{{Short description|American baseball player (born 2003)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name = JB Middleton |team = Colorado Rockies |position = Pitcher |birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|11|24}} |birth_place = Yazoo City, Mississippi, U.S. |bats = Right |throws = Right |debutleague = |debutdate = |debutyear = |debutteam = |statleague = |statyear = |stat1label = Win–loss record |stat1value = |stat2label = Earned run average |stat2value = |stat3label = Strikeouts |stat3value = }} '''Jonathan Bailey Middleton''' (born November 24, 2003) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Colorado Rockies organization.
==Amateur career== Middleton attended Benton Academy in Benton, Mississippi.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Busby |first=Garrett |date=May 6, 2025 |title=How a text in math class led to Southern Miss' success for two metro-area players |url=https://www.wlbt.com/2025/05/06/how-text-math-class-led-southern-miss-success-two-metro-area-players/ |website=wlbt.com}}</ref> After graduating in 2022, he enrolled at the University of Southern Mississippi to play college baseball. He played sparingly as a freshman in 2023 but did play in the Cape Cod Baseball League with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks after the season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Simms |first=André |title=Cape Cod Baseball League roundup: Hyannis one-hits Yarmouth-Dennis |url=https://www.capecodtimes.com/story/sports/college/baseball/2023/07/27/wednesdays-cape-cod-baseball-league-games/70457751007/ |website=Cape Cod Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=#34 JB Middleton - Profile |url=https://pointstreak.com/baseball/player.html?playerid=1662480 |access-date=July 14, 2025 |publisher=Pointstreak}}</ref> As a sophomore for Southern Miss in 2024, Middleton appeared in 24 games, mainly in relief, and pitched to a 2-1 record, a 4.34 ERA, and 45 strikeouts over 37{{frac|2|3}} innings.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Flaherty |first=Peter |date=February 10, 2025 |title=2025 Sun Belt Baseball Season Preview |url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2025-sun-belt-baseball-season-preview/ |website=Baseball America}}</ref>
For the 2025 season, Middleton moved into the starting rotation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Busby |first=Garrett |date=February 13, 2025 |title=Yazoo City native announced in Southern Miss baseball's opening weekend rotation |url=https://www.wlbt.com/2025/02/13/yazoo-city-native-announced-southern-miss-baseballs-opening-weekend-rotation/ |website=wlbt.com}}</ref> He was awarded the C Spire Ferriss Trophy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chavez |first=Michael |date=2025-05-19 |title=Southern Miss baseball pitcher JB Middleton wins Ferriss Trophy awarded to state's top player |url=https://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/college/southern-miss/2025/05/19/jb-middleton-southern-miss-baseball-ferriss-trophy-mississippi-2025/83677204007/ |website=The Clarion-Ledger}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cleveland |first=Rick |date=May 22, 2025 |title=On a day for right-handed aces, USM's JB Middleton wins the Ferris |url=https://cdispatch.com/?p=291438 |website=The Commercial Dispatch}}</ref> Over 16 starts, Middleton went 10–1 with a 2.31 ERA and 122 strikeouts over 105{{frac|1|3}} innings.<ref name="SamHutchens">{{Cite web |last=Hutchens |first=Sam |date=July 13, 2025 |title=Southern Miss baseball's JB Middleton picked by Colorado Rockies with No. 45 pick of 2025 MLB Draft |url=https://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/sports/college/southern-miss/2025/07/13/jb-middleton-colorado-rockies-southern-miss-baseball-pitcher-mlb-draft/84630652007/ |access-date=October 4, 2025 |website=Hattiesburg American}}</ref> After the college season, he participated in the MLB Draft Combine at Chase Field.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kirk |first=Scott |date=June 14, 2025 |title=4 Pine Belt standouts participating in 2025 MLB Draft Combine |url=https://www.wdam.com/2025/06/14/4-pine-belt-stars-participating-2025-mlb-draft-combine/ |website=wdam.com}}</ref>
==Professional career== Middleton was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the second round with the 45th overall pick of the 2025 Major League Baseball draft.<ref name="SamHutchens" /> He signed with the team for a $2 million dollar signing bonus.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Evan |date=July 15, 2025 |title=Colorado Rockies' 2025 draft results and signings tracker |url=https://www.purplerow.com/2025/7/15/24467968/colorado-rockies-2025-draft-results-and-signings-tracker |website=Purple Row |publisher=SB Nation}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=JB Middleton {{!}} MLB Contracts & Salaries |url=https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/player/_/id/99726/jb-middleton |access-date=2025-08-26 |website=Spotrac}}</ref>
Middleton was named to the Rockies Spring Breakout roster during 2026 spring training.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harding |first=Thomas |title=Here’s the Rockies’ Spring Breakout roster |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/rockies-spring-breakout-roster-2026 |access-date=2026-05-09 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref> He was assigned to the Single-A Fresno Grizzlies to make his professional debut.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{baseballstats|brm=middle000jb-}} *[https://southernmiss.com/sports/baseball/roster/jb-middleton/9913 Southern Miss Golden Eagles bio]
{{C Spire Ferriss Trophy}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Middleton, JB}} Category:2003 births Category:Living people Category:Baseball players from Mississippi Category:Baseball pitchers Category:Hyannis Harbor Hawks players Category:Southern Miss Golden Eagles baseball players Category:21st-century American sportsmen