Joe Palumbo

BIOGRAPHY

Joe Anthony Palumbo Jr. was born on October 26, 1994, in Holbrook, New York. He is a Pitcher for the Texas Rangers in the MLB.

The Texas Rangers selected Joe Palumbo in the 30th round, with the 910th overall selection of the 2013 MLB draft. He signed for a $32,000 signing bonus, and after signing, he made his professional debut with the AZL Rangers of the Rookie-level Arizona League, going 1-1 with a 5.03 ERA in 19.2 innings pitched. In 2014, he returned to the AZL Rangers and compiled a 4-4 record and 2.32 ERA in 14 games (seven starts).

In 2015, Palumbo pitched for the Spokane Indians of the Class A Short Season Northwest League and the Hickory Crawdads of the Class A South Atlantic League, pitching to a combined 3-3 record and 3.07 ERA in 13 games (nine starts). After compiling a 0.66 ERA in three starts, Palumbo then spent 2016 with Hickory where he posted a 7-5 record and 2.24 ERA in 96.1 innings pitched. 

Palumbo began 2017 with the Down East Wood Ducks of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League. After compiling a 0.66 ERA in three starts. The Rangers added him to their 40-man roster after the 2017 season. Joe Palumbo rehabbed through Tommy John surgery in the first half of the 2018 season, returning to game action June 24. In a combined 11 starts between the AZL Rangers, Down East, and Frisco RoughRiders of the Double-A Texas League, he posted a 2-4 record with a 2.78 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 45.1 innings.

Joe was ranked as the #105 overall prospect in baseball by ESPN's Keith Law, on his just missed preseason 2019 Top 100 list. In 2019, Palumbo was optioned back to Frisco to open the season. On June 8, he was called up to the major leagues for the first time, to start versus the Oakland Athletics. In his debut, he allowed four runs over four innings of work, while recording four strikeouts.