Joe Gunkel

Joseph Dillon Gunkel

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 5", Weight 225 lb.

• School West Chester University of Pennsylvania
• High School Hershey High School

• Born December 30, 1991 in Boynton Beach, FL USA

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Joe Gunkel has pitched in the minor leagues and Nippon Pro Baseball.

Gunkel was the 2012 Division II College World Series Most Outstanding Player, pitching 18 shutout innings and allowing six hits; he threw a complete game whitewash in the title game victory over Delta State University. He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 18th round of the 2013 Amateur Draft, and he went 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA and 5 saves in 2013 for the Lowell Spinners. He also pitched one game for the GCL Red Sox, and he was 3-0 with a 2.28 ERA for the Greenville Drive in 2014. Gunkel started 10 games with a 3-5 record and a 4.64 ERA for the Salem Red Sox in '14 season, and he went 1-1 with a 2.05 ERA in 2015. He completed a rain-shortened no-hitter against the Carolina Mudcats, relieving Jake Dahlstrand and retiring Dustin Peterson before the rains ended the game. Gunkel also went 2-1 with a 3.93 ERA for the AA Portland Sea Dogs, and he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for Alejandro De Aza. He had a 8-4 record with a 2.59 ERA for the Bowie Baysox, and he had a 0-3 record with a 3.66 ERA in 2016 for the BaySox. He reached AAA that season, and he was 8-11 with a 4.08 ERA for the Norfolk Tides.

The Orioles then traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he had a 4.00 ERA in 3 games for the Oklahoma City Dodgers in 2017 before the Miami Marlins claimed him off waivers in April. Gunkel went 6-10 with a 4.92 ERA for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, and he had a 1-1 record and a 3.03 ERA for the AAA New Orleans Baby Cakes in 2018. His ERA was 3.80 with a 8-2 record in 2019, and he signed with the Hanshin Tigers. Gunkel notched 11 holds with a 2-4 record and a 3.18 ERA in 28 appearances in 2020, and he was turned into a full-time reliever in 2021. He went 9-3 with a 2.95 ERA that season, then he was 5-5 with a 2.73 ERA in 2022. He went to the Softbank Hawks in 2023, but he slumped to 0-1 with a 5.82 ERA. Gunkel signed with the Minnesota Twins in 2024, but his ERA was 10.54 in 9 gams for the St. Paul Saints and he was released in May.