Joan Manuel Adon (born August 12, 1998) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2021.

Joan Adon
Adon with the Nationals in 2022
Washington Nationals – No. 60
Pitcher
Born: (1998-08-12) August 12, 1998 (age 26)
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
October 3, 2021, for the Washington Nationals
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Win–loss record3–16
Earned run average6.66
Strikeouts118
Teams

Career

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Adon signed with the Washington Nationals as an international free agent on July 2, 2016. He started his professional career with the Dominican Summer League Nationals in 2017.[1] Adon split the 2018 season between the rookie–level Gulf Coast League Nationals and the Low–A Auburn Doubledays, going a combined 3–1 with a 4.11 ERA and 40 strikeouts over 30+23 innings.[1] He spent the 2019 season with the Single–A Hagerstown Suns, going 11–3 with a 3.86 ERA and 90 strikeouts over 105 innings.[1] In 2020, he was named to Washington's 60-man player pool, working out at the alternate training site in Fredericksburg, Virginia, during the coronavirus-shortened MLB season.[2] On November 20, 2020, the Nationals added Adon to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[3]

Adon split the 2021 minor league season between the High–A Wilmington Blue Rocks, the Double–A Harrisburg Senators, and the Triple–A Rochester Red Wings, going a combined 7–6 with a 4.97 ERA and 122 strikeouts over 105 innings.[4][5][6]

On October 3, 2021, Adon was promoted to the active roster to make his MLB debut against the Boston Red Sox.[7] He pitched into the sixth inning, striking out nine, while giving up two earned runs: a fourth-inning solo homer by Rafael Devers, then a runner bequeathed to reliever Patrick Murphy who came around to score in the sixth. His nine strikeouts were the most by a pitcher making his MLB debut in the 2021 season.[8]

Adon made the rotation to begin the 2022 season, despite only having made five starts above the High–A level.[9] Adon was the first pitcher to record his 10th loss during the season, which happened on June 7 after a start against the Miami Marlins in which he yielded 8 runs in 3 innings pitched, his worst start of the season.[10] After the game, he was optioned to Triple-A Rochester, as Stephen Strasburg came off the injured list on June 9 to take his place in the rotation. At the time, Adon was 1–10 with a 6.95 ERA and 1.76 WHIP in 12 starts, walking 5.66 batters per 9 innings, all league-worst totals among pitchers with at least 50 innings pitched.[11] In addition, his whiff rate was the lowest in the major leagues, as batters made contact on 86.6% of their swings.[12] His one win, his first in the major leagues, came in a start against the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 19, in which he threw 6+13 scoreless innings.[13] Adon was brought back up to the major leagues to start the first game of a double-header against the Philadelphia Phillies on June 17, but after recording his 11th loss, Adon was sent back down to Triple-A the following day.[14]

Adon was optioned to Triple–A Rochester to begin the 2024 season.[15] In 8 games for Washington, he struggled to a 6.75 ERA with 6 strikeouts over 10+23 innings pitched. On August 28, 2024, Adon was placed on the injured list with a right biceps strain.[16] He was transferred to the 60–day injured list on September 20, ending his season.[17]

Pitch types

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Adon pitches with a fastball that averaged about 94 miles per hour (151 km/h) in his 2019 campaign with the Class-A Hagerstown Suns, as well as a slider and changeup,[18] although his changeup was used sparingly at the time of his demotion from the big leagues in June 2022.[19]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Joan Adon Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  2. ^ Driver, David (September 22, 2020). "Washington Nationals' prospect Joan Adon one of youngest pitchers at Alternate Site..." Federal Baseball. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  3. ^ Pete Kerzel (November 20, 2020). "Nationals select contracts of Yasel Antuna and Joan Adon - MASN News & Information". Masnsports.com. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  4. ^ Dykstra, Sam (May 4, 2021). "These are the most loaded MiLB rosters". MLB.com. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  5. ^ Law, Keith. "Law: Scouting notes on Michael Harris II, Brett Baty, Freddy Tarnok and several other NL East prospects". The Athletic. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  6. ^ Driver, David (August 18, 2021). "Joan Adon fares well as Washington Nationals' prospect..." Federal Baseball. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  7. ^ "Nationals' Joan Adon: Draws first big-league start". CBSSports.com. October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  8. ^ @Nationals (October 3, 2021). "Joan Adon's 9 strikeouts are the most by a pitcher in his @MLB debut this season.#NATITUDE" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  9. ^ Camerato, Jessica (April 9, 2022). "Nats already see bright future for Adon". MLB.com.
  10. ^ Meyer, Jacob Calvin (June 8, 2022). "Nationals option Adon to Triple-A after losing MLB-worst 10th game". The Washington Times.
  11. ^ Major League Leaderboards
  12. ^ Major League Leaderboards
  13. ^ RotoWire Staff (April 20, 2022). "Nationals' Joan Adon: Collects first MLB win". CBS Sports.
  14. ^ Zuckerman, Mark (June 16, 2022). "Adon returning to start doubleheader with Espino". MASN Sports.
  15. ^ "Nats start to shape roster with first round of spring training cuts". washingtonpost.com. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  16. ^ "Nationals' Joan Adon: Placed on IL with bicep issue". cbssports.com. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  17. ^ "Nationals Activate Trevor Williams". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  18. ^ "Joan Adon". MLB.com. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  19. ^ Dougherty, Jesse (June 9, 2022). "Joan Adon's quick rise and demotion is part of the Nats' rebuilding process". Washington Post.
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