Decatur grad Janson Junk makes MLB debut with Angels

Federal Way’s Janson Junk has made it to the big leagues.

Junk, 25, made his Major League Baseball debut as pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, Sept. 5.

“It was amazing. I’ve been working most of my life to have this opportunity,” said Junk, a Decatur High School graduate. “[I had] a lot of nerves leading up to my debut, but once I got on the field, everything was calm and I realized that it’s the same great game I’ve been playing my whole life, just brighter lights and a bigger stage.”

The Angels lost 7-3 to the Texas Rangers. Junk threw two strikeouts and one walk with one earned run in his first game on the mound.

Family members and close friends were in the crowd on Sunday, cheering and donning his name on their No. 66 jerseys.

“It was great to have all my family and friends down,” Junk said. “To share this moment with them meant the world to me. I sacrificed a lot being away from them for so long, but to have it pay off and also have them experience this achievement with me made it a special day.”

After graduating from Decatur High School, Junk played baseball at Seattle University from 2015-2017. He later was drafted to the New York Yankees as a 22nd round selection in the 2017 draft.

He was traded to the Angels in late July and holds a 18-17 record with 3.87 ERA throughout his four minor league seasons.