Jacob Misiorowski's Impressive Rookie Campaign

Jacob Misiorowski is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball. Born April 3, 2002, in Blue Springs, Missouri, he grew up in nearby Grain Valley and attended Grain Valley High School, where he emerged as a standout high school pitcher before the 2020 season was canceled due to the pandemic. Misiorowski began his college career at Crowder College in Missouri, where he overcame a knee injury to post a dominant redshirt freshman season in 2022. That year, he went 10–0 with a 2.72 ERA and 136 strikeouts in 76 innings, earning second-team NJCAA All-American honors and rising onto national prospect lists. He was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the second round (63rd overall) of the 2022 MLB Draft with a $2.35 million signing bonus, choosing to forgo a commitment to Louisiana State University. Misiorowski advanced quickly through the Brewers’ minor league system, showing high velocity and swing-and-miss stuff while working to refine his command. He made his MLB debut on June 12, 2025, in a historic fashion, throwing five no-hit innings against the St. Louis Cardinals. He followed that with six perfect innings against the Minnesota Twins, becoming the first pitcher in the modern era to begin his career with 11 consecutive no-hit innings. In his early starts, he also became the first MLB pitcher since 1901 to allow five hits or fewer across his first three career outings. Misiorowski’s electric stuff and early success earned him a spot as a replacement on the 2025 MLB All-Star team after just five major league starts. In his first season, he compiled a 5–3 record with a 4.36 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 66 innings, later adding scoreless appearances in the postseason. He is regarded as a key young arm in Milwaukee’s rotation and one of the game’s most exciting young pitchers.

Shohei Ohtani is a Japanese professional baseball player known for his exceptional two-way abilities as both a pitcher and hitter, a rarity in modern baseball. Born on July 5, 1994, in Oshu, Japan, Ohtani began his professional career in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, where he was a five-time All-Star and Pacific League MVP before moving to Major League Baseball (MLB) in 2018 with the Los Angeles Angels. Ohtani quickly made a significant impact in MLB, earning the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year award in 2018 by excelling as both a pitcher and hitter. His 2021 season was historic: he hit 46 home runs and struck out 156 batters, winning his first AL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award and receiving the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award for his unprecedented two-way performance. He followed this with a strong 2022 season, becoming the first modern-era player to qualify for both hitting and pitching leaderboards in the same year. In 2023, Ohtani won his second unanimous AL MVP after leading the league with 44 home runs and recording 10 pitching wins, becoming the first Japanese-born player to win a league home run title and the first to win multiple unanimous MVPs. After the 2023 season, he signed a record-breaking 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2024, while recovering from a second elbow injury that prevented him from pitching, Ohtani played as a designated hitter (DH) for the Dodgers. That year, he became the first MLB player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season, earning his third MVP award and helping lead the Dodgers to a World Series championship—the first postseason title of his career. He also earned the National League Championship Series (NLCS) MVP for an extraordinary performance featuring three home runs and 10 strikeouts as a pitcher[1][2][3][4][5][6].

Clayton Edward Kershaw, born March 19, 1988, in Dallas, Texas, is an American professional baseball pitcher who has played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Los Angeles Dodgers since his debut in 2008[1][5]. Known for his left-handed pitching, Kershaw quickly established himself as one of the sport’s premier pitchers, earning a reputation as arguably the greatest left-handed pitcher of his generation[4]. Over his 18-season career, Kershaw has compiled a 222-96 win-loss record with a remarkable 2.53 career ERA and over 3,000 strikeouts, reflecting sustained dominance on the mound[1][4][5]. His pitching style features a high leg kick and a distinctive delivery, contributing to his effectiveness and popularity. Kershaw has won three National League Cy Young Awards (2011, 2013, 2014) and an NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in 2014, further solidifying his status among baseball’s elite[1][2][6]. Despite regular-season success, Kershaw experienced some postseason challenges early in his career, including a record number of home runs allowed in playoff appearances. However, he played a crucial role in helping the Dodgers capture two World Series titles in 2020 and 2023, with a particularly strong performance in the 2020 championship series, where he posted a 2.31 ERA and won both of his starts[2][3]. Kershaw has been widely recognized not only for his on-field achievements but also for his leadership and charitable contributions. In 2025, he announced his retirement effective at the end of the season, marking the conclusion of a distinguished career with the Dodgers and leaving a lasting legacy in the franchise’s history[1][4][6]. Currently active in the 2025 season, Kershaw continues to contribute to the Dodgers’ success, maintaining solid performance metrics despite recent surgeries and advancing age[4][5].