HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Aaron Allan Slegers (born September 4, 1992) is an American former professional
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...
. He played
college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played by Student athlete, student-athletes at institutions of higher education. In the United States, college baseball is sanctioned mainly by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); in Japan, ...
at
Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington, Indiana University, IU, IUB, or Indiana) is a public university, public research university in Bloomington, Indiana, United States. It is the flagship university, flagship campus of Indiana Univer ...
for the
Indiana Hoosiers The Indiana Hoosiers are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of Indiana University Bloomington, named after the demonym for people from the state of Indiana. The Hoosiers participate in NCAA Division I, Division I of the National Coll ...
and in
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
(MLB) for the
Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...
,
Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. They are one of two major ...
, and
Los Angeles Angels The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, ...
.


Career


Amateur career

Slegers attended Notre Dame Preparatory High School in
Scottsdale, Arizona Scottsdale is a city in eastern Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, and is part of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Named Scottsdale in 1894 after its founder Winfield Scott (chaplain), Winfield Scott, a retired Chaplain Corps (United States ...
. He pitched for the school's baseball team, spending most of his junior year on the
junior varsity team A varsity team is the highest-level team in a sport or activity representing an educational institution. Varsity teams train to compete against each other during an athletic season or in periodic matches against rival institutions. At high schools ...
. He underwent a growth spurt between his junior and senior years, increasing from to , and resulting arm pain as his bones grew faster than his
tendon A tendon or sinew is a tough band of fibrous connective tissue, dense fibrous connective tissue that connects skeletal muscle, muscle to bone. It sends the mechanical forces of muscle contraction to the skeletal system, while withstanding tensi ...
s, limiting him to only two
innings pitched In baseball, the statistic innings pitched (IP) is the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of Batter (baseball), batters and baserunners that have been put out while the pitcher is on the Baseball field#Pitcher's mou ...
in his senior year. Slegers enrolled at
Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington, Indiana University, IU, IUB, or Indiana) is a public university, public research university in Bloomington, Indiana, United States. It is the flagship university, flagship campus of Indiana Univer ...
, where he made the
Indiana Hoosiers baseball The Indiana Hoosiers baseball team is the varsity intercollegiate athletic team of Indiana University Bloomington, Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, United States. The team competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Divis ...
team as a
walk-on Walk On may refer to: Music Albums * ''Walk On'' (Boston album) or the title song, 1994 * ''Walk On'' (John Hiatt album) or the title song, 1995 * ''Walk On'' (Randy Johnston album) or the title song, 1992 *''Walk On'', by Kellie Coffey, 200 ...
. He threw one inning before he suffered a broken wrist when hit by a
line drive In the sports of baseball and softball, a batted ball is a pitch that has been contacted by the batter's bat. Batted balls are either fair or foul, and can be characterized as a fly ball, pop-up, line drive, or ground ball. In baseball, a fou ...
. The next year, he had a
stress fracture A stress fracture is a fatigue-induced bone fracture caused by repeated stress over time. Instead of resulting from a single severe impact, stress fractures are the result of accumulated injury from repeated submaximal loading, such as running ...
in his right
tibia The tibia (; : tibiae or tibias), also known as the shinbone or shankbone, is the larger, stronger, and anterior (frontal) of the two Leg bones, bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates (the other being the fibula, behind and to the outsi ...
. His injuries limited him to throwing total innings in his freshman and sophomore years. In 2013, his junior year, Slegers helped Indiana win the
Big Ten Conference The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference, among others) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Fa ...
's regular-season championship and the conference tournament, and Indiana appeared in the
2013 NCAA Division I baseball tournament The 2013 NCAA Division I baseball tournament began on Friday, May 31, 2013, as part of the 2013 NCAA Division I baseball season. The 64 team double elimination tournament concluded with the 2013 College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, which ...
. He was named the Big Ten Conference Baseball Pitcher of the Year after going 9–2 with a 2.04 ERA.


