Jesse Litsch
From BR Bullpen
Jesse Allen Litsch
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 1", Weight 205 lb.
- Schools South Florida Community College
- High School Dixie Hollins High School
- Born March 9, 1985 in Pinellas Park, FL USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Jesse Litsch made his Major League debut in 2007.
In 2001, Litsch entered an essay contest about why he would want to intern with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays; he won and became the club's batboy. After high school, he was drafted in the 37th round of the 2003 amateur draft by the Colorado Rockies but did not sign.
After a year at South Florida Community College in which he was named to the Baseball America All-America Junior College team, he was drafted in the 24th round of the 2004 amateur draft by the Toronto Blue Jays.
Litsch signed late and did not debut professionally until 2005. He went 5-1 with a 2.74 ERA for the Pulaski Blue Jays, allowing a .212 average and striking out 67 while walking 10 in 65 2/3 IP. In 4 games for the Auburn Doubledays, he was 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA. He finished third in the Appalachian League in ERA and was rated the #6 prospect in the league by Baseball America.
Jesse split 2006 between the Dunedin Blue Jays (6-6, 3.53 in 16 games, but with 81 K to 8 BB in 89 1/3 IP) and the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (3-4, 5.06, 54 K to 13 BB in 69 1/3 IP, but a .309 opponent average). He led Toronto farmhands with 3 complete games.
He dominated the Eastern League in the early weeks of the 2007 season, going 5-1 with an 0.96 ERA for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. He was called up to the Toronto Blue Jays when ace Roy Halladay was put on the disabled list because of an appendectomy. Litsch gave his best Halladay impression in his Major League debut on May 15, allowing a single run on four hits in 8 2/3 innings to pick up a 2-1 win. It was the longest outing ever for a Blue Jay pitcher making his first Major League appearance. While the original plan was for a short stay, the Jays quickly put him into the rotation, moving Tomo Ohka to the bullpen. He ended the season with a 7-9 record and a creditable 3.81 ERA (122 ERA+) in 20 starts.
