Post by Chris Hatfield on Jan 20, 2021 19:37:43 GMT -5
We may not ever talk about this guy again, but his journey to pitching in the big leagues is fascinating. Look at this timeline:
College - 4 schools in 4 years.
2012: Cal State Monteray Bay (D-II)
2013: College of San Mateo (JuCo)
2014: Tennessee
2015: Embry-Riddle (D-II)
Pro
Drafted in 2015, 28th round by Houston
2015 pitches a little in the Appy League and gets moved up shortly after to the NYPL.
2016 he's released coming out of camp, pitches in the independent Frontier League until signing with LAD in August to pitch in the Pioneer League. He's released at the end of the year.
2017 Goes to the independent Atlantic League.
2018 Starts the year in the Atlantic League, for a different team. Signs with the Mets in June and pitches in the Sally. Finishes the year and becomes a free agent. It was the first time he really is used as a starter and he strikes a bunch of guys out.
2019 signs with Seattle. He goes to AA and absolutely shoves. He started a few games to start but maybe they realized he might be MLB ready as a RP now, so they move him back to the bullpen. He gets called right up to Seattle in August. He's back-and-forth between there and AAA the rest of the way but pitches pretty well.
2020 Was mostly at the ATS apparently and was abysmal in 5 appearances. They outrighted him and he became a free agent.
That he even got to the majors with that path is absolutely bonkers. I need to research more about this, because certainly he's been written about. Dude's been released twice and he's never been in an organization for longer than 2 years.
Here's a little bit more on him: www.smdailyjournal.com/sports/local/bgame-grad-zac-grotz-gets-big-league-call-up/article_37c72f3a-b74f-11e9-838c-33458e314f0b.html
College - 4 schools in 4 years.
2012: Cal State Monteray Bay (D-II)
2013: College of San Mateo (JuCo)
2014: Tennessee
2015: Embry-Riddle (D-II)
Pro
Drafted in 2015, 28th round by Houston
2015 pitches a little in the Appy League and gets moved up shortly after to the NYPL.
2016 he's released coming out of camp, pitches in the independent Frontier League until signing with LAD in August to pitch in the Pioneer League. He's released at the end of the year.
2017 Goes to the independent Atlantic League.
2018 Starts the year in the Atlantic League, for a different team. Signs with the Mets in June and pitches in the Sally. Finishes the year and becomes a free agent. It was the first time he really is used as a starter and he strikes a bunch of guys out.
2019 signs with Seattle. He goes to AA and absolutely shoves. He started a few games to start but maybe they realized he might be MLB ready as a RP now, so they move him back to the bullpen. He gets called right up to Seattle in August. He's back-and-forth between there and AAA the rest of the way but pitches pretty well.
2020 Was mostly at the ATS apparently and was abysmal in 5 appearances. They outrighted him and he became a free agent.
That he even got to the majors with that path is absolutely bonkers. I need to research more about this, because certainly he's been written about. Dude's been released twice and he's never been in an organization for longer than 2 years.
Here's a little bit more on him: www.smdailyjournal.com/sports/local/bgame-grad-zac-grotz-gets-big-league-call-up/article_37c72f3a-b74f-11e9-838c-33458e314f0b.html