Minnesota Twins

The
Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...
selected Slegers in the fifth round of the
2013 Major League Baseball draft The 2013 Major League Baseball draft was held from June 6 through June 8, 2013. The first two rounds were broadcast from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey. Each team received one selection per round, going in reverse order of ...
. He signed with the Twins, receiving a $380,000
signing bonus A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee (including a professional sports person) by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive ...
. He made his professional debut that year with the
Elizabethton Twins The Elizabethton Twins were a Minor League Baseball team of the Appalachian League and a Rookie-level affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They were located in Elizabethton, Tennessee, and were named for their Major League Baseball, major league aff ...
of the
Rookie-level Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National L ...
Appalachian League The Appalachian League is a Collegiate summer baseball, collegiate summer baseball league that operates in the Appalachian regions of Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina. Designed for rising freshmen and sophomores using wooden ...
, compiling a 0.47 ERA in 19 innings pitched. He began the 2014 season with the
Cedar Rapids Kernels The Cedar Rapids Kernels are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and play their home games at Veterans Memorial Stadium (Cedar Rapids), Veter ...
of the Single–A
Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...
, and was promoted to the
Fort Myers Miracle The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Fort Myers, Florida, and play their home games at the Lee County Sports Complex at ...
of the High–A
Florida State League The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following ...
in July. In 23 total starts between both clubs, he pitched to a combined 9–8 record with a 4.53 ERA. He returned to Fort Myers in 2015, and after pitching to an 8–6 record and a 2.87 ERA in 19 starts, he was promoted to the
Chattanooga Lookouts The Chattanooga Lookouts are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team plays its home g ...
of the Double–A Southern League in August. In six starts for the Lookouts, he was 1–4 with a 4.91 ERA. He pitched for Chattanooga in 2016 and compiled a 10–7 record with a 3.41 ERA in 25 starts. The Twins invited him to
spring training Spring training, also called spring camp, is the preseason of the Summer Professional Baseball Leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB), and it is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spri ...
as a non-roster player in 2017. He began the season with the
Rochester Red Wings The Rochester Red Wings are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They are located in Rochester, New York, and play their home games at Innovative Fie ...
of the Triple–A
International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major ...
. On August 17, 2017, Slegers made his major league debut for the Twins. He was optioned back to Rochester the next day, and was recalled on September 4. In 24 starts for Rochester he was 15–4 with a 3.40 ERA, and in four games (three starts) for Minnesota, he was 0–1 with a 6.46 ERA. Slegers began 2018 with Rochester and was recalled by the Twins on April 26. Slegers was
designated for assignment Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must, within seven days, return the pla ...
on January 3, 2019.


Pittsburgh Pirates

On January 11, 2019, Slegers was claimed off waivers by the
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...
. Slegers was designated for assignment on March 28, after the contracts of
Melky Cabrera Melky Cabrera Astacio (born August 11, 1984), nicknamed "the Melkman", is a Dominican former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blu ...
,
Francisco Liriano Francisco Liriano Casillas (born October 26, 1983) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, ...
, and J. B. Shuck were selected.


Tampa Bay Rays

On March 30, 2019, Slegers was traded to the
Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. They are one of two major ...
in exchange for cash considerations. On May 16, Slegers was designated for assignment by the Rays without appearing in an MLB game for them. On August 21, the Rays selected his contract. On September 2, Slegers was designated for assignment. He elected free agency on October 1, but later re-signed with the Rays on a minor league deal in the offseason. On June 28, 2020, Tampa Bay named Slegers to the Port Charlotte team as part of their 60-man roster for the shortened 2020 season. On August 12, Slegers was selected to the active roster. In 2020, Slegers recorded a 3.46 ERA in 11 regular season appearances, and pitched to a strong 1.80 ERA in five innings across three playoff games.


Los Angeles Angels

On February 8, 2021, the Rays traded Slegers to the
Los Angeles Angels The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, ...
in exchange for a
player to be named later In Major League Baseball, a player to be named later (PTBNL) is an unnamed player involved in exchange or "trade" of players between teams. The terms of a trade are not finalized until a later date, most often following the conclusion of the seaso ...
. Slegers appeared in 29 games for the Angels, struggling to a 6.97 ERA with 25 strikeouts. On August 28, Slegers was sent outright to the Triple-A
Salt Lake Bees The Salt Lake Bees are a Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team that plays in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and are the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. Based in South Jordan, Utah, the team plays its home games at The Ballpark at Am ...
, however elected free agency the next day.


Tampa Bay Rays (second stint)

On August 31, 2021, Slegers signed a two-year minor league deal with the
Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. They are one of two major ...
. He made two appearances for the Triple–A
Durham Bulls The Durham Bulls are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. They are located in Durham, North Carolina, and play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which opened ...
to finish the year. In 2022, he made two scoreless appearances for the rookie–level
Florida Complex League Rays The Florida Complex League Rays are a minor league baseball team in Port Charlotte, Florida, competing as a Rookie-level team in the Florida Complex League as an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional ba ...
, missing the majority of the season due to injury. Slegers elected free agency following the season on November 10, 2022. On January 19, 2023, Slegers announced his retirement from baseball due to continuing shoulder injury problems.


Personal life

In his professional career Slegers was listed at and , making him one of the tallest players in MLB history. Slegers' father, Robert, is tall, while his mother, Christie, is . His older sister, Rebecca, played
volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...
at
Lehigh University Lehigh University (LU), in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States, is a private university, private research university. The university was established in 1865 by businessman Asa Packer. Lehigh University's undergraduate programs have been mixed ...
.


References


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Slegers, Aaron 1992 births Living people Baseball players from Scottsdale, Arizona Major League Baseball pitchers Minnesota Twins players Tampa Bay Rays players Los Angeles Angels players Indiana Hoosiers baseball players Elizabethton Twins players Cedar Rapids Kernels players Fort Myers Miracle players Chattanooga Lookouts players Rochester Red Wings players Florida Complex League Rays players Durham Bulls players Salt Lake Bees players