Former Oakland A’s minor league Eric Jokisch may have a chance to return to the majors after a two year stint in the Korean Baseball Organization.
One could be forgiven if they forgot about Eric Jokisch‘s major league career. He had all of four appearances with the Cubs in 2014, spanning 14.1 innings, before he began bouncing around the minors. The Oakland A’s were Jokisch’s last stop before he headed to Korea, hoping to turn his career around and get another chance at the majors.
After a solid two year run in Korea, Jokisch may be ready to return. The former A’s farmhand is reportedly getting some interest from major league teams.
Veteran pitcher Eric Jokisch, who last pitched with the A’s and Diamondbacks, is considering a return to MLB. He just finished his second season in Korea and won the KBO ERA title this year. He’s said to be drawing interest.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) November 6, 2020
Although he did not have a long stint in the majors, Jokisch was effective during his time. He allowed just six runs, only three of which were earned. However, he did give up 18 hits and four walks in his 14.1 innings, striking out ten.
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He had not exactly dominated in the upper minors either. Jokisch appeared to be a depth piece to be stashed in AAA, someone that could get the occasional cup of coffee if needed. In his 570.2 innings at AAA, he posted a 4.02 ERA and a 1.360 WHiP, striking out 431 batters with 166 walks. Those were solid numbers even if Jokisch was not someone who would have appeared to have much of a major league future.
That narrative changed during his time in Korea. Suddenly, Jokisch became an intriguing player once again as he dominated the KBO. He posted a 25-16 record with a 2.67 ERA and a 1.097 WHiP in his 341 innings, striking out 256 batters with 64 walks. He won the 2020 KBO ERA title and established himself as one of the better pitchers in the league.
If he does return to the majors, Jokisch is likely a back of the rotation arm. His lack of overpowering stuff limits his ceiling, although his command could allow him to be relatively effective. That could be enough to garner some offers from teams looking for a relatively low cost option to fill out their rotation.
Former Oakland A’s farmhand Eric Jokisch is getting some interest from major league teams. His return to the majors may be around the corner.