John Bailey Ober (pronounced OH-burr)...X: @baileyOB_17...Instagram: @oberbailey...Married to Montana; the couple has four kids, including daughter, Blake, son, Jax, and twins born in November 2022 (Kollins and Olivia)...Spent prep years at Charlotte Christian School in Charlotte, N.C., where he was teammates on the baseball team with the Vikings' Garrett Bradbury and Seattle Mariners pitcher Jackson Kowar...Member of North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA) state championship teams in 2012 and 2013...Named 2013 Collegiate Baseball All-American Second Team...Named All-NCISAA First Team...Named Charlotte Area Pitcher of the Year...Posted 10-0 record with 0.45 ERA and 99 strikeouts as a senior...Led Charlotte Christian School to No. 22 national ranking by Collegiate Baseball in 2013... Was 10-1 with a 1.00 ERA as a junior...Also played prep basketball...Attended College of Charleston from 2014-17, missing the 2015 season recovering from Tommy John surgery on right elbow...Compiled a 24-9 record with a 2.91 ERA and 254 strikeouts in 259.2 innings over the course of his collegiate career...Posted a 7-2 record with a 4.50 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 56.0 innings of work as a redshirt junior in 2017...In his freshman season compiled a 10-3 record with a 1.52 ERA and 85 strikeouts...Named 2014 NCBWA National Freshman Pitcher of the Year...Was also named the 2014 CAA Rookie of the Year and CAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player while helping the Cougars advance to the Super Regionals for the second time...The 2016 All-CAA Second Team selection is tied for second in the program record book with 24 career victories, and also ranks third in strikeouts, fourth in ERA, seventh in innings pitched and eighth in winning percentage (.727)...Debuted with the Twins in 2021 wearing uniform number 82, switched to 17 for the first part of Spring Training of 2022, then switched again to 16 when the Twins acquired Chris Archer...Switched back to number 17 when Archer departed after 2022 season...Enjoys traveling and hanging out with family during offseason...Favorite sport to play other than baseball is golf...Favorite opposing ballpark is Fenway Park...Packed meals and delivered gifts to kids over the 2022 and 2023 holiday seasons with Joe Mauer and Ryan Jeffers...Participated in 2023, '24 and '25 TwinsFest at Target Field.
2024
Made Twins Opening Day roster for second time in career and first since 2022...Was club's third starter, making first appearance on March 31 at Kansas City, allowing eight runs on nine hits in 1.1 innings pitched...After first start in KC, went on to go 2-0 with a 1.48 ERA (24.1 IP, four ER) in four April starts...Struck out 10 batters in 6.1 innings pitched on May 12 at Toronto, marking second career double-digit strikeout total...Pitched first career complete game on June 22 at Oakland, allowing two runs on four hits in nine innings, with two walks and 10 strikeouts (third career double-digit strikeout total)...Threw just 89 pitches, becoming the first pitcher with a nine-inning CG and 10+ Ks on fewer than 90 pitches since David Cone (perfect game) on July 18, 1999...Ober joined four other Twins to pitch a nine-inning CG on fewer than 90 pitches (since 1988, when pitch counts were tracked), the others being Carlos Silva (May 20, 2005: 74 pitches), John Smiley (Oct. 2, 1992: 80 pitches), Bill Krueger (April 17, 1992: 85 pitches) and Rick Aguilera (Sept. 26, 1989: 88 pitches)...Struck out then-career-high 11 batters in 8.0 scoreless innings pitched with one hit allowed and two walks on July 28 at Detroit...Earned ninth and 10th wins of season on July 22 vs. Philadelphia and July 28 at Detroit...The ninth win set single-season career-high and 10th win marked fastest Twin to reach 10 wins for season...Earned win in four consecutive starts from July 22-Aug. 9, tying career-long winning streak; posted a 1.29 ERA (28.0 IP, four ER) with 31 strikeouts in that span...Posted 11 consecutive quality starts from June 16-Aug. 20, tied for the third-longest streak in club history (since 1961)...Tied Frank Viola (1987) and Dick Woodson (1972)...The streak trailed Johan Santana's 21 (2004), Bert Blyleven's 12 (1972-73) and Jim Merritt's 12 (1967)...Went 7-1 with a 2.09 ERA (73.1 IP, 17 ER), 16 walks, 80 strikeouts and a .167 opponents' batting average (43-for-257) during that stretch...Pitched 7.0 scoreless innings for second time on season on Sept. 7 at Kansas City, allowing one hit and no walks...Struck out career-high 12 batters on Sept. 18 at Cleveland (7.0 IP), fourth time on season and fifth time in career with double-digit strikeout totals...Held left-handed hitters to a .190 average with a .593 OPS, right-handers to a .223 average with a .704 OPS...Set career highs in wins (12), starts (31), innings pitched (178.2) and strikeouts (191)...Posted a run value of eight on off-speed pitches, ranking in the 95th percentile in baseball...Also a run value of six on his breaking pitches, ranking in the 86th percentile...Ranked in the 93rd percentile in baseball in chase percentage (33.5%)...Opponents went 0-for-5 against his curveball, hit .095 (7-for-74) against his slider and .154 (33-for-214) against his changeup...Threw his changeup 792 times, sixth-most in baseball...Generated 84 strikeouts on that pitch, the second-most in baseball behind Cristopher Sánchez (91)...Finished fourth among qualified AL pitchers in WHIP (1.00), seventh in strikeouts-per-walk (4.44) and eighth in strikeouts (191).
