Former Jayhawk Goddard Returns To Monarchs

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Jackson Goddard

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A former Kansas Jayhawks star is back with the Kansas City Monarchs pitching staff. The Monarchs have re-signed pitcher Jackson Goddard for the 2025 season. 

A dependable starter in 2024, Goddard ranked second on the team with 86.2 innings pitched and 88 strikeouts. 

“There is a lot that makes me excited to have Jackson Goddard back,” Monarchs manager Joe Calfapietra said. “He’s ultra-competitive, a really good teammate, and gives us innings. He’s familiar with our league, which is a definite bonus.”

Goddard and the Monarchs open their 2025 season on May 9 from Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas. Tickets are on sale now. 

Goddard pitched at KU from 2016 to 2018, earning All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors his sophomore year in 2017. The right-hander delivered a 4.29 ERA in 16 games (12 starts) that season.

The Tulsa, Oklahoma native was KU’s Opening Day starter in 2018, earning a 4.10 ERA in 10 starts. He turned heads against high-level competition, including striking out 11 batters against Oklahoma and posting seven straight Ks to start an outing against Oklahoma State.

A third-round draft pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks out of KU, Goddard reached Double-A Amarillo in 2023. The right-hander struck out 30 batters in 24.2 innings of work, helping the Sod Poodles to a Texas League championship.

Goddard joined the Monarchs for the start of the 2024 season and remained in their rotation throughout the year. His final start at Legends Field was his best of the season; he tossed seven shutout innings while striking out nine in a 10-0 win over Fargo-Moorhead. 

Goddard is the eighth pitcher and 16th player overall on the Monarchs’ roster for 2025. See the full Monarchs roster here.

About the Kansas City Monarchs

The Kansas City Monarchs are a professional baseball team in the American Association, an MLB Partner League. 2025 will be their 22nd season at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas. In 2020, the team partnered with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and changed their name from the T-Bones to the Monarchs in honor of the legendary Negro League franchise that played from 1920 to 1965.