Jake Brentz #61

Jake resides in Ballwin, Mo...Graduated from Parkway South High School in Manchester, Mo., in 2013.

2023

Brentz in 2023 began a rehab assignment with the ACL Royals on Aug. 16, returning to the mound for the first time in 16 months…he made 3 rehab appearances (including 1 with Double-A Northwest Arkansas), but was returned on Aug. 25 after suffering a lat strain.

2022

Brentz in 2022 made just eight appearances, allowing 15 runs (14 earned) in 5.1 innings of work...he was placed on the 10-day Injured List with a left flexor strain on April 30, and underwent left elbow UCL reconstruction surgery on July 21, ending his season.

2021

Made his first Opening Day roster despite having never pitched at the Major League level, and remained with the club for the entire season, except an eight-game stretch from Aug. 23-31 in which he was placed on the 10-day Injured List with a left shoulder impingement...Among rookie relievers, ranked first in games pitched (72), tied for second in holds (15), fourth in innings (64.0) and strikeouts (76), tied for fourth in wins (5), sixth in opponents’ average (.197) and K/9 (10.69), tied for eighth in saves (2) and 10th in ERA (3.66)...Made his Major League debut on April 3 vs. Texas, recording two outs while allowing a hit and a walk, with his first strikeout against Nathaniel Lowe...Posted a Royals bullpen-best scoreless streak of 15.0 innings from May 14-June 15, in which he allowed just three hits (.064) with 17 strikeouts, going 1-0 with three holds, including his first career victory on May 18 vs. the Milwaukee Brewers (0.1 IP)...Earned his first career save on Aug. 5 at Guaranteed Rate Field against the White Sox, with a 1-2-3 ninth inning to secure a 3-2 victory...Pitched in a team-high 72 games and tied for the eighth-most games in the Majors, nine shy of the leader Bryan Shaw (81)...ranked second in Royals history in games pitched as a rookie in a single season, behind only Kelvin Herrera’s club record 76 in 2012...Recorded the second-best strikeout total by a Royals lefty in a single season (72), behind only Tim Collins’ 93 in 2012 (min. 70 games)...his 10.69 K/9 ratio ranked fourth in single-season club history by a left-handed reliever, behind Jake Diekman (13.61, 2019), Collins (12.01, 2012) and Mark Davis (10.80, 1990)...Held opponents to a .197 average (45-for-229), the sixth-lowest average in club history (min. 275 batters faced) behind Wade Davis (.151 in 2014), Robinson Tejeda (.167 in ‘09), Mark Littell (.188 in ‘76), Moe Drabowsky (.190 in ‘69) and Roger Nelson (.196 in ‘72)...Earned the fifth win of his rookie season vs. Oakland on Sept. 14, his 27th birthday, recording a 1-2-3 sixth to become the first Royal to win on his birthday since Foster Griffin on July 27, 2020...it was his second win in as many appearances, following Sept. 12 in Minnesota...Left-handed hitters batted .116 (8-for-69) against him with two extra-base hits and 21 strikeouts...among pitchers who faced at least 90 left-handed hitters, only Philadelphia’s Ranger Suárez posted a lower batting average against (.109, 11-for-101)...it was the lowest left-handed average against in club history (min. 90 LHB faced), better than Danny Duffy’s .137 opponents’ average (17-for-124) in 2019...Allowed two extra-base hits to left-handed hitters, home runs to Rougned Odor and Bobby Bradley...since 1974, only Matt Whisenant (1998) and Jim Wright (1981) allowed fewer in a single season as a Royal (min. 90 left-handed batters faced)...Threw his fastball 645 times, according to Baseball Savant, averaging 96.9 mph, which ranked in the 94th percentile in the Majors...eclipsed the 100.0 mph threshold twice, making him one of eight left-handers to throw at least two pitches at 100.0 mph or faster...since data is available back to 2008, he and Duffy (twice) are the only Royals left-handers who have thrown a pitch at 100.0 mph or faster.

2020

Spent the season at the Alternate Training Site in Kansas City, Kansas...Also participated in the Royals’ postseason camp at Kauffman Stadium in October.

2019

Signed with the Kansas City Royals as a minor league free agent on Aug. 20, after being released by the Pittsburgh Pirates’ organization on Aug. 16...Made 41 relief appearances combined between Altoona (AA), Indianapolis (AAA) and Northwest Arkansas (AA)...Between his stops, pitched to a 1.59 ERA (3 ER in 17.0 IP) with a .193 opponents average (12-for-62) at the Double-A level...Went 8-for-8 in save opportunities (all with Indianapolis), ranking tied for ninth in the International League.

2018

Opened the season with Altoona, but was reassigned to Bradenton (A+)...Placed on the Injured List (right ankle strain) on July 6 and reinstated July 16.

2017

Earned Florida State League midseason All-Star honors in his first full season in the Pirates’ organization...Between his two stops, Altoona and Bradenton, held opponents to a .203 average (30-for-148)…although he walked 15 batters in his 14 outings (14.0 IP) with the Curve.

2016

Acquired by the Pittsburgh Pirates with RHP Pedro Vasquez from Seattle to complete the Aug. 6 trade for RHP Arquimedes Caminero…didn’t pitch in the Pirates’ organization...Made his first two appearances at the Triple-A level with Tacoma, but split most of the year between Clinton (A) and Everett (A).

2015

Acquired by Seattle with LHP Rob Rasmussen and LHP Nick Wells, for RHP Mark Lowe on July 31...Combined to make 10 starts (11 outings), between Bluefield (Rookie) and Everett, going 1-2 with a 4.00 ERA (16 ER in 36.0 IP), with 30 strikeouts.