Tejay Antone

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Tejay Antone

|image =

|team = Cincinnati Reds

|number =

|position = Pitcher

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1993|12|5}}

|birth_place = Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.

|bats = Right

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = July 27

|debutyear = 2020

|debutteam = Cincinnati Reds

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = 2024 season

|stat1label = Win–loss record

|stat1value = 2–3

|stat2label = Earned run average

|stat2value = 2.47

|stat3label = Strikeouts

|stat3value = 96

|teams =

Cincinnati Reds ({{mlby|2020}}–{{mlby|2021}}, {{mlby|2023}}–{{mlby|2024}})

}}

Tejay Anthony Antone (born December 5, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Cincinnati Reds organization. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2020 for the Reds.

Amateur career

Antone attended Mansfield Legacy High School in Mansfield, Texas. Antone was drafted by the New York Mets in the 22nd round of the 2012 MLB draft, but did not sign and attended Texas Christian University. He appeared in 6 games for the TCU Horned Frogs in 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.frogsowar.com/2013/5/29/4375924/pitcher-tejay-antone-transferring-to-weatherford-juco-plans-to-return|title=Pitcher Tejay Antone Transferring To Weatherford JUCO, Plans To Return To TCU|website=Frogs O'War|publisher=SB Nation|author=Dr. Frasier Crane, MD, Ph.D|date=May 29, 2013|access-date=November 21, 2019}} Antone transferred to Weatherford College for the 2014 season, going 7–6 with a 2.88 ERA over {{frac|84|1|3}} innings.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/reds-pick-college-transfer-pitcher-tejay-antone-in-fifth-round/c-78543384|title=Reds pick college transfer Antone in fifth round|website=MLB.com|author=Mark Sheldon|date=June 6, 2014|access-date=November 21, 2019}} Antone was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 5th round, with the 155th overall selection, of the 2014 MLB draft.{{cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/high-school-sports/2014/06/06/tejay-antone-s-path-from-mansfield-legacy-now-takes-him-into-major-league-baseball-draft/|title=Tejay Antone's path from Mansfield Legacy now takes him into Major League Baseball draft|author=SportsDayDFW.com|date=June 6, 2014|website=The Dallas Morning News|access-date=November 21, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/community/weatherford-star-telegram/wt-sports/article3862927.html|title=Antone becomes highest draft pick in WC history; season wrap-ups|website=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|author=Rick Mauch|date=June 24, 2014|access-date=November 21, 2019}}

Professional career

Antone split the 2014 season between the Arizona League Reds and the Billings Mustangs, going a combined 2–3 with a 5.76 ERA over {{frac|54|2|3}} innings.{{cite web|url=https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/community/weatherford-star-telegram/wt-sports/article16986698.html|title=Former Coyote learning the ropes in Reds' spring training; feels 'great'|website=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|author=Rick Mauch|date=March 31, 2015|access-date=November 21, 2019}} He spent the 2015 season with the Dayton Dragons, going 6–10 with a 2.91 ERA over 158 innings. He split the 2016 season between the Daytona Tortugas and the Louisville Bats, going a combined 14–7 with a 3.45 ERA over {{frac|156|1|3}} innings. He missed the 2017 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/milb/news/tejay-antone-perfect-through-seven-innings-for-daytona-tortugas/c-285034666|title=Tortugas' Antone perfect through seven|author=Michael Avallone and Chris Tripodi|website=MiLB.com|date=July 10, 2018|access-date=November 21, 2019}} He spent the 2018 season with Daytona, going 14–6 with a 3.51 ERA over {{frac|151|1|3}} innings. Antone split the 2019 season between the Chattanooga Lookouts and Louisville, going a combined 11–12 with a 4.00 ERA over {{frac|146|1|3}} innings.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/milb/news/tejay-antone-spins-six-perfect-frames-for-chattanooga-lookouts/c-307003648|title=Antone spins six perfect for Lookouts|author=Chris Bumbaca|website=MiLB.com|date=May 10, 2019|access-date=November 21, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.weatherforddemocrat.com/sports/former-coyote-wins-triple-a-pitching-award/article_eaf8f732-cfff-11e9-9617-cbaea3294ae5.html|title=Former Coyote wins Triple-A pitching award|date=September 5, 2019|website=Weatherford Democrat|access-date=November 21, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/reds-tejay-antone-contract-selected-by-reds/|title=Reds' Tejay Antone: Contract selected by Reds|website=CBSSports.com|author=RotoWire Staff|date=November 20, 2019|access-date=November 21, 2019}}

Antone was added to the Reds 40–man roster after the 2019 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/mlb/reds/2019/11/20/tampa-bay-rays-pitcher-jose-de-leon-traded-cincinnati-reds/4255425002/|title=Cincinnati Reds add pitcher José De León in trade with Tampa Bay Rays|author=Bobby Nightengale|website=The Cincinnati Enquirer|date=November 20, 2019|access-date=November 20, 2019}} He made his major league debut on July 27, 2020, giving up one run in {{frac|4|1|3}} innings of work against the Chicago Cubs. In 2020, Antone went 0–3 with a 2.80 ERA in 13 appearances (four starts), spanning {{frac|35|1|3}}.

In 2021, Antone spent most of the season on the IL with a forearm injury, making 23 appearances with a 2.14 ERA spanning {{frac|35|2|3}}. In August, he announced on Twitter that he would undergo his second Tommy John surgery.{{Cite news|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/08/tejay-antone-to-undergo-tommy-john-surgery.html|title=Tejay Antone To Undergo Tommy John Surgery|date=August 26, 2021|accessdate=August 26, 2021}} Antone missed the 2022 season recovering from the injury.

On February 7, 2023, Antone received a platelet-rich plasma injection to treat a flexor strain in his forearm, causing him to miss the beginning of the 2023 season.{{Cite web|title=Reds' Tejay Antone: Will miss start of season|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/reds-tejay-antone-will-miss-start-of-season/amp/|access-date=2023-02-08|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} On September 1, he was activated from the injured list.{{Cite web|title=Reds' Tejay Antone: Reinstated from IL|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/reds-tejay-antone-reinstated-from-il/amp/|access-date=September 1, 2023|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} He made 5 appearances down the stretch, logging a 1.59 ERA with 7 strikeouts across {{fraction|5|2|3}} innings pitched.

Antone began the 2024 season pitching out of Cincinnati's bullpen, recording a 4.50 ERA with two strikeouts across two appearances. On April 8, 2024, it was announced that Antone would undergo surgery after a he tore a tendon completely off the bone and suffered a partial ligament tear in his right elbow.{{Cite web|title=Reds reliever Tejay Antone to undergo elbow surgery, just months after return from second Tommy John repair|url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/reds-reliever-tejay-antone-to-undergo-elbow-surgery-just-months-after-return-from-second-tommy-john-repair/amp/|access-date=April 9, 2024|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} On November 1, Antone was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to Louisville.{{Cite web|title=Ty France Elects Free Agency|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/11/ty-france-free-agency-reds-nick-martini-tejay-antone.html|access-date=November 1, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|date=November 2024 |language=en}}

Personal life

Antone and his wife, Kelsi, married in September 2019.{{cite web | url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CFuWZlnlBgT/ | title=Tejay Antone on Instagram: "Happy 1 year Anniversary to my forever bride. I learn more and more about you everyday and you never cease to amaze me. 9.29.19" }}