Jackson Rutledge

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Jackson Rutledge

|image = Jackson Rutledge pitches for the Razorbacks (cropped).jpg

|caption = Rutledge with the Arkansas Razorbacks

|team = Washington Nationals

|number = 79

|position = Pitcher

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|4|1}}

|birth_place = Fenton, Missouri, U.S.

|bats = Right

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = September 13

|debutyear = 2023

|debutteam = Washington Nationals

|statyear = May 14, 2025

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label = Win–loss record

|stat1value = 1–2

|stat2label = Earned run average

|stat2value = 4.60

|stat3label = Strikeouts

|stat3value = 44

|teams =

Washington Nationals ({{mlby|2023}}–present)

}}

Jackson Christian Rutledge (born April 1, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.

Amateur career

Rutledge attended Rockwood Summit High School in Fenton, Missouri. In 2017, as a senior, he went 7-1 with a 1.19 ERA.{{Cite web |date=May 30, 2019 |title=Four amateur players to attend 2019 MLB Draft |url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/four-players-to-attend-2019-mlb-draft |access-date=June 1, 2019 |website=MLB.com}} He went undrafted in the 2017 Major League Baseball draft and enrolled at the University of Arkansas to play college baseball for the Arkansas Razorbacks.

As a freshman at Arkansas in 2018, Rutledge appeared in 12 games in which he went 3-0 with a 3.45 ERA.{{cite web|url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2018/may/24/hogs-had-toughest-road-slate-20180524/|title=Hogs had toughest road slate|website=Arkansas Democrat Gazette|date=May 24, 2018|access-date=June 1, 2019}} He began the year as a key pitcher out of the bullpen, but struggled in Southeastern Conference play, compiling a 27.00 ERA in three games, and did not pitch at all during the month of May.{{cite web|url=https://www.localmemphis.com/sports/rutledge-announces-transfer-from-razorback-baseball-program/1195311552|title=Jackson Rutledge will transfer to Texas junior college|website=WholeHogSports|access-date=June 1, 2019|archive-date=June 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190602012758/https://www.localmemphis.com/sports/rutledge-announces-transfer-from-razorback-baseball-program/1195311552|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.wholehogsports.com/news/2018/may/23/jackson-rutledge-will-transfer-texas-junior-colleg/|title=Rutledge Announces Transfer from Razorback Baseball Program|website=Local Memphis|date=May 23, 2018 |access-date=June 1, 2019}} He announced that month that he would transfer and spend the 2019 season at San Jacinto College.{{cite web|url=https://www.kark.com/sports/rutledge-announces-transfer-from-razorback-baseball-program/1195311551|title=Rutledge Announces Transfer from Razorback Baseball Program|website=KARK.com|date=May 23, 2018|access-date=June 1, 2019}} During the 2018 offseason, he committed to play his 2020 junior season at the University of Kentucky.{{cite web|url=https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-baseball/article222125740.html|title=UK baseball program gets commitment from nation's No. 1-ranked junior college recruit|website=Lexington Herald Leader|access-date=June 1, 2019}} Rutledge broke out as a sophomore for the San Jacinto Central Ravens in 2019, pitching to a 9-2 record with a 0.87 ERA in 13 games, striking out 134 in {{fraction|82|2|3}} innings.{{cite web|url=https://www.ksdk.com/article/sports/this-rockwood-summit-grad-could-be-a-hot-first-round-pick-in-the-upcoming-mlb-draft/63-77aeb9e5-c283-4ef1-b7dc-ede5235adb20|title=This Rockwood Summit grad could be a hot first-round pick in the upcoming MLB Draft|website=ksdk.com|date=May 19, 2019|access-date=June 1, 2019}}

