Tanner Houck was born in St. Louis, Missouri on June 29, 1996. He played his high school baseball at Collinsville High School in Collinsville, IL. He was the third-ranked RHP and the eighth overall player in Illinois in 2014. He was the 90th-ranked RHP in the country and the 276th-ranked player overall. He was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 12th round of the 2014 MLB Draft but chose to attend the University of Missouri.
Tanner Houck – Missouri Tigers
Houck spent three seasons at Missouri, in his first season he made 15 starts going 8-5 with a 3.49 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, a 1.1 BB/9, and an 8.1 K/9 in 100.2 innings. In his second season, he made 15 starts going 5-6 with a 2.99 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, a 2.3 BB/9, and a 9.1 K/9 in 105.1 innings. In his final season he made 14 starts going 4-7 with a 3.33 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, a 2.3 BB/9, and a 9.0 K/9 in 94.2 innings.
When Was Tanner Houck Drafted?
Houck was drafted by the Boston Red Sox with the 24th overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft. He entered the draft as the 20th overall prospect and the 12th pitching prospect; eighth for RHP.
Tanner Houck – Boston Red Sox
2017
Houck would pitch at Low-A for the Lowell Spinners in his first season with the Red Sox he made ten starts going 0-3 with a 3.63 ERA, a 1.29 WHIP, a 3.2 BB/9, and a 10.1 K/9 in 22.1 innings.
2018
Houck would pitch at High-A Salem making 23 starts going 7-11 with a 4.24 ERA, a 1.43 WHIP, a 4.5 BB/9, and an 8.4 K/9.
2019
Houck in his third season with the Red Sox system pitched at Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket combining to making 33 appearances with 17 of those coming as starts going 8-6 with a 4.01 ERA, a 1.40 WHIP, a 3.8 BB/9, and an 8.9 K/9. At Portland, he made 17 appearances with 15 of those coming as starts going 8-6 with a 4.25 ERA, a 1.43 WHIP, a 3.5 BB/9, and an 8.7 K/9 in 82.2 innings. At Pawtucket he made 16 appearances with two of those as starts, he didn’t record a decision posting a 3.24 ERA, a 1.32 WHIP, a 5.0 BB/9, and a 9.7 K/9 in 25 innings. In the Fall he played for Peoria of the Arizona Fall League making six starts going 3-2 with a 3.47 ERA, a 1.37 WHIP, a 4.6 BB/9, and a 10.0 K/9 in 23.1 innings.
2020
Houck made his big-league debut in 2020 making three starts going 3-0 with a 0.53 ERA, a 0.88 WHIP, a 4.8 BB/9, and an 11.1 K/9 in 17 innings.
2021
In 2021 Houck split time between Triple-A Worcester and the Red Sox. At Worcester he made six starts going 0-2 with a 5.14 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP, a 3.0 BB/9, and an 11.1 K/9 in 21 innings. With the Red Sox, he made 18 appearances with 13 of those coming as starts going 1-5 with a 3.52 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, a 2.7 BB/9, and an 11.3 K/9 in 69 innings.
2022
Houck spent all of 2022 with Boston making 32 appearances with four of those coming as starts going 5-4 with a 3.15 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, a 3.3 BB/9, and a 10.4 K/9 in 60 innings.
2023
Houck in 2023 made 24 starts between Boston and Worcester; the three starts at Worcester were rehab starts. With the Red Sox, he made 21 starts going 6-10 with a 5.01 ERA, a 1.37 WHIP, a 3.5 BB/9, and an 8.4 K/9 in 106 innings. In his rehab stint, he didn’t record a decision posting a 2.08 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP, a 3.1 BB/9, and a 10.4 K/9 in 8.2 innings.
Now
After entering the season expected to be in the bullpen Houck got the nod for a rotation spot and he’s grown into his own making 18 starts, he is 7-6 with a 2.68 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP, a 1.9 BB/9, and an 8.6 K/9 in. He has now pitched the most innings in his career and has been named a first-time All-Star.
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