Jan Řeháček

Jan Řeháček

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 2", Weight 202 lb.

• Born December 1, 1986 in Vitkovice Czechoslovakia

BR minors page

Biographical Information

Jan Řeháček was a minor league pitcher.

He pitched 1 2/3 shutout innings for the Czech national team in the 2005 European Championship, surviving two walks and two hit batsmen. In the 2005 Baseball World Cup, the 19-year-old allowed 9 runs (4 earned) in 5 1/3 innings of work, allowing 10 hits.

In 2007, Řeháček was 3-4 with a 3.56 ERA for Arrows Ostrava in the Czech Extraleague, with 74 strikeouts in 55 2/3 IP. He also struck out 7 in 5 2/3 scoreless frames in the 2007 European Championship in a no-decision against Sweden.

He signed a one-year deal with the Konica Minolta Pioniers for 2008, a big step for a Czech player. Řeháček debuted in the Netherlands on April 13 against Sparta/Feyenoord. Relieving Roger Kops in the 7th inning, he retired all three batters he faced, striking out two. For the season, Jan was 2-0 with a 2.04 ERA in 20 games, walking 20 but fanning 37 in 39 2/3 IP. He was 6th in the league in ERA and tied Dushan Ruzic for 7th in appearances.

In the 2008 European Championship Qualifiers, Řeháček was 1-0, pitching four hitless innings, fanning six and walking two.

Jan began 2009 back with the Pioniers, going 3-1 with a save and a 1.48 ERA in 18 games. He struck out 27 in 24 1/3 innings and allowed 14 hits but he gave up four runs in four innings in the playoffs.

After his strong start in 2009, Řeháček signed with the Minnesota Twins in July. The scout was Glenn Godwin. He made his US debut on August 7 against the GCL Rays, tossing two shutout innings with one walk, no hits and two strikeouts. He allowed only one hit, one walk and one unearned run in six innings for the GCL Twins, whiffing seven. He was 1-0 with a save in his four games.

He was put on the Czech roster for the 2009 Baseball World Cup. In the Cup, he tossed a shutout inning against Mexico (1 BB) and 3 1/3 shutout innings of relief versus Taiwan (3 H, 2 BB, 4 K). He and Boris Bokaj were the lone Czech hurlers with a 0.00 ERA for the tournament.

He then finished his busy year (Netherlands-USA-World Cup-Czech Republic) with the Arrows Ostrava in the Czech playoffs, going 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA and 18 K in 15 1/3 IP for the runner-ups to Draci Brno. Despite his minor league success in 2009, Jan was released by the Twins in July 2010, having a 0.00 ERA in his minor league career.

That made him available for the Czech entry in the 2010 European Championship without the team having to pay insurance for him (as they would do with players under contract with a MLB team). Jan retired all three batters he faced in the event, the Dutch national team's Jason Halman, Bas Nooij and Dwayne Kemp. He remained with the Czechs for the 2010 Intercontinental Cup, posting a 2.84 ERA despite five walks in 6 1/3 IP; he had the best ERA of any Czech pitcher who qualified for the ERA lead in the event.

He signed with Italy's Telemarket Rimini club for 2011. He debuted on April 16, tossing a shutout 6th in relief of Enorbel Marquez as Rimini beat the Godo Knights, 12-0. He allowed no hits and walked one batter, who was promptly erased on a double play.

Sources: Mister Baseball, 2008 European Championship qualifiers, Wayback Archive of the 2005 European Championship site