JoJo Romero Bio
Joseph Abel “Jojo” Romero (born September 9, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). A left-handed reliever, Romero previously pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies and also represents the Mexico national baseball team in international competition. He wears number 59 for St. Louis and has built his career almost entirely in a bullpen role since his big-league debut.
Early Life and Background
Joseph Abel Romero was born on September 9, 1996, in Camarillo, California, the eldest of three children. He is of Mexican descent, and his family ties helped shape his lifelong connection to the sport. The nickname “Jojo” came from his grandfather, who struggled to pronounce his English name and shortened it into the familiar moniker that has followed him through professional baseball.
Romero has often cited watching his father play in a Southern California baseball league as the spark that pulled him toward the game. Growing up in the Camarillo and Oxnard area, he was surrounded by year-round baseball weather and a strong local baseball culture, which gave him an early platform to develop. That combination of family influence and a competitive youth environment laid the groundwork for his future in pitching.
Path to Professional Baseball
Romero attended Oxnard High School in Oxnard, California, where he emerged as one of the top young pitchers in the region. As a junior in 2013, he went 10–2 with a 1.24 earned run average while also batting .308, drawing attention from college and professional scouts. His performance that season established him as a serious prospect heading into his final high-school years.
After high school, Romero played college baseball at Yavapai College before transferring to the University of Nevada, continuing his development on the mound. In 2016, the Philadelphia Phillies selected him in the fourth round, 107th overall, of the Major League Baseball draft, choosing him as one of their key developmental arms. He signed with the organization and began climbing through the Phillies’ farm system.
JoJo Romero Career
Minor League Development (2016–2019)
Romero made his professional debut in 2016 with the Williamsport Crosscutters, going 2–2 with a 2.56 ERA across ten games in his first season. He returned to form in 2017, pitching for the Lakewood BlueClaws and Clearwater Threshers, where he posted a combined 10–3 record, a 2.16 ERA, and 128 strikeouts. That performance earned him recognition as the Phillies’ minor league pitcher of the year.
In 2018, Romero advanced to the Reading Fightin Phils and went 7–6 with a 3.80 ERA and 100 strikeouts over 106.2 innings, continuing his steady climb. He later suited up for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League and, on November 20, 2019, was added to the Phillies’ 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.
Philadelphia Phillies (2020–2022)
Romero made his MLB debut on August 21, 2020, with the Phillies playing a road game in Atlanta. Working the eighth inning of an 11–2 Braves lead, he struck out all three batters he faced, an electric first appearance that hinted at his future as a late-inning reliever. His rookie season was limited, finishing with a 7.59 ERA across 12 appearances.
On May 19, 2021, Romero was announced to need Tommy John surgery, a procedure that ended his season after just 11 games and an ERA of 7.00. He spent most of the next year rehabbing before being activated from the injured list on July 15, 2022, marking his long-awaited return to the big-league mound. His time in Philadelphia ended later that summer when the franchise opted to reshape its bullpen.
St. Louis Cardinals Era (2022–Present)
On July 30, 2022, the Phillies traded Romero to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for infielder Edmundo Sosa. He pitched in 15 games down the stretch for St. Louis, recording a 3.77 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 14.1 innings, easing into a new organization late in the year.
Romero was optioned to the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds to open the 2023 season and was recalled twice before a knee injury ended his year. Across 27 relief appearances for St. Louis in 2023, he posted a 4–2 record and a 3.68 ERA, reestablishing himself as a reliable bullpen option.
In 2024, Romero made the Cardinals’ Opening Day roster and worked the entire season out of the bullpen, going 7–3 with a 3.36 ERA across 65 relief appearances and converting one of nine save chances. He returned to the Cardinals bullpen for 2025 and made 65 appearances, posting a 4–6 record, a 2.07 ERA, and 55 strikeouts across 61 innings, while recording eight saves in nine opportunities. Prior to the 2026 season, Romero and the Cardinals avoided salary arbitration by agreeing on a $4.25 million deal.
Notable Events and Milestones
Romero’s debut in Atlanta, in which he struck out all three batters he faced, remains one of the signature moments of his career. His recovery from Tommy John surgery and return to a major-league mound on July 15, 2022, marked another major milestone, followed shortly by his trade to St. Louis. On the international stage, Romero represented Mexico at the 2023 World Baseball Classic in Miami, adding a national-team appearance to his résumé.
JoJo Romero Career Highlights
Through MLB play tracked up to recent seasons, Romero has compiled a 15–13 win-loss record, a 3.63 ERA, and 217 strikeouts, the bulk of which have come as a relief pitcher for the Cardinals. His standout work in 2017 earned him Phillies minor league pitcher of the year honors, and he later converted eight saves in 2025 while appearing in 65 games. He also collected a World Baseball Classic medal representing Mexico in 2023.
Cardinals Bullpen Highlights
Romero’s tenure with St. Louis has featured steadily improving run-prevention numbers, peaking with a 2.07 ERA across 65 appearances in 2025. He has served as a multi-inning and setup reliever, occasionally closing games, and converted eight of his nine save chances in 2025.
Other Performances
Before reaching the majors, Romero starred at Oxnard High School, going 10–2 with a 1.24 ERA as a junior in 2013. In the minors, he twice earned full-season recognition within the Phillies system and was selected for the Arizona Fall League after the 2019 season. Internationally, he has represented Mexico at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
JoJo Romero Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Romero was raised in Camarillo, California, as the eldest of three children in a family of Mexican descent. His grandfather gave him the nickname “Jojo” because he could not easily pronounce his English name, and the moniker has stuck throughout his professional career. His father played in a Southern California baseball league, an experience Romero has often credited as the inspiration for his own path in the sport.
Personal Life
Romero maintains ties to his Southern California roots and continues to identify strongly with his Mexican heritage, which he has honored by pitching for Mexico at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Public details about his personal relationships and family life outside of baseball are limited.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked a breakthrough for Romero as a high-leverage reliever in the St. Louis bullpen. He appeared in 65 games, logged 61 innings, and posted a 2.07 ERA with 55 strikeouts, while also stepping into the closer role by converting eight of nine save opportunities. The strong performance reinforced his value as a left-handed setup man and occasional closer for the Cardinals.
Romero’s 2025 outing totals reflected both durability and consistency, as he avoided the long injured-list stints that had disrupted his 2021, 2023, and 2024 seasons. Heading into the 2026 season, his new $4.25 million deal signaled the organization’s confidence in him as a core piece of the bullpen. He remains a key option for manager Oliver Marmol in late-inning situations and a steady presence in middle relief.
