Kyle Nelson (baseball)

Kyle B. Nelson (born July 8, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Cleveland Indians.

Kyle Nelson
Nelson with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in 2017
Arizona Diamondbacks – No. 24
Pitcher
Born: (1996-07-08) July 8, 1996 (age 27)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
MLB debut
September 10, 2020, for the Cleveland Indians
MLB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Win–loss record9–5
Earned run average4.27
Strikeouts105
Teams

Amateur career edit

Nelson attended Galileo Academy of Science and Technology and Herbert Hoover Middle School in San Francisco, California, where he played football and baseball.[1][2][3] He went undrafted in the 2014 Major League Baseball draft out of high school, and enrolled at the University of California, Santa Barbara where he played college baseball for the Santa Barbara Gauchos.

In 2015, Nelson's freshman year at UC Santa Barbara, he pitched to a 3–1 record and a 0.75 ERA, striking out 32 batters over 36 relief innings pitched, earning Freshman All-American honors.[4] He played in the Northwoods League after the season.[5] As a sophomore in 2016, he appeared in 33 games, going 7–2 with a 2.18 ERA, striking out 87 batters in 74 innings.[6] He was named to the All-Big West First Team.[7] In 2017, his junior season, he moved to the starting rotation. For the year, he made 15 starts, pitching to a 6–4 record and a 4.53 ERA over 87 innings.[8]

Professional career edit

Cleveland Indians edit

Nelson was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 15th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.[9]

After signing with Cleveland, Nelson made his professional debut with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers where he went 3–2 with a 2.48 ERA over 29 innings pitched in relief.[6] In 2018, he began the season with the Lake County Captains where he was named a Midwest League All-Star before being promoted to the Lynchburg Hillcats in August.[10] Over 45+23 innings pitched between the two clubs, he compiled a 6–1 record and a 1.58 ERA, striking out 67 and walking nine. Nelson began 2019 with Lynchburg before being promoted to the Akron RubberDucks in May where he earned Eastern League All-Star honors.[11] In August, he was promoted to the Columbus Clippers, with whom he finished the year. Over 42 games with the three teams, he went 4–4 with a 2.28 ERA and 69 strikeouts over 47+13 innings.

The Indians selected Nelson's contract on September 9, 2020.[12] He made his major league debut the next day against the Kansas City Royals, giving up four earned runs over 23 of an inning; this was his only appearance for Cleveland for the 2020 season.[13] In 2021, Nelson pitched 9+23 innings in relief for the Indians, giving up ten runs, striking out eight, and walking eight.[14] While not with Cleveland, he pitched for the Clippers (now members of the Triple-A East) with whom he went 0–1 with a 6.66 ERA, twenty walks, and thirty strikeouts over 25+23 innings.[15]

Nelson was designated for assignment by the newly named Cleveland Guardians on November 19, 2021.[16]

Arizona Diamondbacks edit

Nelson was claimed off waivers by the Arizona Diamondbacks on November 24, 2021.[17] He was assigned to the Triple-A Reno Aces to begin the 2022 season, and was recalled on April 10, 2022.[18] Nelson made a career-high 43 appearances, posting a 2–1 record and 2.19 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 37.0 innings pitched.

Nelson was initially optioned to Triple-A Reno to begin the 2023 season.[19] However, after Joe Mantiply suffered an injury, he was placed in the Opening Day bullpen.[20]

References edit

  1. ^ "Galileo rides QB Nelson to AAA championship". November 28, 2013.
  2. ^ "Balboa holds off Galileo in AAA baseball". April 11, 2014.
  3. ^ "Historic QB season by Kyle Nelson leads Galileo into Turkey Day Game - MaxPreps". November 28, 2013.
  4. ^ "UCSB's Nelson named Freshman All-American". June 9, 2015.
  5. ^ "Loggers Escape Game 1 with Win Despite 7 Strong from Kyle Nelson". June 29, 2015.
  6. ^ a b "Highlighting Kyle Nelson's Impressive Professional Debut". Cleveland Indians.
  7. ^ "Big West Announces Baseball Honors". bigwest.org.
  8. ^ "Cleveland Indians Day 3 draft tracker: See who the team selects in the 2017 MLB Draft". June 14, 2017.
  9. ^ "Eight Gauchos Selected in MLB Draft". June 14, 2017.
  10. ^ "Three Captains named to MWL All-Star Game".
  11. ^ "Five RubberDucks named Eastern League All-Stars".
  12. ^ Castrovince, Anthony (September 9, 2020). "Indians option Cimber, call up Kyle Nelson". Indians.com.
  13. ^ "Indians' Kyle Nelson: Sent to alternate training site".
  14. ^ "Indians' Kyle Nelson: Inconsistent through 10 appearances".
  15. ^ "Columbus Clippers 2021 season in review". October 5, 2021.
  16. ^ "Guardians Announce Series Of 40-man Roster Moves". CleGuardians.com. November 19, 2021.
  17. ^ "Guardians outright three to Columbus, LHPS Scott Moss and Kyle Nelson claimed on waivers". November 24, 2021.
  18. ^ "Kyle Nelson, Arizona Diamondbacks, RP - News, Stats, Bio". CBSSports.com. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  19. ^ "Diamondbacks' Kyle Nelson: Optioned to Reno". cbssports.com. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  20. ^ "Diamondbacks' Kyle Nelson: Will be in Arizona bullpen". cbssports.com. Retrieved March 30, 2023.

External links edit