Jacob Anthony deGrom (born June 19, 1988), nicknamed "The deGrominator", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). Prior to playing professionally, deGrom attended Stetson University and played college baseball for the Stetson Hatters.

DeGrom began playing baseball as a shortstop and was converted into a pitcher during his junior year at Stetson. The Mets selected him in the ninth round of the 2010 MLB draft, and he made his MLB debut with the Mets on May 15, 2014. That year, deGrom was named the National League's (NL) Rookie of the Month twice, and the NL Rookie of the Year. In 2015, 2018, 2019, and 2021 deGrom was selected as an MLB All-Star. In 2018, deGrom was the NL ERA leader and won the Cy Young Award. In 2019, he led the NL in strikeouts and won the Cy Young Award for the second year in a row. In 2020, he again led the NL in strikeouts. DeGrom is widely regarded as the best current pitcher in baseball.In 2019, the New York Post named deGrom the best professional athlete in New York City during the 2010s.

The Mets promoted deGrom to the major leagues on May 12, 2014, after Gonzalez Germen was placed on the disabled list.[21] The Mets planned to use deGrom in relief, but an injury to Dillon Gee required the Mets to insert him into their starting rotation.[9] DeGrom made his major league debut on May 15 against cross-town rival New York Yankees in Citi Field.[22] He faced fellow rookie Chase Whitley, also making his MLB debut. He pitched seven innings, allowing only one run and striking out six, but the Yankees shut out the Mets and won 1–0. DeGrom also collected his first MLB hit in the game in his first career at bat. It was the first hit by a Mets pitcher in the 2014 season ending an 0-for-64 hitless streak, the worst collective mark by a pitching staff to begin a season in MLB history.

DeGrom compiled four quality starts in his first four MLB starts, but did not record a win in any of them.On July 8, deGrom pitched seven scoreless innings and recorded 11 strikeouts in giving the Mets their 4,000th franchise victory. Along with Steve Cishek of the Miami Marlins, deGrom was named the National League's (NL) Co-Player of the Week for the period of July 21 to 27 after allowing only one earned run in two starts that week.He was named the NL Rookie of the Month for July.On August 11, deGrom was placed on the disabled list with rotator cuff tendinitis. Rafael Montero was called up on August 12 in deGrom's place. On August 23, Montero was re-sent back to the 51s to make room for deGrom coming off the disabled list.

On September 15, 2014, deGrom faced the Marlins and struck out his first eight batters, tying the MLB record. Near the end of the season, deGrom was shut down for the year, ending his season with a 9–6 record, a 2.69 ERA and 144 strikeouts.DeGrom collected a second Rookie of the Month award for his September performance, and, after the regular season ended, he was named the 2014 Sporting News NL Rookie of the Year[32] by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, receiving first place votes on 26 of the 30 ballots. He was the first Met to receive the honor since Dwight Gooden in 1984.

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As of 2021, deGrom relies primarily on a triple-digit four-seam fastball and a unusually hard slider that sits in the low 90s and has touched 94 miles per hour. By combining the devastating speed of these two pitches with pinpoint control, deGrom quickly gets ahead of hitters in the count by throwing fastballs at the edges of the strike zone. He then can strike the batter out by throwing his slider below the zone, inducing the hitter to "chase" the pitch, which often results in a swing and a miss. Degrom can also elevate his fastball at the top of the strike zone, roughly at the heigh of a hitter's elbows, challenging the hitter's bat control and reflexes and frequently generating late swings or weak contact. The right-hander also throws a heavy changeup in the low 90s, which he uses against left-handed hitters as a way to induce "chasing" on pitches outside and down in the strike zone.

Degrom's fastball and slider velocity have climbed steadily throughout his career, as have his strikeout totals. In 2021, deGrom's average fastball velocity was a career-high 99.2 miles per hour.

Jacob deGROM Signed & "48" Inscribed New York Mets Home Jersey with "Letter of Authenticity" 

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