Me!

Josh Hejka

Scouting Profile

School Info

Class of 2019

Johns Hopkins University

Athletic Info

Right-Handed Submarine Pitcher

6'1" 175lbs

Pitching Arsenal

Fastball

  • Velocity: 84-86 mph, T88
  • Spin Rate (Rapsodo): ~2200-2400 rpm
  • Movement (Rapsodo): ~18 in. arm side, ~3 in. downward
  • Gets swings and misses and induces weak grounders due to late downward action
  • Velocity comparable to Major League submariners
  • Still growing, hasn't hit ceiling – potential for 90+ mph
  • Great command to both corners against both lefties and righties

Slider

  • Velocity: 72-75 mph
  • Spin Rate (Rapsodo): ~2600-2800 rpm
  • Movement (Rapsodo): ~14 in. glove side, ~1 in. downward
  • Legitimate swing-and-miss pitch
  • Tunnels well with fastball to deceive hitters
  • Effective against both lefties and righties

Changeup

  • Velocity: 75-78 mph
  • Spin Rate (Rapsodo): ~1600-1800 rpm
  • Movement (Rapsodo): ~13 in. arm side, ~6 in. downward
  • New pitch under development to attack lefties
  • Looks like a fastball out of the hand but is slower and drops off the table, leading to swings and misses and weak contact

Stats & Accolades

Johns Hopkins University

  • Holds a 2.81 career ERA (6th all time in program history)
  • 12 career wins (10 in relief), 15 career saves (most in program history)
  • 3 starts senior year (all in postseason) - went 9 IP, 9 IP, 9.2 IP with 1 ER given up in each start
  • Top 15 in the country in pitching appearances, strikeout-to-walk ratio, and fewest walks per 9 IP in senior season
  • 7.5 K/BB ratio senior year, 4.45 career K/BB ratio
  • 0.93 walks per 9 IP senior year, 1.67 career walks per 9 IP
  • Holds school record for appearances at 74 (previous record was 59)
  • All-Conference and All-Region selection
  • 4-time Centennial Conference Pitcher of the Week
  • D3 World Series All-Tournament Team

Collegiate Summer Baseball

  • Played in the Cal Ripken League in the summer of 2017 against D1 hitters and many draft prospects
  • Starting pitcher
  • 0.85 ERA in 42 innings
  • BAA under .200, WHIP under 0.90
  • Started against champions of the league (more than 5 players drafted): 8 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 10 K, 0 BB
  • Five starts, pitched into the eighth inning in four of them
  • First-Team All-League
  • All-Star Game Starting Pitcher
  • Picked to pitch for league showcase team

Key Differentiators

Arm Slot

  • Submarine
  • Leads to deception and movement

Velocity

  • Comparable to Major League submariners
  • Still growing, hasn't hit ceiling – potential for 90+ mph

Command

  • Can throw consistent, repeatable strikes to both sides of the plate
  • Can throw inside fastballs with confidence to both lefties and righties
  • Can throw slider and changeup consistently to get swings and misses as well as taken strikes or weak contact

Deception

  • Incredibly deceptive delivery due to arm slot and mechanics
  • Great tunneling of off-speed pitches and fastball

Durability

  • Consistently used on back-to-back days or in both ends of a doubleheader

Mound Presence

  • Command of game
  • Composure in all situations
  • High baseball IQ

Battle Tendency

  • Used as a high leverage reliever all four years of college
  • From sophomore through the beginning of this season:
    • Allowed only 13% of inherited runners to score (MLB Average = 33%)
    • Allowed only 22% of inherited runners in scoring position to score (all were runners on 3B with less than 2 outs)
    • Had a 0.78 ERA in the first inning of appearances
  • Has the mentality and ability to pitch in high leverage situations

Recent Games

Johns Hopkins vs. Haverford

  • Centennial Conference Championship
  • Monday, May 6th
  • W, 9 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 K, 1 BB, 79 pitches
  • Johns Hopkins wins 11-1

Johns Hopkins vs. Farmingdale State

  • NCAA Regional First Round
  • Friday, May 17th
  • W, 9 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 11 K, 1 BB, 116 pitches
  • Johns Hopkins wins 6-2

Johns Hopkins vs. Babson College

  • D3 College World Series Game One
  • Friday, May 31st
  • W, 9.2 IP, 9 H, 1 ER, 8 K, 2 BB, 152 pitches
  • Johns Hopkins wins 7-6 in extra innings
  • Got save two days later in World Series quarterfinal
  • Chosen to All-Tournament Team