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Jakub Hajtmar
From BR Bullpen
Jakub Hajtmar
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 2", Weight 173 lb.
- Born June 14, 1987 in Brno Czech Republic
Jakub Hajtmar was the second Czech-raised position player to sign a US pro contract. He has led the Extraliga in both batting average and steals.
Playing regularly for Draci Brno in Extraliga by age 17, Hajtmar hit .310/.355/.408 in 2004. In 2005, he batted a strong .467/.495/.522 for the champs. He was among the league leaders in hits (42, tied for 6th), average (1st), slugging (7th), OBP (7th) and steals (14, 3rd). He was not caught stealing all season. He hit .200/.294/.200 as a part-time Czech second baseman in the 2005 Baseball World Cup, the first Baseball World Cup the country ever played in. He fielded .870 and stole a base in his only attempt. In the 2006 Extraliga, Hajtmar produced at a .401/.437/.465 clip and stole 20 bases without being gunned down. He led the league with 57 hits, was 4th in average, third in total bases (66), 7th in slugging, 9th in OBP, tied for third in RBI (24), was third in runs (34) and led in steals.
Hajtmar spent 2007 with the Minnesota Twins, in extended spring training. He did not make it into a game for the GCL Twins that year. He played in the 2007 European Championship, hitting .235/.278/.284 while manning both second base and shortstop. He fielded .888 and was just 2-for-4 in attempts to steal. The Czech team was stripped of its wins in the competition because Hajtmar and fellow US pros Jakub Toufar and Petr Čech were deemed ineligible.
Hajtmar made his US debut in 2008, appearing on June 19 for the GCL Twins and against the GCL Pirates. He did not bat and scored one run. The next day, he was 0 for 4 with a strikeout. He hit .247/.297/.282 for the year while playing every infield position except third base.
Hajtmar was 3 for 12 with a walk in the 2009 European Cup and made two errors.
