John Straka

From BR Bullpen

John Straka

  • Bats Left, Throws Right
  • Height 6' 2", Weight 215 lb.

BR minors page

Biographical Information[edit]

John Straka has pitched in the minors.

Straka had a 1.30 ERA as a high school junior and a 1.29 ERA as a senior with 71 K in 65 IP. He was also an All-Conference quarterback. As a college freshman in 2009, he was 4-3 with a 3.49 ERA and was redshirted the next year due to an arm injury. He had a 3-2, 3.60 record in 2011 then played in the Northwoods League, winning All-Star honors. As a junior in 2012, he improved to 7-4, 2.61 for North Dakota State, setting a school record with 92 strikeouts in a season (the old mark had been set in 1969). An All-Star in the 2012 Alaska Baseball League that summer, he was again All-Summit League as a senior. He finished as NDSU's career leader in innings pitched (312 2/3), shutouts (8) and low walk rate (1.38/9 IP) and was second in wins (22-11) and whiffs (253). He had a 2.56 ERA for his collegiate career.

The Texas Rangers took Straka in the 32nd round of the 2013 amateur draft; the scout was Dustin Smith. He was 2-2 with a save and a 4.88 ERA in 19 games for the Spokane Indians, walking 6 in 31 1/3 IP. He was let go by Texas the following spring and was picked up by the independent Sioux City Explorers. He posted a 9-5, 4.14 record in 2014, tying for 8th in the American Association in wins and missing the top 10 in strikeouts by three. Returning to Sioux City for 2015, he was better yet at 11-3, 3.27. He tied Rob Wort for 8th in the AA in wins and was 5th in Ks (110, between Tyler Alexander and Shawn Blackwell).

Straka, being of Czech descent, qualified to play for the Czech national team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers. He got their lone win, starting against Germany and allowing one run in five before turning the ball over to Martin Schneider with a 5-1 lead.

Sources[edit]

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