Joseph King

Joseph Daniel King

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 194 lb.

• School University of California, Berkeley
• High School Woodside (CA) High School

• Born February 23, 2001 in Redwood City, CA USA

BR register page

Biographical Information

Joseph King has pitched in the minors and for the Great Britain national team.

As a high school senior, he hit .392 and struck out 102 batters in 51 IP. His freshman year was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic; he had gone 2-0 with a save, a 1.59 ERA and 17 K in 11 1/3 IP. As a sophomore, he went 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA while battling injury. He was healthy in 2022, posting a 5-3, 3.72 record with 15 walks in 72 2/3 IP. The St. Louis Cardinals picked him in the 9th round of the 2022 amateur draft and he signed for a $125,000 bonus.

Before making his pro debut, King suited up for Britain in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. In their 18-8, 6-inning mercy rule blowout to Canada, he was their only pitcher (among eight they tried) to throw scoreless ball. He relieved Donovan Benoit in the 4th with a 15-8 deficit, the bases loaded and one out. Owen Caissie hit into a run-scoring force then King walked Jacob Robson before striking out Edouard Julien. Alex Webb succeeded him in the 5th. King then started against Mexico's Taijuan Walker. He allowed three hits, two walks and one run in 1 2/3 IP, striking out two; Ryan Long took over. King got a no-decision in a 2-1 defeat.

The right-hander split 2023 between the Palm Beach Cardinals (2-3, 3 Sv, 5.71 in 19 G) and Peoria Chiefs (5-2, 3.40 in 17 G), walking 22 in 91 2/3 innings. He was back with Britain for the 2023 European Championship. In his debut in that event, he closed out a combined shutout with Austin Hassani and Webb against Sweden. He struck out the side (Joel Johnson, Jeff Pruitt and Leo Bäckström) in the 8th and went 1-2-3 in the 9th, striking out Thomas Paulich, retiring Daniel Johnson and whiffing Albin Käck. His next game, he went 3 2/3 shutout (3 H, 5 K) after replacing Jake Esch to get the win over Martin Schneider and Czechia. In the title match, Britain's first such appearance in 16 years, he closed out a 11-2 loss, taking over for Demoi Hodge and allowing two hits and two unearned runs over the final three innings and once again striking out five. He tied for 8th in those Euros in games pitched, was second to Ben Couvreur in ERA (Couvreuer was also at 0.00, but in more IP) and trailed only Carlos García and Matteo Bocchi in strikeouts; he was the only hurler in the top 5 in K with under 9 innings pitched.

He opened 2024 back with Peoria but spent most of the year on the injured list.