Benjamin Thaqi

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 198 lb.

• Born August 14, 1996 in Paderborn Germany

Biographical Information

Benjamin Thaqi has played in the Bundesliga and for the German national team.

In 2013, he allowed one run in 2/3 of an inning for his hometown Paderborn Untouchables. The next year, he gave up one run in 1 2/3 IP. He had a 9.64 ERA in seven outings in 2015 and was 2-1 with a save and a 1.65 ERA in '16, making strides at age 19. Only Sascha Koch had a lower ERA in the Bundesliga-1 north among hurlers under age 21.

Thaqi allowed one run in seven innings in the 2017 U23 European Championship. He was 2-2 with a 1.63 ERA that summer, finishing third in the league in ERA (after Dustin Ward and Koch), was 3rd in WHIP (.91) and allowed the third-lowest OPS. During 2018, he was 2-0 with two saves and a 3.49 ERA; he tied for 4th in saves. He threw three shutout innings for the Germans in the 2018 Haarlem Baseball Week. He fell to 3-3, 5.70 in '19. He pitched four shutout innings, striking out nine, in the 2019 U23 European Championship.

He was on the German roster announced for the 2020 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers but those were among the first baseball events cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That summer, he was 1-1 with a save and a 1.69 ERA. In 2021, he was 0-1 with a 8.00 ERA. He was 1-0 with a 1.72 ERA in 2022.

The right-hander was 3-0 with 3 saves and a 1.41 ERA in 2023. He was second to former major leaguer Toru Murata in ERA, led in saves, led in WHIP (.78, .10 ahead of Koch), tied for 9th in wins and had the lowest OPS allowed (434, 4 better than Koch). He was with Germany for the 2023 European Championship as they had one of their best finishes, placing second. He made one appearance, closing out Niklas Rimmel's 15-4 win over Belgium. He took over with a 10-1 lead, retiring Drew Janssen then walking Dennis De Quint and striking out Axel Poesmans. Robin Roevens doubled in a run then he whiffed Nando Mostaert to end the inning. Sam Boermans began the next inning with a double, Lucas Rizzi flew out and Benjamin Goffaux drew a walk. Zion De Brauwer singled in one and an error on Janssen's fly scored another. Thaqi struck out De Quint to end the game.