Professional career

Rutledge was considered one of the top prospects for the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/2019|title=MLB.com 2019 Prospect Watch|website=MLB.com|access-date=April 7, 2019|archive-date=June 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190615113942/http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2019?list=draft|url-status=live}} He was selected by the Washington Nationals with the 17th overall pick.{{cite news|url=https://www.masnsports.com/byron-kerr/2019/06/rizzo-rutledge-possesses-skill-set-we-really-go-after.html|agency=MASN Sports|title=Rizzo: Rutledge possesses "skill set we really go after"|first=Byron|last=Kerr|date=June 3, 2019|access-date=June 3, 2019}} He agreed to terms with the Nationals on June 17 for $3.45 million.{{cite tweet|number=1140715178348175360|user=Nationals|title=We've agreed to terms with 2019 first-round draft pick Jackson Rutledge. |date=June 17, 2019}}{{cite news| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/06/17/nationals-introduce-first-round-pick-jackson-rutledge/| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190618114531/https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/06/17/nationals-introduce-first-round-pick-jackson-rutledge/| archive-date = June 18, 2019| title = Nationals introduce first-round draft pick Jackson Rutledge - The Washington Post| newspaper = The Washington Post}} He made his professional debut with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Nationals before being promoted to the Auburn Doubledays of the Low–A New York–Penn League after one game. He was promoted to the Hagerstown Suns of the Single–A South Atlantic League in July, with whom he finished the year. Over ten starts between the three clubs, he went 2-0 with a 3.13 ERA, striking out 39 over {{fraction|37|1|3}} innings.{{Cite web | url=https://www.masnsports.com/byron-kerr/2020/03/baseball-america-no-3-nats-top-prospect-rhp-jackson-rutledge.html | title=Home }} Rutledge did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled|title = 2020 Minor League Baseball season canceled|website = MLB.com}}

To begin the 2021 season, he was assigned to the Wilmington Blue Rocks of the High-A East.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/nationals/nationals-set-minors-rosters-rutledge-cavalli-parra-among-players-assigned|title = Nats set minors rosters: Rutledge, Cavalli, Parra among assigned}} After pitching {{fraction|10|2|3}} innings, in which he gave up 15 earned runs and 17 hits, he was placed on the injured list with a shoulder injury.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/nationals-jackson-rutledge-out-with-shoulder-injury/|title = Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Out with shoulder injury| date=May 22, 2021 }} He was activated in July, and reassigned to the Fredericksburg Nationals of the Low-A East.{{Cite web|url=https://fredericksburg.com/sports/baseball/professional/frednats-hope-jackson-rutledges-patience-matches-his-potential/article_86dedfac-be5d-51d2-bcdd-5dd5460d7938.html|title=FredNats hope Jackson Rutledge's patience matches his potential|date=August 3, 2021 }} He was placed back on the injured list in early August, and returned later that month.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/nationals-jackson-rutledge-out-with-blister/|title = Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Out with blister| date=August 3, 2021 }} Over 22 innings pitched with Fredericksburg, Rutledge went 1-2 with a 5.32 ERA and 26 strikeouts. He was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for the Surprise Saguaros after the season.{{cite web | last=Callis | first=Jim | last2=Mayo | first2=Jonathan | last3=Dykstra | first3=Sam | title=Arizona Fall League rosters 2021 prospect loaded | website=MLB.com | date=October 6, 2021 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/arizona-fall-league-rosters-2021-prospect-loaded?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage | access-date=February 9, 2025}} Rutledge pitched 3⅓ innings in relief for the Saguaros in the championship game on November 20, 2021, versus the Mesa Solar Sox, giving up two runs but striking out seven. MLB Pipeline rated him as Surprise's top performer in the game, a 6–0 Mesa win.{{cite news|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/top-performers-in-afl-championship?t=arizona-fall-league-coverage|agency=MLB.com|title=These 8 players shined in the AFL title game|date=November 20, 2021|accessdate=November 21, 2021|first=Jonathan|last=Mayo}} He returned to Fredericksburg to open the 2022 season.{{cite web | last=Dykstra | first=Sam | title=Where Nationals prospects are starting 2022 season | website=MLB.com | date=April 8, 2022 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/where-nationals-prospects-are-starting-2022-season | access-date=February 9, 2025}} In 20 starts for Fredericksburg, he recorded a 8–6 record and 4.90 ERA with 99 strikeouts in {{fraction|97|1|3}} innings pitched.{{Cite web|title=Jackson Rutledge - Stats - Pitching|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/players/jackson-rutledge/26215/stats?position=P|access-date=October 1, 2023|website=fangraphs.com|language=en}}

