University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Alum Gaub Makes MLB Debut
9/12/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Sept. 12, 2011
Watch Gaub's MLB debut here (video)
University of Minnesota baseball alum John Gaub made his Major League Baseball debut, on Sept. 12, 2011 as a relief pitcher for the Chicago Cubs in a 12-8 win over the Cincinnati Reds.
Gaub, who played for the Golden Gophers from 2004-06 becomes the 32nd Gopher to play in the majors and the 16th since 1983. Prior to his debut, the last Gopher to make his MLB debut was current Cleveland Indian and former Gopher great Jack Hannahan in 2006 (May 25). Minnesota Twin and former Gopher Glen Perkins also made his MLB debut in 2006 (March 2).
Gaub made his MLB debut when he relieved Andrew Cashner in the bottom of the seventh inning. He struck out his first batter he ever faced in the majors when he got Dave Sappelt to strike out swinging after five pitches. His first career pitch clocked in at 94 mph. On the night, Gaub held a line of 1.1 inning pitched, struck out one, walked one, allowed two earned runs on one hit and faced six batters.
A native of St. Paul, Minn., Gaub was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 25th round of the 2003 MLB June Amateur Draft and the Cleveland Indians in the 21st round of the 2006 MLB June Amateur Draft. Gaub joined the Cubs organization in 2009. With the Iowa Cubs earlier this year, Gaub pitched 55.1 innings, held seven saves and had 75 strikeouts.
As a Golden Gopher, Gaub went 2-1 with a team-best 1.85 ERA in 16 appearances as a true freshman in 2004. The 1.85 marked the lowest ERA by a true freshman in school history. In 2005, he held seven saves and struck out a team-high 65 batters in 39 innings pitch and was named a third-team All-Big Ten. In his last year with the Gophers in 2006, Gaub started in six games and went 1-3.