2023
Pitched in Twins Spring Training and did not make Opening Day roster..Was odd man out of club's starting rotation (Pablo López, Sonny Gray, Joe Ryan, Tyler Mahle, Kenta Maeda) and was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul on March 26...Was Saints Opening Day starter on March 31 at Toledo, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits in 3.0 innings pitched and was dealt the loss...Made four starts for the Saints from March 31-April 18, going 2-1, 2.55 ERA (17.2 IP, 5 ER) with 13 hits allowed, six walks and 22 strikeouts...Named Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Week on April 23, pitching 5.0 shutout innings with three hits allowed, one walk and six strikeouts in a start vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre...Recalled by Minnesota on April 23 to make spot start that day vs. Washington, allowing one run on three hits in 5.2 innings pitched, earning the win...Optioned back to St. Paul next day, April 24...Did not appear during stint with St. Paul and recalled April 29 to fill starting rotation spot vacated by Kenta Maeda (IL)...Went 2-0, 1.82 ERA (24.2 IP, 5 ER) with four walks and 24 strikeouts in next four starts for Minnesota, striking out exactly six batters in each start...Pitched 7.0 shutout innings twice on season: May 5 at Cleveland and July 1 at Baltimore...Finished the first half with a record of 5-4, 2.61 ERA (82.2 IP, 24 ER), with opponents hitting .207, 18 walks and 79 strikeouts...Ranked fifth in the AL in ERA pre-All-Star break and ninth in baseball...Allowed three earned runs-or-fewer in 15 of first 16 starts with Twins from April 23-July 23, until allowing a career-high six runs on July 29 at Kansas City (4.0 IP)...Did not walk a batter in a career-long four-start stretch from July 18-Aug. 4 (21.0 IP)...Struck out season-high nine batters on Aug. 9 at Detroit (5.0 IP)...Reached professional career high in innings pitched on Aug. 27 vs. Texas, at 122.2...Optioned to Triple-A St. Paul on Aug. 28, to limit innings...Made one start for the Saints and returned to Minnesota on Sept. 15 where he finished season...Set career-highs in wins (eight), innings pitched (144.1), starts (26) and strikeouts (146)...Ranked fourth on Twins staff in starts, innings and strikeouts...Left off AL Wild Card Series roster vs. Toronto but added to ALDS roster vs. Houston...Made postseason debut and started Game 1 of ALDS on Oct. 7 at Minute Maid Park, allowing three runs on four hits in 3.0 innings pitched, with no walks and two strikeouts and was dealt the loss in a Twins 6-4 defeat...Made second appearance in relief in Game 3 of ALDS on Oct. 10 at Target Field, allowing three runs on four hits in 1.1 inning pitched in a Twins 9-1 defeat.
2022
Made Twins Opening Day roster for first time in career and was club's number three starter April 10 vs. Seattle, allowing four runs on four hits in 5.0 innings pitched, with two walks and four strikeouts, earning the win in a Twins 10-4 victory...Made four starts for Twins from April 10-28, going 1-1, 2.75 ERA (19.2 IP, 6 ER), with five walks and 16 strikeouts before being placed on 10-day Injured List with a right groin strain on April 30...Made one start on rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on May 15...returned from rehab assignment and reinstated from IL May 21....Made three more starts for Twins from May 22-June 1, going 0-1, 5.79 ERA (14.0 IP, 9 ER) and was placed on 15-day Injured List with a right groin strain on June 6...transferred to 60-day IL on July 30....Made three starts on rehab assignment from Sept. 1-11, two with Low-A Fort Myers and one with St. Paul; reinstated from IL Sept.16...Made four starts for the Twins after injury to finish the season, going 1-1, 2.01 ERA (22.1 IP, 5 ER) with four walks and 22 strikeouts in those four...Set career-high with 10 strikeouts Sept. 27 vs. Chicago-AL...also set career-high with 7.1 innings pitched, just the third Twins starter to reach the eighth inning on the season (Bundy and Ryan once each)…Posted a 4.8 walk percentage, ranking in the 91st percentile in baseball...walked just 11 of 227 batters faced....Posted a 34.4 chase percentage, ranking in the 92nd percentile in baseball....Held opponents to a .095 batting average on his curveball (102 pitches) and a .188 average on his slider (220 pitches)…posted a 37.0 whiff percentage on slider, fanning hitters 25 times in 71 plate appearances.
