For the Los Angeles Angels, former University of Georgia two-way star Jared Walsh made his Major League debut on Wednesday and went 3-for-5 at first base.
From 2012 to 2015, Walsh was a member of the Bulldogs’ roster. He is the 39th former Georgia player to make it to the majors.
Drafted 39th overall by the Angels, he started at first base and batted eighth in the first inning of a game against the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday.
In the sixth inning, he hit a single for the first time in his career and went 3-for-5 in a loss of 8-7.
To help Walsh improve his pitching and develop into a more versatile player, the Angels sent him to the instructional league at the close of last season.
Walsh is a 6-0, 210-pound left-handed hitter and outfielder who also serves as a left-handed reliever. Despite not being on the team’s 40-man roster, he was invited to Spring Training in January.
In 2018, Walsh hit 29 home runs with 34 doubles and 99 RBI in the minor leagues. After 13 appearances, he threw 10.2 innings with 11 strikeouts and three earned runs.
Walsh hit .302 with 12 doubles, 10 home runs, 26 RBI, and 19 walks in Triple-A Salt Lake this year. And in his five relief outings, his earned run average was 3.60.
The Angels now list him as a two-way player. Shohei Ohtani, the 2018 American League Rookie of the Year, is another two-way talent in the club.
According to MLB Pipeline, Walsh is the team’s No. 20 prospect. In 397 games across the minors, he hit .295 with 59 home runs and 251 RBI.
Walsh, a native of Duluth, Georgia, arrived in Minnesota on Tuesday and met up with his mother Lisa, who had flown in from her home state to witness her son’s debut.
They went to supper together. During his sophomore year at the Bulldogs, Jared’s father, Harry, passed away from cancer.
A co-captain in 2015, Walsh had a team-best 5-2 record and 2.60 ERA, as well as 14 doubles, three home runs, and 22 RBI on his way to a career-best .306 batting average.
During his four years as a Bulldog letterman, Walsh hit .271 with seven home runs and 58 RBI in 139 games (116 starts). In 35 appearances, including 16 starts, he was 8-7 with a 3.18 ERA on the mound.
Does Jared Walsh Have Any Kids?
Jared Walsh does not have any children.