It is said that ‘The best thing about being tall is that people look up to you.’ This is very true in Sean Hjelle’s case as he is 6 feet and 11 inches tall and is good-hearted, making him an example on and off the pitch.
Sean Hjelle or Sean Anthony Hjelle is an American professional baseball player born on May 7, 1997.
Sean is one of the tallest players to ever play in Minor League Basketball. He plays as a pitcher for the Eugene Emeralds.
Sean Hjelle is one of the tallest baseball players in the league. He is tied up with Jon Rauch as the tallest player as both of them are 6 feet and 11 inches. Likewise, Hjelle is ranked as San Francisco Giant’s No.9 Prospect.
But before learning about him in-depth, let’s look at some quick facts about him to get to know him first.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Sean Anthony Hjelle |
| Nickname | Jelly |
| Birthdate | May 7, 1997 |
| Birthplace | Fridley, Minnesota |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Religion | Unknown |
| Horoscope | Taurus |
| Age | 26 Years Old |
| Father’s name | Mark Hjelle |
| Mother’s name | Sue Hjelle |
| Sibling | Mara Hjelle, Erica Hjelle |
| Residence | Fridley, Minnesota |
| High School | Mahtomedi High School |
| College | University of Kentucky |
| Marital status | Married |
| Wife’s Name | Caro Hjelle |
| Shoe Size | US 4 |
| Height | 6 feet 11 inches (211 cm) |
| Weight | 103 kgs (228 pounds) |
| Body type | Athletic |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Hair Color | Brown |
| Profession | Baseball player |
| Position in team | Pitcher |
| Current team | Eugene Emeralds & San Francisco Giants |
| Jersey Number | 84 |
| Net worth | $1 – $5 Million |
| Awards | Southeastern Conference’s Pitcher of the Year |
| Social Media | |
| Merch | Rookie Trading Card, San Francisco Giants Jersey |
| Last Updated | April, 2024 |
Sean Hjelle | Early Life, Education & Family
Sean Hjelle was born on May 7, 1997. He was born to his parents, Mark and Sue Hjelle. The Hjelle family is from Fridley, Minnesota.
Sean is the youngest member of his family. He has two sisters, Mara Hjelle (27) and Erica Hjelle (25). However, both of the sisters are older than him.
The Hjelle family is blessed with an athletic family. The oldest sister Mara used to play college basketball at Wayne State. Likewise, Mara went on to play professionally in Finland and Germany.
Sean is nicknamed ‘Jelly’ due to his last name sounding similar to the word Jelly.
Education
Mahtomedi High School
As a student, Sean attended Mahtomedi High School. The school is located in Mahtomedi, Minnesota, and is a four-year public high school. As a result, Sean’s athletic interest could be seen from a very young age.
Even in high school, Sean played baseball and basketball. Moreover, many people wanted him to continue with basketball due to his tall height. However, Sean decided to stick with baseball and improve his game.
University of Kentucky
Sean was not drafted during his high school years. However, after high school, Sean enrolled at the University of Kentucky. Sean played college baseball for the University of Kentucky’s baseball team Kentucky Wildcats.
The Kentucky pitcher majored in Secondary Education-Social Studies. He has recently graduated from the University of Kentucky. On December 5, 2020, Sean posted a picture of a cake with ‘Congratulations’ written on it.
Sean Hjelle | Age, Height & Physical Appearance
Sean Hjelle is 26 years old as of May 7, April. As he was born on May 7, his zodiac sign is Taurus. People who are Taurus are known for being extremely tactful and charming.
Sean is one of the tallest players to have ever graced the game. His height of 6 feet and 11 inch makes him a lethal force as a pitcher. Moreover, his presence alone can be frightening.
Along with his tall height, he has a lean body. Hjelle weighs 103 kgs (228 pounds).
Velocity
Due to his tall height, Hjelle is a commanding figure on the plate. The velocity of his fastball stands between 92-94 mph. It also touches 96 mph occasionally.
