John David Hellweg (born October 29, 1988) is an American professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

who is a free agent. He has played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

(MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers and for the

Hiroshima Toyo Carp The is a professional baseball team based in Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan. They compete in the Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda ...

Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''. Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...

(NPB).

Career

Los Angeles Angels

Hellweg attended St. Dominic High School in

O'Fallon, Missouri O'Fallon ( ) is a city located along Interstates 64 and 70 between Lake St. Louis and St. Peters in St. Charles County, Missouri, United States. It is part of the St. Louis metropolitan statistical area. As of the 2020 census, O'Fallon had ...

, and

Florida State College at Jacksonville Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) is a public college in Jacksonville, Florida. It is part of the Florida College System and one of several institutions in that system designated a "state college" as it offers a greater number of four- ...

. The

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team h ...

selected Hellweg in the 16th round of the

2008 MLB Draft The 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft continued Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, and was held on June 5 and 6, 2008. First round selections ;Key Supplemental first rou ...

Milwaukee Brewers

The Angels traded Hellweg,

Jean Segura Jean Carlos Enrique Segura ( ; born March 17, 1990), nicknamed El Mambo, is a Dominican professional baseball shortstop and second baseman for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has played in MLB for the Los Angeles Angels of A ...

, and Ariel Peña to the Milwaukee Brewers for

Zack Greinke Donald Zackary Greinke ( ; born October 21, 1983) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He made his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals in 2004 and has also played in MLB for the Milwaukee Brewers, Los An ...

on July 27, 2012. The Brewers promoted Hellweg to the majors for the first time on June 26, 2013. Hellweg made his Major League debut on June 28, 2013 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. During his debut, he pitched only 1 innings surrendering 7 runs (all in the 2nd inning). He finished the season with a 1-4 record and an unprecedented 9/26 SO/BB ratio. Hellweg began the 2014 season as the opening day starter for the Brewers Triple A team Nashville Sounds. After 4 starts though, Hellweg would miss the remainder of the season due to injury. Hellweg would return from injury in 2015 to pitch in 16 starts between AA and A (advanced). Through his 16 minor league starts, Hellweg was 1-10 with 52 walks in 61 innings.

San Diego Padres

Hellweg was released by the

San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penn ...

on July 4, 2016 after posting an ERA of over 10 in 10 minor league games, including 6 starts.

New Jersey Jackals

On July 8, 2016 Hellweg signed a contract with the

New Jersey Jackals The New Jersey Jackals are an American professional baseball team based in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. The team was founded in 1998 by Floyd Hall and is owned by Al Dorso, a businessman who also owns the Sussex County Miners, ...

of the

Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball The Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, commonly known as the Can-Am League, was a professional, independent baseball league with teams in the Northeast United States and Eastern Canada, founded in 2005 as a reorganization of ...

Cincinnati Reds

On November 16, 2016, Hellweg signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds.

Second stint with New Jersey Jackals

In 2017, Hellweg pitched for the

of the Canadian-American "Can-Am" League. In 38 innings, Hellweg struck out 62 while only serving up 2 home runs.

Pittsburgh Pirates

On August 25, 2017, Hellweg signed a minor league deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates. On June 25, 2018 Hellweg was released so he could pursue an opportunity in Japan.

Hiroshima Toyo Carp

On June 26, 2018, Hellweg signed with the

of the

(NPB). On December 2, 2019, he become free agent.

St. Louis Cardinals

On January 30, 2020, Hellweg signed a minor league deal with the

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...

. On May 27, he was released.

Long Island Ducks

On February 22, 2021, Hellweg signed with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He became a free agent following the season.

References

External links

1988 births Living people Altoona Curve players American expatriate baseball players in Japan Arizona League Angels players Arkansas Travelers players Baseball players from Ann Arbor, Michigan Baseball players from Missouri Biloxi Shuckers players Brevard County Manatees players Cedar Rapids Kernels players El Paso Chihuahuas players FSC Jacksonville Blue Wave baseball players Hiroshima Toyo Carp players Huntsville Stars players Indianapolis Indians players Inland Empire 66ers players Major League Baseball pitchers Long Island Ducks players Milwaukee Brewers players Nashville Sounds players New Jersey Jackals players Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers People from O'Fallon, Missouri Phoenix Desert Dogs players San Antonio Missions players Wisconsin Timber Rattlers players {{US-baseball-pitcher-1980s-stub