2021
Spent first spring training of career with Twins; optioned to alternate training site on March 14...Began season with Triple-A St. Paul and was the club's fifth starter, making his Triple-A debut May 8 at Omaha and allowing one run on three hits in 3.0 innings pitched, with two walks and three strikeouts...Made one more start for the Saints on May 13 and was recalled by Minnesota on May 18...Made major league debut May 18 vs. Chicago-AL, allowing four runs on five hits in 4.0 innings pitched, with two home runs allowed, one walk and four strikeouts in a 5-4 Twins victory...recorded first career strikeout in the first inning, fanning Adam Eaton...Struck out a career-high seven batters in third start on June 11 vs. Houston (5.0 IP)...matched career-high two more times: July 5 vs. Chicago-AL (5.0 IP) and August 25 at Boston (5.0 IP)...Earned first career win on July 5 vs. Chicago-AL, pitching 5.0 scoreless innings with two hits allowed, three walks and seven strikeouts in a Twins 8-5 victory...Recorded first career hit in first major league at-bat on July 31 at St. Louis, singling off Jake Woodford...Allowed three-or-fewer earned runs in 10-straight starts from July 20-Sept. 12, going 1-1 with a 3.24 ERA (50.0 IP, 18 ER) in that span, which included his two quality starts on the season, Aug. 17 vs. Cleveland (6.0 IP, 3 R/2 ER) and August 30 at Detroit (6.0 IP, 2 ER)...Went 1-1, 2.30 ERA (27.1 IP, 7 ER) with three walks and 26 strikeouts in five August starts...his ERA for the month ranked third among AL rookies and his strikeouts ranked 12th...Placed on 10-day Injured List on Sept. 28 with a right hip strain, ending his season...His 20 starts marked the most by a Twins rookie since Adalberto Mejía had 21 in 2017, while his 96 strikeouts were the most since Trevor May had 110 in 2015...96 strikeouts also matched Nick Blackburn (2008) and Gerry Arrigo (1964) for 10th most in a single season by a Minnesota rookie...Held right-handed batters to a .235 (46-for-196) average with the Twins and left-handed batters to a .288 (46-for-160) average...Posted a 5.05 strikeout-to-walk ratio, the highest single-season mark by a Twins/Senators rookie pitcher (min. 70.0 IP), and tops among all major league rookies this season (also min. 70.0 IP)...Also posted 1.1 WAR, per Baseball-Reference...became the first Twins rookie pitcher to surpass 1.0 WAR in a single season since Tyler Duffey in 2015 (1.6 WAR)...Finished the season with a record of 4-3, 3.99 ERA (108.1 IP, 48 ER), 24 walks, 117 strikeouts and a .252 opponent batting average in 24 starts combined between St. Paul and Minnesota...Twins went 12-8 in his starts for a .600 winning percentage, the best of any Twins starter. Ranked sixth among American League rookies in ERA (4.19, minimum 90.0 IP) and 12th in innings pitched (92.1)...Given Bill Boni Award as Twins Most Outstanding Rookie, given by the Twin Cities Chapter of the BBWAA.
2020
Spent spring training on minor league side of CenturyLink Sports Complex in Ft. Myers, FL...was not part of Twins' 60-man Player Pool for season...Added to Twins 40-man roster on November 20. A Ranked 30th-best prospect in Twins system by MLB.com in December.
2019
Split season between three levels of Twins organization, combining to go 8-0, 0.69 ERA (78.2 IP, 6 ER) with nine walks, 100 strikeouts and a .194 opponents batting average in 14 games (13 starts) for GCL Twins, Single-A Ft. Myers and Double-A Pensacola...led all Twins minor league pitchers (min. 75.0 IP) with a 0.69 ERA (78.2 IP, 6 ER) and 0.81 WHIP...became the first Twins minor league pitcher to allow six-or-fewer earned runs in 78.2-or-more innings pitched since at least 1961...named Florida State League Pitcher of the Week for Ft. Myers on April 14 and Southern League Pitcher of the Week for Pensacola on September 2...named Twins minor league Pitcher of the Week twice on the season: once for Ft. Myers on August 4 (6.1 IP, 0 ER, 6 H in 1 start) and again on August 25 with Pensacola (1-0, 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 12 K)...held right-handed batters to a .183 (28-for-153) batting average and left-handed batters to a .206 (27-for-131).
2018
Made a career-high 14 starts for Single-A Cedar Rapids, going 7-1, 3.84 ERA (75.0 IP, 32 ER)...named Twins minor league Pitcher of the Week in consecutive weeks: July 7, going 1-0 with 7.0 shutout innings and 12 strikeouts vs. Wisconsin for the Kernels, and again July 14, going 1-0 with two runs allowed in 7.0 innings and 10 strikeouts vs. Fort Wayne...became first ever Twin to win the award twice in a season.
2017
Began his spring/summer baseball season playing at College of Charleston, going 7-2, 4.50 ERA (56.0 IP, 28 ER) with 11 walks and 73 strikeouts in 10 starts prior to beginning his professional career with Rookie-Elizabethton in late July, making six appearances (4 starts) for the E-Twins.