Sean Hjelle | Career
Sean Hjelle plays as a baseball pitcher. Currently, he plays for the Eugene Emeralds who are a minor league baseball team. Also, the team is an affiliate of the MLB team San Francisco Giants.
Furthermore, Sean is a ferocious player. He bats and throws right. Due to his tall height of 6 feet and 11 inch, he is a lethal threat who can throw tremendous curveballs. Also, with every game, Sean gets better and better.
Mahtomedi High School
The baseball player played high school baseball and basketball. High school coach John Hardgrave coached Sean. As a high school player, he received three letters in baseball and four in basketball.
Sean was excellent in both basketball and baseball. Due to his leadership, he led the team to the Section 4 Championships twice. Likewise, Sean also reached the finals of the competition of Mr. Baseball.
His high-school coach Hardgrove revealed that Sean is a great athlete who has quick feet and good positional awareness. The coach also praised Sean’s throwing ability. Moreover, the coach also believed that Sean had all the tools to make it big time.
The exact statement goes like this:
“The amazing thing about Sean is his athleticism. I mean, his feet are so quick, and he fields his position extremely well, and he’s got all the tools.”
As a Junior in high school, Sean threw for 8-2. He also compiled a 1.23 ERA. His contribution led the team to a second consecutive state tournament birth.
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Kentucky Wildcats
Hjelle played college baseball for the Kentucky Wildcats. However, the pitcher primarily played as a closer for the majority of the season in 2016. Moreover, in his freshman season, he made eight saves.
The eight saves are a record for the UK (University of Kentucky) freshman saves list. Because of his outstanding display in his debut season, he was named Co-SEC Freshman of the Week.
Sean appeared 21 times for the Kentucky Wildcats in his freshman season. Out of 16 of 21 appearances, he didn’t yield an earned run. Also, he only gave up more than one earned run twice.
Sophomore Year
In his sophomore year, Sean appeared 18 times for the Kentucky Wildcats. Similarly, in the baseball season, Sean pitched for 108.2 innings.
He gave up 99 hits, walked 33, and struck out 102. Likewise, his opponents hit .242 against him.
Besides, Sean was named the Southeastern Conference’s Pitcher of the Year in 2017. This award came as a result of his remarkable display.
He also became the first player from the Kentucky Wildcats to be named SEC’s pitcher of the year.
MLB Draft & Move to San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants selected Sean Hjelle in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft. He was the 45th overall pick.
The move was completed successfully, and Sean signed for the Giants in 2018. Similarly, he received a signing bonus of $1.5 million. Soon after Sean signed for the Giants, he was asked to play for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes.
As stated, Sean Hjelle made his professional debut as a baseball player for Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. They are a Minor League Baseball team that competes in the Mavericks Independent Baseball League.
Hjelle spent the 2018 season with the Volcanoes and managed to compile an ERA of 5.06 in 12 starts.
Augusta GreenJackets
After his first season in the Minor League, The Kentucky pitcher moved to a new club. He was assigned to Augusta GreenJackets on May 18, 2019. The pitcher started in the opening game of the GreenJackets in the Class A South Pacific League.
However, in the same month, Sean received a promotion to San Jose Giants. San Jose Giants play in the Class A-Advanced League.
San Jose Giants
Sean didn’t get the time to feature a lot for San Jose Giants because he was again assigned to Richmond Flying Squirrels on November 19, 2019.
Likewise, Richmond Flying Squirrels are a minor league team that is based in Richmond, Virginia. In his time in the three clubs, Hjelle made 28 starts. His record stands 7-8 and has an ERA of 3.32.
San Francisco Giants
On January 6, 2020, San Francisco Giants invited Sean Hjelle to their spring training. The right-handed pitcher isn’t a part of the roster and was very happy to have been allowed to train with the first team.
Eugene Emeralds
After spending time back and forth, the Kentucky Pitcher was assigned to Eugene Emeralds on February 12, 2021. Eugene Emeralds are an affiliate organization of the San Francisco Giants. He is yet to have made a start for the minor leagues as his move is very recent.
