Bobby Wahl

Robert Martin Wahl (born March 21, 1992) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has also played in MLB for the Oakland Athletics and New York Mets.

For the American football player, see Robert Wahl.

Bobby Wahl
Wahl with the Oakland Athletics
Milwaukee Brewers – No. 31
Pitcher
Born: (1992-03-21) March 21, 1992
Springfield, Virginia
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 3, 2017, for the Oakland Athletics
MLB statistics
(through July 28, 2020)
Win–loss record0–2
Earned run average7.63
Strikeouts16
Teams

Wahl played college baseball for the Ole Miss Rebels. The Athletics selected him in the 2013 MLB draft, and he made his MLB debut for the Oakland Athletics in 2017, and was traded to the Mets in 2018. The Mets traded him to the Brewers before the 2019 season.

Amateur career

Wahl attended West Springfield High School in Springfield, Virginia, where he played football, basketball, and baseball. When he enrolled at West Springfield, he began training with Brian Snyder, a former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. As a senior, he pitched his high school's baseball team into the state championship game, finishing his high school career with a 28–1 win–loss record and 284 strikeouts.[1][2] He was named the Virginia Class AAA Northern Region Player of the Year.[3] The Cleveland Indians selected Wahl in the 39th round of the 2010 MLB Draft, but he did not sign.[1]

Wahl enrolled at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), where he played college baseball for the Ole Miss Rebels baseball team. Wahl suffered elbow tendinitis during his freshman season. Though he began his career as a starting pitcher, he returned from injury as a relief pitcher, and finished the season as the Rebels' closer. After his 2011 freshman year at Ole Miss, Wahl played collegiate summer baseball in the Cape Cod Baseball League as a closer, where he was named an All-Star.[4] After his sophomore year, he joined the United States national collegiate baseball team, recording two saves in a five-game series against the Cuban national baseball team.[1]

In his junior year, Wahl shared the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Week Award on April 22, 2013, with Aaron Nola of the Louisiana State Tigers after recording his first career shutout in a game against the Tennessee Volunteers.[5] Wahl finished the season with a 10–0 record and a 2.03 earned run average.[6][7] He was named a second-team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association,[8] and was projected to be a first-round pick in the upcoming MLB draft by Baseball America and MLB.com.[1]

Professional career

Oakland Athletics

The Oakland Athletics selected Wahl in the fifth round of the 2013 MLB Draft, with the 161st overall selection.[9] Wahl signed with the Athletics for a $500,000 signing bonus, almost double the recommended bonus for the draft position.[6] In 2014, Wahl began the year with the Beloit Snappers of the Class A Midwest League, and was their Opening Day starting pitcher. Later in the season, the Snappers shifted Wahl to the bullpen.[10] The Athletics promoted Wahl to the Stockton Ports of the Class A-Advanced California League later in the season,[11] and assigned him to the Midland RockHounds of the Double-A Texas League in 2015.[12]

Wahl began the 2016 season with Stockton, and received promotions to Midland and the Nashville Sounds of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. He led all Athletics' minor leaguers with 14 saves. After the 2016 season, the Athletics added him to their 40-man roster.[13] He began the 2017 season with Nashville, earning three saves and posting a 1.93 ERA with 14 strikeouts in ​9 1⁄3 innings pitched. On May 3, the Athletics promoted Wahl to the major leagues.[14] He made his major league debut that night, pitching in relief against the Minnesota Twins.[15] He pitched ​7 2⁄3 innings for Oakland before suffering a shoulder injury. He had surgery in August to correct thoracic outlet syndrome.[16] The Athletics sent him outright to Triple-A after the season.[17]

New York Mets

On July 21, 2018, the Athletics traded Wahl and Will Toffey to the New York Mets in exchange for Jeurys Familia.[18] The Mets promoted Wahl to the major leagues on August 2.[19] Wahl went on the disabled list on August 17 due to a strained hamstring.[20] He pitched in seven games for the Mets, recording a 10.13 ERA in ​5 1⁄3 innings.[21]

Milwaukee Brewers

On January 5, 2019, the Mets traded Wahl, Adam Hill, and Felix Valerio to the Milwaukee Brewers for Keon Broxton.[22] During spring training in 2019, Wahl tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, ending his season.[23] Wahl returned to game action following the 2019 season, playing for the Glendale Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League.[24]

References
  1. Friedell, Dan (May 29, 2013). "Bobby Wahl braces for MLB Draft". Fairfax Times. Archived from the original on March 3, 2014. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  2. Williams, Preston (June 7, 2010). "West Springfield's Bobby Wahl owes his love of baseball to his grandfather". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  3. Williams, Preston (June 5, 2013). "West Springfield grad Bobby Wahl tops local draft class". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  4. "#44 Bobby Wahl - Profile". pointstreak.com. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  5. "Mississippi State's Nick Ammirati, Ole Miss' Bobby Wahl honored by SEC". gulflive.com. April 22, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  6. Kellenberger, Hugh (June 20, 2013). "Wahl signs with Oakland, ending Ole Miss career". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  7. Parrish Alford (June 2, 2013). "Rebels stay alive: Bobby Wahl shuts down Bearcats to earn his 10th victory". Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  8. Kellenberger, Hugh (June 12, 2013). "Turner, Wahl named All-Americans". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  9. Kellenberger, Hugh (June 7, 2013). "Bobby Wahl finally goes, leaves door just slightly open for return". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  10. "2nd half fresh start for Beloit". Beloit Daily News. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  11. "Offense comes up big once again". The Record. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  12. "ROCKHOUNDS: 2015 roster is released". Midland Reporter-Telegram. April 7, 2015. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
  13. John Hickey (November 18, 2016). "A's promote five minor leagues to Oakland's 40-man roster". The Mercury News. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
  14. Todd, Jeff (May 3, 2017). "Athletics Place Sean Doolittle On 10-Day DL, Designate Cesar Valdez". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  15. Lockard, Melissa (May 10, 2017). "The future is now for the Oakland A's and Bobby Wahl". OaklandHardball.com. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  16. Lee, Jane (May 24, 2018). "A's Bobby Wahl remaining positive". MLB.com. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  17. Todd, Jeff (November 20, 2017). "Athletics Acquire Ramon Laureano, Outright Bobby Wahl". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  18. Lee, Jane (May 24, 2018). "A's land Jeurys Familia from Mets". MLB.com. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  19. Sears, Ethan (August 2, 2018). "Mets will call up Bobby Wahl, who they acquired in Jeurys Familia trade". New York Post. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  20. Anthony DicComo (August 17, 2018). "Zamora called, makes MLB debut; Wahl to DL". MLB.com. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
  21. Mark W. Sanchez (March 3, 2019). "Pitcher Mets just traded away tears his ACL". New York Post. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
  22. Associated Press (January 6, 2019). "Brewers trade Keon Broxton to Mets for relief pitcher and two prospects". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  23. Ashley Varela (March 3, 2019). "Bobby Wahl likely to miss 2019 season with torn ACL". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
  24. RotoWire staff (October 8, 2019). "Brewers' Bobby Wahl: Added to AFL roster". CBSSports.com. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
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