Andrew William Albers (born October 6, 1985) is a Canadian 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 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

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...

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 ...

, and

Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...

, as well as in the

KBO League The KBO League () is a professional baseball league in South Korea. The league comprises ten teams. The KBO League was founded with six franchises in 1982 and is the most popular sports league in South Korea. The Kia Tigers are the most success ...

for the

Hanwha Eagles The Hanwha Eagles () are a South Korean professional baseball team based in Daejeon that competes in the KBO League. The Eagles' home ballpark is Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark. They have won the Korean Series once, in 1999, and the league penn ...

and in

Nippon Professional Baseball is a professional baseball league and the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning simply ''Professional Baseball''; outside of Japan, NPB is often referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league ...

(NPB) for the

Orix Buffaloes The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team formed as a result of the 2004 Nippon Professional Baseball realignment by the merger of the Orix BlueWave of Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes of Osaka, Osaka Prefecture ...

. Prior to beginning his professional career, 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 the

University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky, United States. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical ...

. Albers has also competed for the

Canadian national baseball team The Canada national baseball team represents Canada in international baseball. They are overseen by Baseball Canada, the governing body of baseball in Canada. Canada was an inaugural member of the World Baseball Classic, making its debut in t ...

Professional career

Albers went to high school at

John Paul II Collegiate John Paul II Collegiate is a high school serving grades 8 to 12, located in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. It is one of three high schools in the city. It is part of the Light of Christ Roman Catholic School Division. John Paul II Collegiate was ...

. He was selected by the

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...

in the 12th round (346th overall) of the 2004 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign. Albers enrolled at the

, where he played

for the

Kentucky Wildcats baseball The Kentucky Wildcats baseball team represents the University of Kentucky in NCAA Division I college baseball and competes in the of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The current head coach of the Wildcats is Nick Mingione. History The baseba ...

team in the

Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central United States, South Central and Southeastern United States. Its 16 members in ...

of the

NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest division of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athlet ...

. At Kentucky, Albers pitched in 81

games A game is a Structure, structured type of play (activity), play usually undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an Educational game, educational tool. Many games are also considered to be Work (human activity), work (such as p ...

(fifth most in Wildcats history), recording 20 wins (fourth most in Wildcats history), and 12 saves (third most in Wildcats history).

San Diego Padres

The

San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. ...

selected Albers in the 10th round (315th overall) of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft. After signing with the Padres, Albers made his professional debut with the

Arizona League Padres The Arizona Complex League Padres or ACL Padres are a Minor League Baseball team based in Peoria, Arizona. The Padres compete in the Arizona Complex League as a rookie-level affiliate of the San Diego Padres. The team plays its home games at Peor ...

of the Rookie-level

Arizona League The Arizona Complex League (ACL) is a rookie-level Minor League Baseball league that operates in and around Phoenix, Arizona, since 1988. Prior to 2021, it was known as the Arizona League (AZL). Along with the Florida Complex League (FCL), it fo ...

, making five appearances. Albers missed the 2009 season after tearing an

ulnar collateral ligament Ulnar collateral ligament (or UCL) may refer to: * Ulnar carpal collateral ligament * Ulnar collateral ligament of elbow joint The ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) or internal lateral ligament is a thick triangular ligament at the medial aspec ...

in his pitching elbow during

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 ...

, which required

Tommy John surgery Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, sometimes referred to as Tommy John surgery is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's body, ...

Quebec Capitales

The Padres released Albers, and he pitched for the

Québec Capitales The Québec Capitales ( French: Capitales de Québec and often referred to as the Caps) are a professional baseball team based in Quebec City. The Capitales compete in the Frontier League (FL) as a member of the North Division in the Atlantic Confe ...

of the

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

Can-Am Association in 2010. With Québec, Albers had a 3–0

win–loss record Win–loss may refer to: * Win–loss analytics, analysis of the reasons why a visitor to a website was or wasn't persuaded to engage in a desired action * Win–loss record, also winning percentage * Win–loss record (pitching), the number of ...

