Julius Hopkins

• Bats Right, Throws Right

• School Milligan University

• Born October 7, 2000

Biographical Information

Julius Hopkins has played in the Elitserien and for the Swedish national team, like his father Roderick Hopkins.

Julius debuted in 2016, going 0 for 10 with a walk and a run for the Sundbyberg Heat and allowing one run in one inning. His father was still pitching occasionally at age 48. In 2017, he was 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA between Akademin and Sundbyberg. During 2018, the 17-year-old was lit up badly - in 7 2/3 IP for the Heat, he gave up 21 hits, 29 walks and 36 runs (30 earned) for a 34.35 ERA and 0-2 record. He had the worst ERA of any Elitserien pitcher to work more than an inning. The youngster was 1 for 13 with 2 walks and 5 runs.

During 2019, he improved to 3-2, 3.44 with 28 K in 18 2/3 IP and .307/.454/.346. He tied for 10th in the league in wins. He came to Milligan College (soon to be Milligan University) in the US, but did not appear in a game in either 2019-2020 or 2020-2021. In 2020, he fell to 1-1, 9.68; he struck out 29 in 17 2/3 IP but walked 18. He was 1 for 10 on offense. He improved to 3-0, 2.40 with 29 K in 15 IP (cutting his walks to 4) in 2021. He tied Sam Börjes for 7th in wins.

Following the fine 2021 campaign, he made Sweden's squad for the 2021 European Championship, 28 years after his father had pitched for Sweden. He made two appearances. In his first, he relieved Jakob Syrén in the 7th with a 3-1 deficit against the Czech national team. He retired former Twins farmhand Matěj Hejma, hit Jakub Malík, retired former Reds minor leaguer Petr Čech and got Martin Mužík on a fly. In the 8th, he hit Dodgers signee Vojtěch Menšík then Marek Chlup doubled in a run. He retired Adam Hajtmar but not his brother, Jakub Hajtmar, who singled. Recovering to strike out Martin Schneider, he then allowed a two-run single to Hejma then Malík flew out. Moisses Pargas took over in the 9th. His other game, he relieved Syrén in the first with a 3-0 deficit, two outs and one on against Germany. He retired Elias von Garßen on a fly. He had a rough second inning, allowing six runs, with a 3-run homer by Simon Gühring and a two-run bomb by Marco Cardoso. He recovered for a scoreless 3rd before Pargas relieved with a 10-1 deficit. His 14.54 ERA was not Sweden's highest, by any means; Per Sjörs, Erik Marqvardsen and August Mattsson was higher.