 = Jacob deGrom = 
 
 Jacob Anthony deGrom ( born June 19 , 1988 ) , is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) . Prior to playing professionally , deGrom attended Stetson University and played college baseball for the Stetson Hatters . 
 DeGrom began playing baseball as a shortstop and was converted into a pitcher during his junior year at Stetson . The Mets selected him in the ninth round of the 2010 MLB Draft , and he made his MLB debut with the Mets on May 15 , 2014 . That year , deGrom was named the National League 's ( NL ) Rookie of the Month twice , and the NL Rookie of the Year . In 2015 , deGrom was selected as an MLB All @-@ Star . 
 
 = = Amateur career = = 
 
 DeGrom attended <unk> Christian Academy in <unk> Beach , Florida , where he played for the school 's baseball and basketball teams . As a senior , the Florida Sports Writers Association named deGrom to the All @-@ Florida second team . He also played American Legion baseball , where he was noticed by the coaches for the Stetson Hatters , the college baseball team of Stetson University . 
 DeGrom was not selected in the Major League Baseball ( MLB ) Draft out of high school . He enrolled at Stetson University and joined their baseball team where he played exclusively as a shortstop during his freshman and sophomore seasons . Though he was considered a good <unk> with a strong throwing arm , deGrom was a light hitter , with a career <unk> batting average . He made his first appearance as a pitcher in May 2009 . In the summer of 2009 , between his sophomore and junior years , deGrom received an invitation to play collegiate summer baseball for the <unk> Suns of the Florida Collegiate Summer League , which he declined after discovering that they wanted him to play as a pitcher . 
 When deGrom returned to Stetson that fall , the team used him as a relief pitcher , filling the role of their closer , in addition to playing shortstop . He quickly became one of Stetson 's best pitchers , so the team moved deGrom into their starting rotation midway through the season . In addition to a fastball , deGrom learned to throw a changeup and a slider . MLB scouts began to take notice of deGrom when he pitched against Chris Sale of Florida Gulf Coast University . In that game , deGrom hit his only home run of the season . He made 12 starts for the Hatters , pitching to a 4 – 5 win – loss record with a 4 @.@ 48 earned run average . 
 
 = = Professional career = = 
 
 
 = = = Minor League Baseball = = = 
 
 The New York Mets selected deGrom in the ninth round as a pitcher , with the 272nd overall selection , of the 2010 MLB Draft . He signed with the Mets , receiving a $ 95 @,@ 000 signing bonus . The Mets assigned deGrom to the <unk> Mets of the Rookie @-@ level Appalachian League , where he made six starts before he was diagnosed with a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament ( UCL ) in his pitching elbow . He attempted to <unk> his arm for four months , but underwent Tommy John surgery to repair the UCL in October . He did not pitch in 2011 while he recovered from the surgery . While <unk> , deGrom worked on his changeup with Johan Santana . 
 DeGrom pitched for the Savannah Sand <unk> of the Class A South Atlantic League and the St. Lucie Mets of the Class A @-@ Advanced Florida State League in 2012 , finishing the year with a 2 @.@ 43 ERA in 19 games started . In 2013 , he began the season with St. Lucie , but was promoted to the Binghamton Mets of the Class AA Eastern League after two starts due to injuries to Binghamton 's Luis <unk> and Cory <unk> . He received a promotion to the Las Vegas <unk> of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League in June after the Mets promoted Zack Wheeler and Carlos Torres to the major leagues and traded <unk> <unk> . He had a combined 4 @.@ 51 ERA for the season , due to a broken finger suffered during the offseason , which altered the way he threw the ball . 
 The Mets added deGrom to their 40 @-@ man roster on November 20 , 2013 , to protect him from being eligible in the Rule 5 draft . During the offseason , deGrom improved his mechanics , and learned to throw a curveball . He began the 2014 season with Las Vegas , and had a 4 – 0 win – loss record and a 2 @.@ 58 ERA in his first seven games started . 
 
