| Freddy Tarnok | |
| Team: | Free agent |
| Position: | Pitcher |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Birth Date: | 24 November 1998 |
| Birth Place: | Brandon, Florida, U.S. |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | August 17 |
| Debutyear: | 2022 |
| Debutteam: | Atlanta Braves |
| Statyear: | 2023 season |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Stat1label: | Win–loss record |
| Stat1value: | 1–1 |
| Stat2label: | Earned run average |
| Stat2value: | 4.70 |
| Stat3label: | Strikeouts |
| Stat3value: | 15 |
| Teams: | |
Frederic Michael Tarnok (born November 24, 1998) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves and Oakland Athletics. He was selected by the Braves in the third round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft, and made his MLB debut for them in 2022.
Tarnok attended Riverview High School in Riverview, Florida, where he played baseball. In 2017, his senior year, he went 7–0 with a 0.66 ERA while also batting .393.[1] Following his senior season, he was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the third round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.[2] He signed with the Braves, forgoing his commitment to play college baseball at the University of Tampa.[3]
Tarnok made his professional debut with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Braves, going 0–3 with a 2.57 ERA over 14 innings. In 2018, he pitched with the Rome Braves of the Single–A South Atlantic League, with whom he was named an All-Star.[4] Over 27 games (11 starts), Tarnok went 5–5 with a 3.96 ERA, striking out 83 batters over innings.[5] Tarnok missed time during the 2019 season due to injury, but still started 19 games for the Florida Fire Frogs of the High–A Florida State League, pitching to a 3–7 record with a 4.87 ERA. He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[6] Tarnok missed the beginning of the 2021 season while rehabbing and made his first appearance in mid-June for Rome, now members of the High-A East.[7] After innings pitched with Rome, he was promoted to the Mississippi Braves of the Double-A South in mid-July with whom he finished the year.[8] [9] [10] Over 16 games (14 starts) between the two teams, Tarnok went 6–4 with a 3.44 ERA and 109 strikeouts over innings.[11]
On November 18, 2021, the Braves selected Tarnok's contract and added him to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[12] He returned to Mississippi to begin the 2022 season. In early July, he was promoted to the Gwinnett Stripers of the Triple-A International League.[13] [14] On August 16, 2022, Tarnok was called up to the majors.[15] [16] He made his MLB debut on August 17 from the bullpen.[17] He pitched two-thirds of an inning with no hits or walks and his first career strikeout against Tyler Naquin.
On December 12, 2022, the Oakland Athletics acquired Tarnok from the Braves in a three-team trade in which the Atlanta Braves acquired Sean Murphy, the Milwaukee Brewers acquired William Contreras, Joel Payamps, and Justin Yeager, and the Athletics also acquired Manny Piña, Kyle Muller, Esteury Ruiz, and Royber Salinas.[18] On April 13, 2023, Tarnok was placed on the 60-day injured list with a right shoulder strain.[19] He was activated from the injured list on July 8 and subsequently optioned to the Triple–A Las Vegas Aviators.[20] He was recalled to the active roster on July 14.[21] In 5 appearances for Oakland, he logged a 4.91 ERA with 14 strikeouts in innings pitched. On August 31, Tarnok underwent season–ending surgery to repair the labrum and cartilage in his right hip.[22]
Tarnok began the 2024 season in Triple–A Las Vegas, recording a 13.50 ERA with 6 strikeouts across 6 appearances.
On June 1, 2024, Tarnok was claimed off waivers by the Philadelphia Phillies.[23] After two scoreless appearances for the High–A Jersey Shore BlueClaws, he worked to an 0–3 record and 6.33 ERA with 28 strikeouts across innings pitched with the Triple–A Lehigh Valley IronPigs. On November 4, Tarnok was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to Lehigh Valley.[24]
Tarnok's parents are Jeff and Neung. He has a brother, Christopher, and a half-brother, Nick. Through his mother, Tarnok is of Thai descent.[25]