On November 15, 2022, the Nationals added Rutledge to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.{{cite news |last1=Zuckerman |first1=Mark |title=Hernandez among cuts as Nats add six players to 40-man roster |url=https://www.masnsports.com/blog/hernandez-among-cuts-as-nats-add-six-players-to-40-man-roster |access-date=September 30, 2023 |publisher=MASN |date=November 15, 2022}} He was optioned to the Double-A Harrisburg Senators to begin the 2023 season.{{cite news |title=Senators Announce 2023 Opening Day Roster |url=https://www.milb.com/news/0406-sens-opening-day-roster |access-date=September 30, 2023 |publisher=MILB.com |date=April 6, 2023}} In 23 starts split between Harrisburg and the Triple–A Rochester Red Wings,{{cite news |last1=Golden |first1=Andrew |title=Jackson Rutledge, the Nationals' 2019 first-round pick, is on the rise |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/07/05/jackson-rutledge-nationals-prospect/ |access-date=September 30, 2023 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=July 5, 2023}} he accumulated an 8–4 record and 3.71 ERA with 106 strikeouts in 119.0 innings of work.{{Cite web |date=September 13, 2023 |title=Reynolds hits 21st homer, Pirates beat Nationals 7-6 to spoil Rutledge's debut |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap/_/gameId/401473207 |access-date=September 30, 2023 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press}} On September 13, 2023, Rutledge was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.{{cite news |last1=Anderson |first1=R. J. |title=Jackson Rutledge promotion: Nationals call up former first-round draft pick for major-league debut |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/jackson-rutledge-promotion-nationals-call-up-former-first-round-draft-pick-for-major-league-debut/ |access-date=September 30, 2023 |work=CBS Sports |date=September 13, 2023}} He faced the Pittsburgh Pirates in his major league debut that same day, and took the loss. Rutledge recorded his first career win against the Atlanta Braves on September 24.{{cite news |title=Jackson Rutledge earns 1st career victory as Nationals defeat Braves 3-2 in DH opener |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap/_/gameId/401473345 |access-date=September 30, 2023 |agency=Associated Press |work=ESPN.com |date=September 24, 2023}} In 4 starts during his rookie campaign, he posted a 6.75 ERA with 12 strikeouts across 20 innings.

Rutledge was optioned to Triple–A Rochester to begin the 2024 season.{{Cite web|title=Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Sent to minor-league camp|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/nationals-jackson-rutledge-sent-to-minor-league-camp/|access-date=March 19, 2024|website=cbssports.com|date=March 17, 2024 |language=en}} He made 3 appearances (1 start) for Washington in 2024, logging a 3.24 ERA with 9 strikeouts across {{fraction|8|1|3}} innings pitched. Rutledge was again optioned to Triple-A Rochester to begin the 2025 season.{{Cite web|title=Final roster moves leave Lord, Ribalta, Adams, Tena in position to make team|url=https://www.masnsports.com/blog/final-roster-moves-leave-lord-ribalta-adams-tena-in-position-to-make-team?format=amp|access-date=March 29, 2025|website=masnsports.com|language=en}}

Pitching style

Rutledge stands {{convert|6|ft|8|inch}}, taller than the average pitcher, although his arm action is relatively short and compact.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/nationals-jackson-rutledge-popped-by-nationals-with-17th-pick/|agency=CBS Sports|title=Nationals' Jackson Rutledge: Popped by Nationals with 17th pick|date=June 3, 2019|access-date=June 3, 2019}} He throws a four-seam fastball that has been clocked as fast as {{convert|99|mph}},{{cite news|url=https://www.khou.com/article/sports/san-jacinto-college-pitcher-a-high-end-mlb-draft-prospect/285-a0df14d7-f13c-49a3-99c2-5793400d3261|title=San Jacinto College pitcher a high-end MLB Draft prospect|first=Jason|last=Bristol|agency=KHOU 11|date=June 3, 2019|access-date=June 3, 2019}} complementing it with a slider, a changeup, and a curveball. Rutledge introduced the slider during his 2019 season with San Jacinto after tweaking his grip to differentiate it from his curveball. He has credited Ross Detwiler, also a first-round selection of the Washington Nationals in the 2007 MLB draft, for helping him develop his changeup.