Jonny Venters is a former professional baseball player who played as a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was born on March 20, 1985, in Altamonte Springs, Florida, and attended Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs. Venters played college baseball at Indian River Community College and then transferred to Rend Lake College in Illinois.
Venters was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 30th round of the 2003 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut on April 17, 2010, against the Colorado Rockies. Venters quickly established himself as a reliable relief pitcher for the Braves, appearing in 79 games in his rookie season and posting a 1.95 ERA with 93 strikeouts in 83 innings pitched.
In 2011, Venters was even better, appearing in 85 games and posting a 1.84 ERA with 96 strikeouts in 88 innings pitched. He was named to the National League All-Star team and finished in the top 10 in voting for the NL Cy Young Award.
Venters continued to pitch well for the Braves in 2012, but his career was derailed by injuries in 2013. He underwent Tommy John surgery in May of that year and missed the entire season. Venters attempted to return to the Braves in 2014 but suffered another elbow injury and underwent a second Tommy John surgery in September of that year.
After missing the entire 2015 season, Venters signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2016. He made his return to the majors on April 25, 2018, pitching a scoreless inning against the Baltimore Orioles. Venters appeared in 34 games for the Rays in 2018, posting a 3.67 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 27 innings pitched.
Venters signed a one-year contract with the Washington Nationals in 2019 but struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness, posting a 5.68 ERA in 22 appearances. He was released by the Nationals in August of that year and did not pitch in the majors again.
Overall, Venters had a successful career as a relief pitcher, posting a 3.23 ERA with 324 strikeouts in 292 innings pitched over parts of eight seasons in the majors. He was known for his devastating sinker and his ability to induce ground balls, which made him a valuable asset out of the bullpen. Despite his injuries, Venters was able to make a successful comeback and pitch in the majors again, which is a testament to his resilience and determination.
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