, 17 saves and a 1.40

earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...

(ERA).

Minnesota Twins

Albers tried out for teams in

Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...

during spring training in 2011, and drove to

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

to try out for the

. The Twins signed Albers to a minor league contract, and he pitched for 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 Class-A Advanced

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 ...

and

New Britain Rock Cats The New Britain Rock Cats were a minor league baseball team that competed in the Eastern League (1938–2020), Eastern League. They were the Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox for 12 years, the Minnesota Twins for 20 years and the Colorado ...

of the Double-A Eastern League in 2011. Albers played for the

. In 2011, he participated in the

2011 Baseball World Cup The 2011 Baseball World Cup (BWC) was the 39th international Men's amateur baseball tournament. The tournament was sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation, which titled it the Amateur World Series from the 1938 tournament through the ...

, winning the bronze medal, and the

Pan American Games The Pan American Games, known as the Pan Am Games, is a continental multi-sport event in the Americas. It features thousands of athletes participating in competitions to win different summer sports. It is held among athletes from nations of th ...

, winning the gold medal. Albers pitched innings in the gold medal game. Along with his teammates, Albers was inducted into the

Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum () is a museum located in St. Marys, Ontario, Canada. The museum commemorates the great players, teams, and events from Canadian baseball history. History The museum was founded in November 1982 in ...

in 2012. Albers was also named

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...

's male athlete of the year.Albers, Christ, Holland take home honours
Albers was called up by the Twins on August 3, 2013, to replace fellow Canadian Scott Diamond, who was optioned to Triple-A. At the time of his call-up, Albers had posted a record of 11–5 and a 2.86 ERA 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 ...

, with an

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 ...

-leading 116 strikeouts. On August 6, 2013, Albers made his MLB debut and earned the win, pitching 8 scoreless innings against the

Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...

and yielding just 4 hits and 1 walk while striking out 2. In his second career start on August 12, Albers threw his first

complete game In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...

and

shutout In team sports, a shutout (North American English, US) or clean sheet (Commonwealth English, UK) is a game in which the losing team fails to score. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketba ...

, defeating the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...

3–0. Albers gave up 2 hits, no walks, and struck out 2 batters. In 2013, Albers posted a 6–13 record with a 5.89 ERA.

Hanwha Eagles

On January 30, 2014, the Twins released Albers, allowing him to sign with the

of the

Korea Baseball Organization The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO; ) is the Sport governing body, governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. The KBO was founded in 1981 and has governed two leagues: the KBO League () and KBO Futures League ( (F ...

. On April 2, 2014, Albers made his KBO debut. The Eagles declined Albers' option for 2015, making him a free agent.

Toronto Blue Jays

On December 16, 2014, Albers signed a minor-league contract with the

that included an invitation to spring training. He did not make the team, and was assigned to the

Buffalo Bisons The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen Fiel ...

, their Triple-A affiliate. In 2015, Albers was the Opening Day starter for Buffalo. Albers had his contract purchased by the Blue Jays on May 1, after Daniel Norris was optioned to Buffalo and

Maicer Izturis Maicer Eduardo Izturis (; born September 12, 1980) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball infielder. During his career he played for the Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB ...

was moved to the 60-day disabled list. After pitching in one game, he was optioned back to Buffalo on May 2. Albers elected free agency on November 6.

Lancaster Barnstormers

On March 3, 2016, Albers signed with the

Lancaster Barnstormers The Lancaster Stormers (formerly known as the Lancaster Barnstormers) is an American professional baseball team based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It is a member of the North Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a "partner l ...

of the

Atlantic League of Professional Baseball The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States, and the headquarters are l ...

Minnesota Twins (second stint)

On April 27, 2016, Albers signed a minor league deal with the Minnesota Twins. On August 11, Albers was brought up to the Twins from the Triple-A

. Pitching against the Houston Astros the same day, he made the longest relief appearance of any major league reliever in 2016 by both number of innings pitched (6) and pitches thrown (108). He was optioned back on August 14, and recalled on August 26. He was assigned outright to Rochester on October 17. He elected free agency on October 18.

