Paxton Schultz
Paxton James Schultz
- Bats Left, Throws Right
- Height 6' 3", Weight 205 lb.
- School Utah Valley University
- High School Orem High School
- Debut April 20, 2025
Biographical Information[edit]
Pitcher Paxton Schultz was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 14th round of the 2019 amateur draft, out of Utah Valley University. On May 2, 2021, just as the minor leagues were gearing up again after their forced pause during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays as the player to be named later for OF Derek Fisher, completing a deal that had taken place during spring training.
It took Paxton a few years to make it to the Show. He had only pitched one season in the Rookie-class Pioneer League while with the Brewers, and the Blue Jays sent him to the Class A Vancouver Canadians after his acquisition. He went 5-7, 5.28 in 22 games as a starting pitcher, and in 2022 went 7-6, 4.04 in 25 games for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the Eastern League. In 2023, he split his time between New Hampshire and the AAA Buffalo Bisons, going 6-8, 4.80 in 30 games. He had been principally a starting pitcher until that point, but in 2024, only 7 of his 40 appearances for Buffalo came as a starter. He went 6-4, 4.11, with 112 strikeouts in 92 innings.
He started the 2025 season with Buffalo, and had made 4 appearances in relief, with an ERA of 2.08, when he was called up to Toronto on April 19th, after the Jays' bullpen had been tired in a 12-inning game that day. He took the roster spot of Jacob Barnes, who was designated for assignment. He made his debut the next day against the Seattle Mariners, having been driven from Syracuse, NY to Toronto that morning, and entered the game in the 2nd inning after starter Easton Lucas had been roughed up. He tied a major league record by a reliever making his major league debut by racking up 8 strikeouts in 4 1/3 scoreless innings. He was the fifth pitcher with that many strikeouts, the last having been Hayden Wesneski in 2022.
Further Reading[edit]
- Keegan Matheson: "'Wow': Schultz delivers 'unbelievable' debut, tying MLB record", mlb.com, April 20, 2025. [1]
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