Sean Hjelle #64

Has two sons, George, who was born in 2020, and Emmett, who was born in 2022...Attended Mahtomedi High School in Mahtomedi, Minn. where he played baseball and basketball...Last name is pronounced “Jelly.” Sean is Norwegian-German on his father’s side and Italian-Polish on his mother’s side...Hjelle majored in Secondary Education - Social Studies and graduated from Kentucky after he started his pro career...Hjelle earned his degree in 2020...He is an avid reader of ancient civilizations and ancient religions. He has wanted to be a teacher since middle school and hopes to teach after his baseball career. He enjoyed studying history so much in college, he took eight classes from the same history professor...Hjelle’s great-great grandmother’s family moved from Germany to Russia at the behest of the monarchy, which needed labor. In return the czar promised the men they would not be required to serve in the Russian army, which was mandatory. He told the San Francisco Chronicle that his family went over there and were told they had to serve in the military, breaking the deal. So they instead came to America and got a farm in South Dakota before eventually settling in Minnesota.

2024

Set career bests in games pitched (58), innings (80.2) and ERA (3.90) in his first full season at the Major League level...Missed SF’s first 21 games with a right elbow strain he suffered early in spring...Was reinstated from the 15-day IL on April 20...Made five rehab appearances between Single-A and Triple-A...Recorded at least four outs in 30 of his 58 games...Had a 3.44 ERA (13 ER, 34.0 IP) in 26 games after the All-Star break...His 59.3% ground ball rate was fifth-best in the National League (min. 60 IP)...Walked just 14 batters in 58 outings...His 4.2% walk rate was sixth-best in the NL (min. 50 IP)...Worked four-scoreless innings and struck out 10 batters over two appearances in the Philadelphia series from May 3-6...Became the first Giants reliever with 10+ strikeouts in any series (since 1969) since Tom Griffin from Aug. 14-17, 1980 vs. Atlanta.

2023

Bounced back and forth between the Majors and Triple-A Sacramento being recalled on five different occasions...Appeared mostly as a long reliever for SF, throwing 2.0-or-more innings in seven of his 15 MLB games...Earned the win as he threw 4.0-scoreless innings, allowing just three hits against the Padres on June 21, his best outing of the year...Opponents hit .420 (21-for-50) off him with runners in scoring position and were 13-for-26 (.500) off him with RISP and two outs...Over three games in September with SF, Hjelle didn’t allow a run in 7.0 innings pitched, allowing three hits, one walk and striking out six...Spent much of the season in Triple-A...had a 6.00 ERA in 22 games (19 starts) for Sacramento.

2022

Started the year at Triple-A Sacramento and went 6-8 with a 4.92 ERA in 22 starts....Had his contract selected on May 6 and made his MLB debut that day...at 6-11, he tied Jon Rauch as the tallest player in Major League history...his hat from his debut was sent to the National Baseball Hall of Fame...Served as a bulk innings reliever with SF, averaging around 3.0 innings over eight appearances with the Giants...made six different stints with SF and went 1-2 with a 5.76 ERA and 28 strikeouts (10.08 K/9)....Struck out eight batters in 5.0 innings of relief on Oct.3...became the first Giants reliever to strike out eight-or-more batters in a game since Drew Smyly fanned eight in his relief outing on Sept. 10, 2020 at San Diego...Over his final three appearances, he allowed three runs in 13.0 ip (2.08 ERA) with 13 strikeouts and three walks.

2021

Split the season between Double-A Richmond and Triple-A Sacramento, making 14 starts for Richmond and 10 for Sacramento... Opened the year with the Flying Squirrels and posted a 2.76 ERA (19er, 62.0ip) over his final 13 starts with Richmond...struck out 62 and walked only 16... Promoted to Triple-A on Aug. 9...four of his 10 starts with Sacramento were quality starts... Twirled 6.0 scoreless innings of two-hit ball with five strikeouts in his last Triple-A outing vs. Albuquerque... Had a 1.20 WHIP with Richmond but saw it rise to 1.80 in his 10 starts with the River Cats.

2020

Did not play due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2019

Appeared in games with Class A Augusta, Class A Advanced San Jose and Double-A Richmond, combining to go 7-9 with a 3.32 ERA (53er, 143.2ip) with 139 strikeouts in 28 starts...Started the season with Class A Augusta and posted a 2.66 ERA (12er, 40.2ip) with 44 strikeouts in nine starts from April 4-May 18...was their Opening Day starter... Made 14 starts for San Jose and went 5-5 with a 2.78 ERA (24er, 77.2ip) before being promoted to Double-A Richmond in early August...Made his last five starts of the season with Double-A, posting a 6.04 ERA (17er, 25.1ip).