One Man’s (Janson) Junk Is Another Man’s Treasure

Janson Junk’s Journey to Success

Originally drafted in the 22nd round by the New York Yankees in 2017, Junk didn’t do much to distinguish himself as a potential difference maker.

He made his way to the Angels in the deal that sent Andrew Heaney to the Bronx at the deadline back in 2021. He was then again moved in a four-player deal that sent him to Milwaukee in a trade headlined by Hunter Renfroe. He was ultimately DFA’d three times and claimed twice by the Astros and A’s in 2024 before ultimately being released by the then Oakland A’s.

Then, right before pitchers and catchers reported to spring training on February 11, the Miami Marlins signed him to a minor-league contract, which is how we ended up here.

Hard Work That Is Finally Paying Off

Before the start of the 2023 season, Junk visited Driveline to determine if they could identify the source of the struggles.

Through a few different tests to find the deficiencies in his mechanics and a full breakdown through a biomechanics report, they were able to establish that he was too quad-dominant in his mechanics and was not utilizing his back half to generate the force needed to move efficiently down the mound.

Being able to find that during their first assessment upon his arrival, Janson was sold on what Driveline had to offer him.

When you ask someone what they know about Driveline, you’ll likely hear that they get pitchers to throw 100mph or spin breaking balls at over 3000 RPMs consistently. Believe it or not, Driveline is a real laboratory with the use of force plates, bio-markers, and countless cameras and other machines to help break down an athlete’s mechanics in order to maximize their movement patterns to get the most out of themselves.

During my internship at Driveline in the winter of 2022-2023, I noticed that Janson spent more time in the facility in Kent, WA, than any other pitcher I saw. Sitting through his plyo-ball routines, the intensity he trained with during his workouts and the countless hours we’d spend sitting down and analyzing his pitch design sessions is what ultimately helped him re-find himself.

Through all that, he has become the efficient pitcher you see on the mound today.

The Perfect Pairing

Signing in Miami was a match made in heaven. Not just because it was an organization that would allow him to get big league time, but because he was reunited with Bill Hezel and Brandon Mann. Both of whom worked at Driveline when Janson first arrived there, and Brandon was his pitching coach during that time.

Hezel currently serves as the Director of Pitching for the Marlins, and Mann is the bullpen coach. Familiarity has surely played an impact in maximizing Junk’s talent the way they have thus far.

The biggest reason behind Janson’s success has been his efficiency and his limiting of free passes. Per Baseball Savant, Junk ranks in the 100th percentile in walk rate at 2.0%. While the batted ball data suggests that he is still getting hit hard, not allowing hitters to get on via walks ultimately limits the damage.

The Marlins are in a fun spot as a team. Entering the year, no one expected them to be anything of note, let alone be in a spot where they likely won’t even lose 100 games. Now, this begs the question: Will Junk be a Marlin by the time we roll past the deadline?

Miami has a lot of good things going for them right now. While they seem to be ahead of schedule with the emergence of a lot of their young talent, they would be doing themselves a disservice if they did not take the opportunity to flip a minor-league signing for a potential piece who could help them contribute in the seasons which they will be contending for the playoffs again.

While Junk is not going to be anyone’s highlight acquisition at the deadline, he would provide a contender with a reliable swingman who can eat a reasonable amount of innings for them come late in the season.

No matter what uniform he is wearing come the end of the 2025 season, what Janson Junk has been able to overcome is something that is truly incredible, and it has been a lot of fun to watch as a baseball fan.