Justin Hancock

{{short description|American baseball player and coach (born 1990)}}

{{Infobox MLB player

|name=Justin Hancock

|image=ジャスティン・ハンコック2019.03.12.jpg

|image_size=250

|caption=Hancock with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters

|team=

|number=

|position=Pitcher

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{birth date and age|1990|10|28}}

|birth_place=Defiance, Ohio, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate= May 9

|debutyear= 2018

|debutteam= Chicago Cubs

|debut2league= NPB

|debut2date = March 30

|debut2year = 2019

|debut2team = Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label = Win–loss record

|stat1value = 0–0

|stat2label = Earned run average

|stat2value = 1.46

|stat3label = Strikeouts

|stat3value = 11

|stat2league = NPB

|stat21label = Win–loss record

|stat21value = 0–1

|stat22label = Earned run average

|stat22value = 9.00

|stat23label = Strikeouts

|stat23value = 8

|teams=

Chicago Cubs ({{mlby|2018}})
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters ({{npby|2019}})

}}

Justin David Hancock (born October 28, 1990) is an American baseball coach and former pitcher, who is the current pitching coach of the Indiana State Syacamores. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.

Playing career

=Amateur career=

Before playing professionally, Hancock attended Tinora High School in Defiance, Ohio. He then attended Lincoln Trail College, where he was named All-Great Rivers Athletic Conference in 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=606995#/career/R/pitching/2014/ALL|title=MiLB.com|access-date=November 19, 2014}} His fastball has been clocked at {{convert|100|mph}}.{{cite web|author=Craig Pearson |url=https://www.tribstar.com/sports/former-south-sharpshooter-hoping-to-root-husband-to-the-big/article_0c55902a-309a-5129-a3df-0ff9f5c7e953.html |title=Former South sharpshooter hoping to root husband to the big leagues | Sports |publisher=tribstar.com |date=July 8, 2017 |access-date=April 8, 2019}}

=San Diego Padres=

The San Diego Padres drafted Hancock in the ninth round, with the 293rd overall selection, of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft, and he signed for a bonus of $100,000. After going 0–3 with a 7.09 earned run average (ERA) in 11 games during his first pro campaign, Hancock posted a 3.30 ERA with 89 strikeouts in 28 games (16 starts) between the Low-A Eugene Emeralds and Single-A Fort Wayne TinCaps in 2012.

In 2013, Hancock was 8–8 with a 3.38 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 26 starts split between Fort Wayne and the High-A Lake Elsinore Storm. While with Fort Wayne, he went 5–1 with a 1.73 and 44 strikeouts.{{cite web|url=http://padres.scout.com/story/1366639-madfriars-interview-justin-hancock|title=San Diego Padres MLB Baseball Front Page|work=scout.com|access-date=February 11, 2015}} In 2014, Hancock went 3–2 with a 3.92 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 15 games (14 starts) for the rookie-level Arizona League Padres and Double-A San Antonio Missions.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=hancoc002jus|title=BR Minors page|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=November 19, 2014}} He was sent to pitch in the Arizona Fall League following the 2014 campaign.{{cite web|url=http://surfturfandmurph.com/2014/08/26/padres-sending-seven-prospects-arizona-fall-league/|title=Padres Sending Seven Prospects to the Arizona Fall League|work=Surf Turf and Murph|date=August 26, 2014 |access-date=November 19, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/oct/18/padres-arizona-fall-league-prospects-update/|title=www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/oct/18/padres-arizona-fall-league-prospects-update/|work=U-T San Diego|access-date=November 19, 2014}}

=Chicago Cubs=

On May 8, 2017, the Padres traded Hancock to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Matt Szczur.{{cite web|url=http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/cubs-trade-matt-szczur-padres-exchange-minor-league-pitcher-justin-hancock|title=Cubs trade Matt Szczur to Padres in exchange for minor league pitcher Justin Hancock|date=May 8, 2017|website=csnchicago.com|access-date=June 2, 2017}} He spent the remainder of the year with the Double-A Tennessee Smokies and Triple-A Iowa Cubs.

On May 9, 2018, Hancock was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.{{cite web| url = https://www.tribstar.com/sports/former-lincoln-trail-college-standout-justin-hancock-gets-called-up/article_f04d0922-53bd-11e8-860d-0be27a6d6b26.html| title = Former Lincoln Trail College standout Justin Hancock gets called up by Cubs {{!}} Sports {{!}} tribstar.com| date = May 9, 2018}} In 10 appearances for the Cubs, he recorded a 1.46 ERA with 11 strikeouts across {{fraction|12|1|3}} innings pitched. On November 30, Hancock was non-tendered by the Cubs and became a free agent.{{Cite web|title=Cubs Non-Tender Ronald Torreyes|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/11/cubs-non-tender-ronald-torreyes.html|access-date=January 31, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}

=Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters=

On December 5, 2018, Hancock signed a one-year contract with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB){{cite web | url=https://www.fighters.co.jp/news/detail/00001525.html | title=ジャスティン・ハンコック投手と契約合意 | work=北海道日本ハムファイターズ公式サイト | language=Japanese | date=December 5, 2018 | access-date=April 4, 2019 }} for an estimated ¥70 million.{{Cite news|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=sports&p=1620224#823524|title=Fighters acquire former Cubs pitcher Justin Hancock|work=The Japan Times|date=December 5, 2018|access-date=December 6, 2018}} In 8 appearances for the Fighters, he struggled to a 9.00 ERA with 8 strikeouts and 2 saves across 7 innings pitched. On October 11, 2019, Fighters announced that team had not re-signed Hancock for the following season.{{ cite web | url=https://www.fighters.co.jp/news/detail/00002236.html | title=ハンコック、バーベイト投手退団のお知らせ | work=北海道日本ハムファイターズオフィシャルサイト | language=Japanese | date=October 11, 2019 | access-date=January 12, 2020 }} He became a free agent on October 18.{{ cite web | url=http://npb.jp/announcement/2019/pn_released.html | title=2019年度自由契約選手 | work=NPB.jp 日本野球機構 | language=Japanese | date= | access-date=January 12, 2020 }}

Coaching career

In July 2021, Hancock joined the Indiana State baseball program as an assistant coach; in his role, he will work primarily with Sycamore pitchers.{{cite web | url=https://gosycamores.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/justin-hancock/903 | title=Justin Hancock - Baseball Coach }}

Personal life

Hancock is married to Tessa, a former college women's basketball player.{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-justin-hancock-20180524-story.html |title=Switch to relief pitching paves way for Cubs' Justin Hancock to reach major leagues |publisher=Chicago Tribune |date= |access-date=April 8, 2019 |last1=Gonzales |first1=Mark }}