DJ Herz #77

Davidjohn “DJ” Patrick Herz...Graduated from Terry Sanford High School in Fayetteville, N.C...Committed to the University of North Carolina but chose to sign with the Cubs.

2024

Enjoyed two stints with Washington in his debut season...Ranked among rookie pitching leaders in several categories (min. 85.0 IP), including strikeouts per nine innings (second, 10.76), opponents' batting average (second, .224), strikeout rate (third, 27.7%), opponents' slugging percentage (third, .359), opponents' OPS (fourth, .661), hits per nine innings (fourth, 7.71), home runs per nine innings (fourth, 1.12), opponents' on-base percentage (fifth, .303) and strikeouts (fifth, 106)...Posted a 3.61 ERA, 65 strikeouts and a .194 opponents' batting average in final 12 starts after being recalled for second MLB stint on July 23...Allowed two earned runs or fewer in 10 of the 12 starts...Made his Major League debut on June 4 vs. New York (NL)...Struck out Jose Iglesias for his first Major League strikeout...Struck out 13 batters on June 15 vs. Miami...Earned his first MLB win (6.0 IP, H)...Was the second-most strikeouts by a Nationals rookie (2005-present) and the second-most by rookie in 2024...Herz struck out 13 of the 19 batters he faced (68.4%), the second-highest strikeout percentage by any MLB rookie in a game in the Modern Era (Kerry Wood: 20-strikeout game, 69.0%)...Allowed just one home run in final seven starts after allowing 10 in his first 12 starts...Struck out 23 batters and posted a 1.76 ERA (three ER/15.1 IP) and a .151 opponents' batting average (8-for-53) in three starts with Triple-A Rochester before his first call-up...2024 pitch mix: four-seam (54.2%), changeup (24.5%), slider (17.9%), knuckle curve (3.3%).

2023

Opened the season with Double-A Tennessee before being acquired by Washington...Reported to Double-A Harrisburg...Went 3-3 with a 3.43 ERA in 22 starts between the two stops...Ranked third in all of Double-A and 13th in all of Minor League Baseball (min. 90.0 IP) with a .196 opponents’ batting average...133 strikeouts in 94.1 innings ranked second among all Double-A left-handed pitchers...Pitched to a 1.64 ERA (6 ER/33.0 IP) with 49 strikeouts and a .150 opp. AVG (17-for-113) in his final seven starts of the season...Struck out 10 batters in five innings of one-hit, shutout ball on Aug. 16 at Richmond (SFG)...Went 1-0 with a 3.71 ERA in five starts en route to being named an Arizona Fall League Fall Star...He ranked tied for third in the league with 25 strikeouts.

2022

His 141 strikeouts between High-A South Bend and Double-A Tennessee were tied for the most in Chicago’s system...His 2.26 ERA (16 ER/63.2 IP) with South Bend was the lowest ERA among all South Bend starters (min. 15 GS).

2021

Named Chicago’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2021 after leading the system with 131 strikeouts...His 105 strikeouts with Myrtle Beach ranked fourth among Low-A East pitchers despite being promoted to South Bend on Sept. 2.