Janzen Blade Tidwell Biography
Janzen Blade Tidwell (born June 8, 2001) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). The right-handed pitcher previously played for the New York Mets organization, which selected him in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft. Tidwell made his major league debut in May 2025 and has since become a notable prospect in professional baseball.
Early Life and Background
Blade Tidwell grew up in Loretto, Tennessee, where he attended Loretto High School. During his junior year in 2019, he delivered an outstanding performance by going 8-0 with 107 strikeouts while also batting .557. His exceptional play earned him the title of Tennessee Mr. Baseball, the state’s top honor for high school baseball players. Tidwell was teammates with Ryan Weathers during his high school career.
His senior season in 2020 was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and he appeared in only one game before the season was cut short. Despite the limited playing time, his previous accomplishments had already established him as one of Tennessee’s top high school prospects.
Path to Professional Baseball
Following high school, Tidwell enrolled at the University of Tennessee, joining the Tennessee Volunteers baseball team in 2021. As a freshman, he was immediately inserted into the starting rotation and proved his worth by starting 18 games. He finished with a 10-3 record, a 3.74 ERA, and 90 strikeouts over 98 and two-thirds innings. His impressive debut season earned him a spot on the USA Baseball National Collegiate Team alongside teammate Drew Gilbert.
Tidwell entered the 2022 season as a preseason All-American and a highly regarded prospect for the upcoming MLB Draft. However, he missed the beginning of the season dealing with shoulder soreness. After sitting out Tennessee’s first 24 games, he returned in late March and made his season debut. He finished the campaign with a 3-2 record, a 3.00 ERA, and 51 strikeouts across 13 appearances and 39 innings pitched.
Janzen Blade Tidwell Career
Minor League Development (2022-2025)
The New York Mets selected Tidwell in the second round with the 52nd overall selection of the 2022 MLB Draft. He signed with the organization for $1.8 million and began his professional career with the rookie-level Florida Complex League Mets. He appeared in just one game before earning a promotion to the Single-A St. Lucie Mets. Across 9 and one-third professional innings that season, he posted a 1.93 ERA with 11 strikeouts and seven walks.
Tidwell opened the 2023 season with the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones before earning a mid-season promotion to the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies. He proved dominant at the Double-A level, going 11-6 with a 3.57 ERA and 153 strikeouts over 116 innings across 25 starts. His strong performance established him as one of the Mets’ top pitching prospects.
New York Mets (2025)
Tidwell began the 2025 season with the Triple-A Syracuse Mets. On May 2, 2025, he was selected to the Mets’ 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time. He made his MLB debut on May 4 against the St. Louis Cardinals. In that start, Tidwell allowed six earned runs on nine hits and three walks while recording two strikeouts before being pulled during the fourth inning.
On July 2, 2025, Tidwell earned his first career major league victory. He held the Milwaukee Brewers to three runs while recording three strikeouts over 4 and one-third innings in a winning effort. He finished his time with the Mets with a 1-1 record, a 9.00 ERA, 10 strikeouts, and 10 walks across 15 innings of work in four appearances.
San Francisco Giants (2025-Present)
On July 30, 2025, the Mets traded Tidwell along with Drew Gilbert and Jose Butto to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for pitcher Tyler Rogers. The Giants assigned him to the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, where he posted an impressive 1.50 ERA over 18 innings. However, Tidwell was placed on the injured list with a right shoulder injury on August 21 and did not return until being activated on September 17.
Tidwell was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento to open the 2026 season. He was recalled to the major leagues on April 2, 2026, after Butto was placed on the 15-day injured list.
Career Statistics
Through April 2, 2026, Tidwell has appeared in four major league games with a 1-1 win-loss record. He has posted a 7.50 ERA with 12 strikeouts across 18 and one-third innings pitched.
Janzen Blade Tidwell Career Highlights
Tidwell has shown promise at every level of professional baseball, from his college career at Tennessee through his minor league development and brief MLB appearances.
Professional Career Highlights
Tidwell’s professional career has been marked by steady progression through the minor leagues. His standout season came in 2023 with Double-A Binghamton, where he went 11-6 with a 3.57 ERA and 153 strikeouts. He followed that with a 2024 season split between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse, posting a 3-13 record with a 4.86 ERA and 121 strikeouts over 26 appearances.
His MLB career began in 2025, highlighted by his first career victory on July 2 against the Milwaukee Brewers. He earned that win by limiting the Brewers to three runs while striking out three batters over 4 and one-third innings. Tidwell’s career MLB record stands at 1-1 with a 7.50 ERA and 12 strikeouts through early April 2026.
Amateur Career Highlights
Before turning professional, Tidwell was named Tennessee Mr. Baseball during his junior year of high school after going 8-0 with 107 strikeouts. At the University of Tennessee, he earned a spot on the USA Baseball National Collegiate Team following his freshman season, where he went 10-3 with a 3.74 ERA and 90 strikeouts.
| Competition Level | Record | ERA | Strikeouts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major League Baseball (MLB) | 1-1 | 7.50 | 12 |
| Triple-A (2024-2025) | 9-17 | 4.62 | 131 |
| Double-A Binghamton (2023-2024) | 14-8 | 3.67 | 204 |
Family and Background
Racing Lineage and Upbringing
Tidwell grew up in Loretto, Tennessee, where he developed his baseball skills at Loretto High School. His athletic ability was evident early on, as he excelled both on the mound and at the plate during his high school career. He was named Tennessee Mr. Baseball, the state’s most prestigious high school baseball award, following his junior season in 2019.
Personal Life
Tidwell shares a baseball connection with his former college teammate Drew Gilbert, with whom he was traded from the New York Mets to the San Francisco Giants in July 2025. He maintains an active presence on social media under the handle @bladetidwell on Instagram.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked Tidwell’s transition from minor league prospect to major league pitcher. He began the year with Triple-A Syracuse and earned his first MLB promotion in early May. His debut came against the St. Louis Cardinals on May 4, where he struggled in his first major league start, allowing six earned runs over three and two-thirds innings.
Tidwell showed resilience by recording his first career victory on July 2 against the Milwaukee Brewers. He was traded later that month to the San Francisco Giants, where he continued his development in the minor leagues before returning to the majors in September. He finished the 2025 season with a 1-1 record across four MLB appearances.