Josh Walker #21

Joshua Todd Walker...Graduated from Minisink Valley in Slate Hill, N.Y....Was a First Team All-County and All-Selection recipient and helped guide his team to a NYS Section 9 championship...Also earned fifth team All-State honours and was named team MVP and captain during his senior season...Went to the University of South Florida to begin his collegiate career, where he attended for two years but only pitched in one (2014), allowing 12 earned runs in eight innings (13.50 ERA)...Transferred to the University of New Haven and pitched there for two seasons, going 3-1 while posting a 3.50 ERA (17 ER/43.2 IP) with three saves, 22 walks and 40 strikeouts in 27 appearances (one start)...Rescued a kitten during Spring Training in 2022...Heard meowing from the hood of his car and discovered a black-and-white cat under the engine...That afternoon, he took the cat to a vet...Walker decided to adopt the kitten and named it Metro.

2024

Made 10 appearances for the Mets, posting a 5.11 ERA (7 ER/12.1 IP) with six walks, 11 strikeouts and a 1.54 WHIP...Pitched in 25 contests for the Triple-A Syracuse Mets, going 2-2 while posting a 2.83 ERA (9 ER/28.2 IP) with five saves, 21 walks, 39 strikeouts, and a 1.29 WHIP...Traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates at the trade deadline after being designated for assignment by the Mets...Was then assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis...Placed on the 7-day injured list on Aug. 8 (retroactive to Aug. 6), was designated for assignment by the Pirates on Aug. 9 and then released a day later...Signed by the Pirates to a minor league contract on Aug. 15 and assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis...Activated from the 7-day injured list on Sept. 4, going on to make eight appearances with Indianapolis, allowing eight earned runs across nine innings (8.00 ERA)...Between the Majors and the Triple-A level, appeared in a combined 43 contests posting a 4.32 ERA (24 ER/50.0 IP) with a 3.84 FIP, 1.34 WHIP, .210 opponent AVG, 12.8% walk rate, 27.9% strikeout rate, 32.7% whiff rate and a 32.1% chase rate...Held left-handed hitters to a .183 AVG, with a .624 OPS, 29.1% strikeout rate and a 39% whiff rate...Against his curveball, opponents hit .101 with a .182 OBP, .159 wOBA, .145 SLG, .327 OPS, 46.8% strikeout rate, 44.1% whiff rate and a 30.8% chase rate.

2023

Owned a 1.84 ERA (6 ER/29.1 IP) in 21 relief outings with Triple-A Syracuse.

2022

Made nine relief appearances with Syracuse (AAA) after spending last season as a starter... Began the year with four rehab outings (two starts) between St. Lucie (A) and FCL Mets (R)...Played for Peoria of the Arizona Fall League following the season.

2021

Named a MiLB.com Organizational All-Star...Rose through the organization, starting the year with Brooklyn (A+) and ending with Syracuse (AAA)...Was Double-A Northeast Pitcher of the Week (June 21-27) after throwing the first 6.0 innings of a no-hitter for Binghamton (AA)...Took a no-hitter into the eighth inning in his second Triple-A start on July 29 and was named Triple-A East Pitcher of the Week (July 26-August 1) for Syracuse (AAA)...Also tossed 5.0 no-hit innings in his first start of the year (his first pro outing since 2019).

2020

Did not play due to the minor league season being canceled.

2019

Suffered nerve damage in his pitching arm after being in a car accident...Threw 6.0 innings over two games (one start) with the GCL Mets (R) and Brooklyn (A) after recovering from surgery

2017

Made his professional debut with GCL Mets.