 = = = Major League Baseball = = = 
 
 
 = = = = 2014 = = = = 
 
 The Mets promoted deGrom to the major leagues on May 12 , 2014 , after Gonzalez <unk> was placed on the disabled list . The Mets planned to use deGrom in relief , but an injury to Dillon <unk> required the Mets to insert him into their starting rotation . DeGrom made his major league debut on May 15 against cross @-@ town rival New York Yankees in <unk> Field . He faced fellow rookie Chase <unk> , also making his MLB debut . He pitched seven innings , allowing only one run and striking out six , but the Yankees shut out the Mets and won 1 – 0 . DeGrom also collected his first MLB hit in the game in his first career at bat . It was the first hit by a Mets pitcher in the 2014 season ending an 0 @-@ for @-@ 64 <unk> streak , the worst collective mark by a pitching staff to begin a season in MLB history . 
 DeGrom compiled four quality starts in his first four MLB starts , but did not record a win in any of them . On July 8 , deGrom pitched seven scoreless innings and recorded 11 strikeouts in giving the Mets their <unk> franchise victory . Along with Steve <unk> of the Miami Marlins , deGrom was named the National League 's ( NL ) Co @-@ Player of the Week for the period of July 21 to July 27 after allowing only one earned run in two starts that week . He was named the NL Rookie of the Month for July . On August 11 , deGrom went on the disabled list with rotator cuff tendinitis . Rafael <unk> was called up on August 12 in deGrom 's place . On August 23 , <unk> was re @-@ sent back to the <unk> to make room for deGrom coming off the disabled list . 
 On September 15 , 2014 , deGrom faced the Marlins and struck out his first eight batters , tying the MLB record . Near the end of the season , deGrom was shut down for the year , ending his season with a 9 – 6 record , a 2 @.@ 69 ERA and 144 strikeouts . DeGrom won the 2014 Sporting News NL Rookie of the Year Award and was named the NL Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers ' Association of America , ( the first by a Met since Dwight <unk> in 1984 ) receiving first place votes on 26 of the 30 ballots . 
 
 = = = = 2015 = = = = 
 
 DeGrom and Clayton <unk> of the Los Angeles Dodgers were selected as NL Co @-@ Players of the Week for the week ending June 7 , 2015 . He began the 2015 season with a 8 – 6 win @-@ loss record and a 2 @.@ 30 ERA through the end of June , and was named to the NL roster in the 2015 MLB All @-@ Star Game . During the All @-@ Star Game , deGrom struck out the three batters he faced on ten pitches , becoming the first person to do so since pitch counts were recorded . DeGrom pitched to a 14 – 8 record with a 2 @.@ 54 ERA and a 0 @.@ 99 walks plus hits per inning pitched ratio during the 2015 season . 
 Starting Game 1 of the 2015 NLDS , he allowed no runs and five hits over seven innings pitched and tied a Mets franchise postseason record with 13 strikeouts ( set by Tom <unk> , Game 1 of the 1973 NLCS ) . DeGrom won the deciding Game 5 with a six @-@ inning , two @-@ run effort . In Game 3 of the 2015 NLCS against the Chicago Cubs , deGrom pitched seven @-@ inning game , allowing just two runs on four hits , one walk and seven strikeouts , putting the Mets ahead 3 – 0 and within one game of their first World Series appearance since the 2000 <unk> Series . DeGrom started Game 2 of the 2015 World Series on October 28 ; he allowed four runs on six hits and three walks over five innings and took the loss as the Royals went up , 2 – 0 , in the series . 
 Following the season , deGrom received a Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award as the best defensive player statistically at his position in Major League Baseball . 
 
 = = = = 2016 = = = = 
 
 Not yet eligible for salary arbitration , the Mets renewed deGrom 's contract for the 2016 season with a $ <unk> @,@ 000 salary , a raise from the $ <unk> @,@ <unk> they paid him for the previous season . DeGrom refused to sign the contract in protest , but stated that he was open to negotiating a contract extension . 
 
 = = Personal life = = 
 
 DeGrom is from <unk> Springs , Florida . He was raised by his parents , Tony , an AT & T lineman , and Tammy , a customer service representative for a credit card rewards program . Tony built a batting cage in the backyard for his son to practice . He credits his father for his quiet intensity and <unk> . He has two sisters , Sarah and Jessica . 
 DeGrom met his wife , <unk> , shortly after high school . They were married in November 2014 , and live in <unk> , Florida . They have a <unk> , and welcomed their first son in April 2016 . 
 DeGrom is known for his long hair , which he began to grow out while at Stetson . His starts with the Mets led to the <unk> <unk> on Twitter of " # <unk> " . 
 
 