Former Angels Pitcher Involved in Blockbuster Trade Joins NL Bottom-Feeder

Former Los Angeles Angels pitcher Janson Junk signed a minor league deal with the Miami Marlins and is in major league spring training as a non-roster invitee.

Junk, who joined the Angels in the Andrew Heaney trade with the Yankees, made his MLB debut in 2021. He pitched in four games that season and appeared in three more the next year.

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After making his debut with Los Angeles, the Angels sent Junk to Milwaukee as part of the deal that brought Hunter Renfroe to the Halos.

The right-hander was the Angels' No. 16 prospect and appeared in seven games (six starts).

🚨✉️ New invites out! RHP Janson Junk and C Rob Brantly are heading to #SpringTraining https://t.co/N1HdkgHPwK pic.twitter.com/3vA5A9gCg4
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) February 10, 2025

Junk, 29, spent 2024 bouncing between teams, starting the year with the Brewers as a depth piece. He was frequently shuffled between the majors and minors before being designated for assignment in late July when Devin Williams returned from the 60-day injured list.

The Astros claimed him off waivers, but about a month later, he landed with the Athletics through another waiver claim. Oakland eventually outrighted him, and he elected free agency at season’s end.

The signing of Janson Junk to a minor league deal brings the Marlins up to 26 NRIs.

Junk has been a starter for most of his professional career, but was primarily a reliever in 2024 between AAA/MLB (30 G/9 GS). pic.twitter.com/E7MZUkfejL
— Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) February 10, 2025

Amid all the roster moves, Junk logged just eight major league innings in 2024.

Junk made history during his lone appearance with the Athletics. He took the mound in the top of the seventh with the A's down 5-2 to the Mariners. By the time the game ended, Seattle had piled up 16 runs. He faced eight batters, allowing all of them to reach base (six hits, two walks), and was charged with seven earned runs while not recording a single out.

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Despite his struggles in the majors, Junk performed well in Triple-A and had a strong 2023 with the Brewers' Triple-A squad. Across 50 innings in 2024, he posted a 3.60 ERA while pitching for the Triple-A affiliates of the Brewers and Astros.

Over parts of four seasons, he has a 6.75 ERA across 40 career innings. While his 18 percent strikeout rate is below average, he’s posted a solid 5.8 percent walk rate and a league-average 44.3 percent ground ball rate.

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