Jace Jung

Jace Jung
Detroit Tigers – No. 17
Second baseman / Third baseman
Born: (2000-10-04) October 4, 2000 (age 24)
San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
MLB debut
August 16, 2024, for the Detroit Tigers
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Batting average.241
Home runs0
Runs batted in3
Teams

Jace Andrew Jung (yung; born October 4, 2000) is an American professional baseball second baseman and third baseman for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball for the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

Early life and amateur career

Jung grew up in San Antonio, Texas and attended Douglas MacArthur High School.[1]

Jung enrolled at Texas Tech University to play college baseball for the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Jung batted .264 through 19 games of his true freshman season before it was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic.[2] As a redshirt freshman, Jung and was named the Big 12 Conference Baseball Player of the Year after batting for a .337 average with 21 home runs and 67 RBIs.[3][4] During the summer of 2021, he played for the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[5][6] Jung was named the preseason Big 12 Player of the Year going into his redshirt sophomore season.[7]

Professional career

The Detroit Tigers selected Jung in the first round, with the 12th overall selection, of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft.[8] He signed with the team on July 25, 2022, and received a $4,590,300 signing bonus.[9] Jung made his professional debut with the High–A West Michigan Whitecaps. He split the 2023 campaign between West Michigan and the Double–A Erie SeaWolves, slashing .265/.376/.502 with 28 home runs and 82 RBI over 128 total games.[10]

Jung began the year with the Triple–A Toledo Mud Hens, playing in 91 games and slashing .257/.377/.454 with 14 home runs and 60 RBI. On August 16, 2024, Jung was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time. He was also inserted into the lineup that evening to make his Major League debut.[11]

Personal life

Jung's older brother, Josh Jung, also played baseball at Texas Tech and was selected by the Texas Rangers in the first round of the 2019 MLB draft.[12][13]

References

  1. ^ "Mac's Jung brothers cherish special season". San Antonio Express-News. April 21, 2016.
  2. ^ "Jace Jung develops into a top draft prospect". Baseballprospectjournal.com. October 12, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
  3. ^ "Jace Jung highlights several Texas Tech players garnering Big 12 honors". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. May 24, 2021.
  4. ^ "Jace Jung gets D1 Baseball nod, becomes consensus All-American". Everythinglubbock.com. June 28, 2021.
  5. ^ "Jace Jung". Pointstreak.com. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  6. ^ "Here's what you should know about the Orleans Firebirds". Cape Cod Times. June 21, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  7. ^ "TTU Baseball: Jace Jung favorite to repeat as Big 12 Player of the Year". KCBD.com. January 26, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
  8. ^ "The night is Jung. With the 12th pick in the 2022 #MLBDraft, the Tigers select 2B Jace Jung from Texas Tech". Twitter.com. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  9. ^ "Detroit Tigers sign MLB draft's No. 12 overall pick Jace Jung". Detroit Free Press. July 25, 2022. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  10. ^ "Jace Jung - Stats - Batting". fangraphs.com. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  11. ^ "Tigers Designate Gio Urshela, Easton Lucas For Assignment". MLB Trade Rumors. August 16, 2024. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  12. ^ "Finalists for the Bragan Award includes brother of Texas Rangers' Josh Jung". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. June 8, 2021.
  13. ^ Grant, Evan (February 17, 2022). "How Texas Rangers prospect Josh Jung and brother Texas Tech star Jace Jung helped prepare each other for their potentially career defining upcoming seasons". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved February 18, 2022.