Baumgartner promoted to Bundesliga squad

"Baumi is a highly talented player who already spent some time with the senior squad during pre-season. Given his injuries, the existing squad structure and the congested fixture list, we made the decision at that time to develop him in a careful and calm way in the U23 squad overseen by coach Marco Wildersinn," said TSG Hoffenheim sporting director Alexander Rosen. Now, though, "the time has come to take the next step," added Rosen, who once again explicitly emphasised the significance of the U23 squad in TSG's developmental philosophy. This step demonstrates "clearly that we're continuing to pursue the path of integrating talented youngsters from our own academy into the senior squad".

Baumgartner joined the TSG Hoffenheim youth setup in the summer of 2017 from the youth academy of Austrian outfit SKN St. Pölten. The midfielder impressed in his first season with the U19 squad, finding the net on nine occasions and racking up 15 assists. He was then promoted to the U23s, where he made 10 appearances and scored two goals in the Regionalliga Südwest. Baumgartner, who in January 2018 signed a professional contract keeping him in Hoffenheim until 2021, has played for the Austrian national team at every youth level and was one of the youngest players in the squad as his homeland qualified for the U21 European Championships, which will take place in the summer of 2019.