Justin Anderson (baseball)


Justin Charles Anderson is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball. The Angels selected him in the 14th round of the 2014 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2018.

High school and college

Anderson attended St. Pius X High School in Houston, Texas, and the University of Texas at San Antonio. He played college baseball for the UTSA Roadrunners from 2012 through 2014. The Angels selected him in the 14th round of the 2014 MLB draft.

Career

After signing with the Angels, Anderson was assigned to the Orem Owlz of the Rookie-level Pioneer League before being reassigned to the Arizona Angels of the Rookie-level Arizona League. In 29 innings pitched between the two teams, he had a 1–4 win–loss record with a 4.07 earned run average. In 2015, he played for the Burlington Bees of the Class A Midwest League, and he compiled a 9–9 record, 3.41 ERA, and a 1.39 walks plus hits per inning pitched in 28 games.
He pitched for the Inland Empire 66ers of the Class A-Advanced California League in 2016, where he went 8–12 with a 5.70 ERA in 28 games, over 145.1 innings. Anderson moved to the bullpen in 2017 and played Inland Empire and the Mobile BayBears of the Class AA Southern League, posting a 3–2 record and 5.06 ERA in 46 relief appearances.
In 2018, Anderson began the season with Mobile, and after scoreless innings, was promoted to the Salt Lake Bees of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League. The Angels promoted him to the major leagues on April 23, 2018. He made his major league debut that night. Anderson would appear in 57 games, going 3-3 and recording 4 saves with a 4.07 ERA, and striking out 67 in innings while walking 40 batters. The following season, Anderson's inconsistency proved to be his downfall as he registered an ERA of 5.55 in 54 games. He had a K/BB ratio of 60/32 in 47 innings.
In July 2020, Anderson underwent Tommy John surgery, and would miss the 2020 season.