Although Sean plays for Eugene Emeralds, he is still part of the SF Giants organization. Unfortunately, in June of 2021, the athlete sustained an injury to his leg in a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The injury seemed to be serious as Hjelle had to be helped off the field. Moreover, he missed two weeks’ worth of playtime but was activated on July 7.
Sean Hjelle | MiLB Stats
| Year | WAR | W | ERA | G | GS | SV | IP | SO | WHIP |
| Career | 11 | 12 | 3.63 | 57 | 57 | 0 | 248.0 | 235 | 1.33 |
Learn more about his stats and scouting report on Fangraphs and Baseball America.
Sean Hjelle | Net Worth, Contract & Salary
Hjelle has accumulated his wealth through his baseball career. The baseball pitcher plays for the Eugene Emeralds. In the past, Hjelle has played for Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, Augusta GreenJackets, and San Jose Giants.
After signing a contract with the San Francisco Giants on June 17, 2018, Sean received a $1.5 million sign bonus.
According to online sources, his net worth is between $1 -$5 million
Sean Hjelle | Wife & Children
Caro Hjelle
Sean is currently married to his long-time girlfriend and partner, Caroline Hjelle. The pair married recently in January 2021. The couple also has an adorable baby boy. They have named their son George.
Caroline and Sean married on January 16, 2021. A few hours before their wedding, Sean shared a few snaps of the couple. He captioned those pictures, ‘I’m marrying my best friend today.’
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George Hjelle
George was born on April 6, 2020. At the time of his birth, he weighed 9 pounds and 2 ounces and was 22 inches long.
George is charming and is growing super fast day by day. The couple frequently shares updates about George’s playing activity and development on their social media.
Sean Hjelle | Personal Life
Likes & Dislikes
The Kentucky Pitcher is an engaging personality on and off the baseball pitch. His favorite MLB team is the Pittsburgh Pirates. Likewise, his favorite player of all time is the legendary Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente.
Religious Beliefs
Sean is a Christian and expresses his faith openly. For example, his Instagram bio goes by like this ‘Saved through God’s grace….’ Likewise, Sean shares Bible verses and scriptures on his social media platforms.
Sean is a down-to-earth person. He also expresses his gratefulness towards God through his Instagram captions. For example, on one of his Instagram posts, Sean shared a bible verse from Romans 12:14-16.
Romans 12: 14-16
“Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all.”
Family Man
If you follow Sean on his Instagram, you will know that he loves his family very much. The closest people around him admire Sean for his thoughtfulness and love for them.
In his high school and college years, Sean wore number 30 in his jersey. This was done as a tribute to his two uncles. His two uncles were born on the 13th and 17th, totaling 30.
Sean Hjelle | Social Media Presence
Sean Hjelle uses Instagram as his primary social media platform. He is active in his free time on his social media. Sean’s Instagram feed is full of pictures of him and his family.
Apart from pictures of his family, Sean posts pictures of his team and teammates.
You can follow and receive updates from Sean by following him on @dahjelleman. Hee currently has 3.1k followers.
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Sean Hjelle | Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sean Hjelle’s wife?
Sean Hjelle is married to Caroline Hjelle. The pair tied the knot in January 2021.
How tall is Sean Hjelle?
Sean Hjelle is 6 feet and 11 inches, which makes him a menacing threat as a pitcher.
Is Sean Hjelle the tallest baseball player?
Yes, Sean Hjelle is the tallest baseball player, alongside Jon Rauch, who is also 6 feet and 11 inches.
Was Sean Hjelle born in North Dakota?
No, the baseballer was born in Minnesota.
Have Sean Hjelle and Luke Heyer played together?
Yes, the two played together for the San Francisco Giants.
Did Sean Hjelle play for Minnesota Blizzard?
Yes, the Kentucky pitcher played for the Minnesota Blizzard.
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