball pitchers
- Sportspeople from Goldsboro, North Carolina
- Sugar Land Space Cowboys players
- UT Arlington Mavericks baseball players