Atlanta Braves

In December 2016, Albers signed a minor league contract with the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...

. He went 12–3 with a 2.61 ERA and 115 strikeouts for the Triple-A

Gwinnett Braves The Gwinnett Stripers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. They play their home games at Coolray Field in unincorporated Gwinnett County, Georgia (with a Lawrencevi ...

of the International League.

Seattle Mariners

On August 11, 2017, Albers was traded to the

in exchange for cash considerations. After pitching well in several starts, he was moved to the bullpen to allow pitchers who had recovered from their injuries rejoin the starting rotation. He logged his first career save on September 25, 2017. On December 18, 2017, the Mariners released Albers to pursue an opportunity in Japan.

Orix Buffaloes

On December 21, 2017, he signed a one-year, $900,000 contract with the

of the

(NPB). On April 4, 2018, Albers made his NPB debut. He was selected for the . On December 20, 2019, Albers signed a 1-year extension to remain with the Buffaloes. On December 2, 2020, he became a free agent.

Minnesota Twins (third stint)

On February 8, 2021, Albers signed a minor league contract with the

, that also included an invitation to Spring Training, marking his third stint with the organization. After posting a 3.86 ERA with 78 strikeouts through 16 appearances with the Triple-A

St. Paul Saints The St. Paul Saints are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and have played their home games at CHS Field since 2015. They previ ...

, the Twins selected Albers' contract on August 19. That night, Albers made his first Major League appearance in four years in a game against the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

. Albers made 5 appearances for the Twins, going 1–2 with a 7.58 ERA and 12 strikeouts. Albers was outrighted off of the 40-man roster on October 8. On October 14, Albers elected free agency.

Seattle Mariners (second stint)

On March 21, 2022, Albers signed a minor league contract with the

. He elected free agency on October 14.

International career

Albers participated in the

2023 World Baseball Classic The 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was an international professional baseball tournament and the fifth iteration of the World Baseball Classic. It began on March 8, 2023, and ran until March 21. It was originally scheduled to take place in ...

Coaching career

On September 15, 2023, Albers was hired to serve as the pitching coach for the

Saskatoon Berries ''Amelanchier alnifolia'', the saskatoon berry, Pacific serviceberry, western serviceberry, western shadbush, or western juneberry, is a shrub native to North America. It is a member of the rose family, and bears an edible berry-like fruit. De ...

of the

Western Canadian Baseball League The Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) is a collegiate summer baseball league. The league is home to teams based in the Canadian Prairie provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta, and has roots dating back to 1931 in Saskatchewan's Southern Bas ...

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Albers, Andrew 1985 births Living people Arizona League Padres players Baseball players at the 2011 Pan American Games Baseball players at the 2015 Pan American Games Baseball people from Saskatchewan Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Bravos de Margarita players Canadian expatriate baseball players in Venezuela Canadian expatriate baseball players in Japan Canadian expatriate baseball players in South Korea Canadian expatriate baseball players in the United States Fort Myers Miracle players Gulf Coast Twins players Gwinnett Braves players Hanwha Eagles players KBO League pitchers Kentucky Wildcats baseball players Lancaster Barnstormers players Major League Baseball players from Canada 21st-century Canadian sportsmen Major League Baseball pitchers Medalists at the 2015 Pan American Games Medalists at the 2011 Pan American Games Minnesota Twins players New Britain Rock Cats players Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers Orix Buffaloes players Pan American Games gold medalists for Canada Pan American Games gold medalists in baseball Québec Capitales players Rochester Red Wings players Seattle Mariners players Sportspeople from North Battleford St. Paul Saints players Toronto Blue Jays players World Baseball Classic players of Canada 2013 World Baseball Classic players 2015 WBSC Premier12 players 2017 World Baseball Classic players 2023 World Baseball Classic players