Tucker Novotny

Photo by: Brad Rempel

Photo by: Bjorn Franke

Position:
LHP
Ht./Wt.:
6-5 / 235
Bats/Throws:
R/L
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Cottage Grove, Minn.
High School:
Park of Cottage Grove

PRONUNCIATION

HONORS & AWARDS
DI Baseball No. 26 2024 MLB Draft Prospect in the Big Ten (Jan. 2024)
Perfect Game No. 27 2024 MLB Draft Prospect in the Big Ten (Jan. 2024)
All-Big Ten Third Team (2023)
Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Players to Watch (Dec. 2022)
Dave Winfield Pitcher of the Year (2023)
Perfect Game No. 19 2024 MLB Draft Prospect in the Big Ten (Jan. 2023)
Northwoods League MLB Dreams Showcase Selection (Summer 2022)

HIGHLIGHTS
2023 Season

2024 | JUNIOR Made 15 appearances and 14 starts with a 6.75 ERA · struck out 62 batters in 52.0 innings pitched · ranked No. 5 in the Big Ten in K/9 (10.7). Game Highlights: Pitched 4.0 shutout innings with five strikeouts against Northeastern (Feb. 25) · struck out four in 3.0 innings of one-hit and no run ball against Pacific (Mar. 3) · threw 6.2 shutout innings, allowing just four hits and two walks against Elon (Mar. 15) · struck out a career-high 10 batters in 5.1 innings pitched against San Francisco (Mar. 22) · pitched three shutout innings with six punchouts against South Dakota State (Apr. 17)

2023 | SUMMER Played for the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod League · made three appearances on the mound, pitching 11.0 innings · had his best outing vs. Bourne (June 20), going 4.2 no-hit innings, two walks, zero runs and six strikeouts.

2023 | SOPHOMORE Went 4-5 with a 5.03 ERA in 14 appearances (14 starts) as Minnesota's Friday guy in 2023 · struck out a team-best 80 hitters in 73.1 innings pitched, allowing just 41 earned runs and walking 39 · lasted five-or-more innings in 10 of his 14 starts, going six-or-more five times · he ranks in the top-10 in the Big Ten in strikeouts (sixth), strikeouts looking (fourth) and innings pitched (10th). Game Highlights: Made an opening day start vs. UCSB, striking out five with five hits and four earned runs in 3.2 innings (Feb. 17) · totaled a season-high six strikeouts in 5.0 innings, giving up two earned runs and six hits vs. Hawaii (March 3) · went a career-best 7.0 innings, striking out three and giving up six hits and three earned runs vs. Houston (March 17) · struck out a career-high 10 hitters in 6.0 innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs at OSU (March 31) · had eight K's with two hits and no earned runs allowed in 6.0 innings vs. Purdue (April 7) · picked up his first win of the year after going 6.0 innings vs. Iowa, striking out eight and allowing five hits, three earned runs (April 14) · struck out seven in 5.1 innings of work as his team picked up a road win at Nebraska (April 28) · posted his first shutout outing of the year, striking out seven with five hits and two walks while picking up a win in 6.0 innings of work vs. Michigan (May 5) · picked up win No. 3 of the year at No. 19 Maryland after striking out seven in 5.0 innings of work (May 12) · struck out four and allowed one earned run in 5.2 innings of work vs. Rutgers (May 18).

2022 | SUMMER Made a team-high 13 appearances (four starts) for the Willmar Stingers in the summer of 2022 · struck out a team-best 56 hitters and allowed just 16 earned runs in 39.0 innings pitched · surrendered just 15 walks and posted a 3.69 ERA · participated in the MLB Dreams Showcase · struck out 11 in 4.2 innings against the Mankato MoonDogs on Aug. 4 · tallied eight punchouts in 4.0 innings vs. St. Cloud on Aug. 14.

2022 | FRESHMAN Made six appearances, including one start for Minnesota as a freshman in 2022 · went 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA, the best of any freshman · struck out 14, walked six and gave up just six earned runs in 63 batters faced · allowed zero runs in four of his six appearances. Game Highlights: Pitched 1.0 scoreless frame in his Minnesota debut at Creighton (March 19) · tossed 2.0 scoreless and hitless innings while striking out three in his first collegiate win against UST (April 12) · struck out three and allowed no runs and just one hit in 3.0 scoreless innings against UST (April 27) · pitched a career-long 3.1 innings, striking out three and allowing no earned runs against Omaha (May 17).

2021 | SUMMER Pitched for the Minnesota Mud Puppies of the Northwoods League in the Summer of 2021 · made four appearances, going 1-1 in 19.0 innings pitched with a 2.84 ERA · allowed just six earned runs on the summer while striking out 17 and walking 10 · tossed a season-high of 8.0 innings against the Eau Claire Express on Aug. 6, picking up a win, allowing just two hits and zero earned runs while striking out five while earning Northwoods League Pitcher of the Night · pitched 6.0 innings against Rochester on July 24, striking out six and allowing a pair of earned runs.

BEFORE MINNESOTA A 2021 graduate of Park of Cottage Grove H.S. · Perfect Game's No. 5 player and No. 1 left-handed pitcher in Minnesota · PG's No. 54 LHP and No. 478 player in the country · as a senior in high school, he posted a 10-1 record, giving up just 11 earned runs and striking out 114 on his way to being a Mr. Baseball finalist · tallied a 1.26 ERA and walked 25 batters · MSHSL Class 4A All-State First Team honoree · a four-year letterwinner at Park of Cottage Grove, Novotny also had a successful fall 2020 slate, posting a 4-0 record on the mound with a 0.61 ERA and one save · he held opposing hitters to a .117 batting average and finished with a sparkling 0.70 WHIP · as a sophomore in 2019, Novotny earned All-Suburban East Conference and First Team All-Section honors · overall, the left-hander struck out 56 batters in 47 innings of work, elevating his performance to another level when the postseason arrived · shining brightly in the sectional playoffs, Novotny made two starts, totaling 14 innings and delivering a 2.00 ERA with 16 strikeouts and just three walks · also recruited by Wichita State, Illinois, Alabama, USC, NDSU and Valparaiso.

PERSONAL Native of Cottage Grove, Minn. · son of Heather and Paul Novotny · has one sister, Tori · intends to major in accounting within the Carlson School of Management · Novotny is also an accomplished bowler and basketball player · in the past, Novotny has bowled a 300-point game and is a three-time letterwinner in the sport.

WHY MINNESOTA: "The reason I chose to go to the U is that I've always been a huge Gopher fan growing up and will feel a lot of pride in playing for the team I've cheered for my whole life.”