Gerard Joseph Vasto (born February 12, 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 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

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

and

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 ...

Early career

A native of

Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey Atlantic Highlands is a borough in Monmouth County in the U.S. state of New Jersey, in the Bayshore Region. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 4,414, an increase of 29 (+0.7%) from the 2010 census count of 4,38 ...

, Vasto attended

Henry Hudson Regional High School Henry Hudson Regional High School is a comprehensive regional public high school and school district for students in 7th through 12th grade from both Atlantic Highlands and Highlands in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

where he played baseball. After graduating, Vasto played collegiate baseball at

Felician University Felician University is a private Catholic university with two campuses in the U.S. state of New Jersey, one in Lodi and one in Rutherford. In 2016–17 enrollment was 1,996, with undergraduates comprising around 1,626 students; 21 percent ...

, the only college to offer him a scholarship.

Career

Colorado Rockies

Vasto was selected by the

in the 24th round of the

2014 Major League Baseball draft The 2014 Major League Baseball draft was held from June 5 through June 7, 2014, to assign amateur baseball players to MLB teams. The first two rounds were conducted on June 5, followed by rounds three through ten on June 6, and the last 30 round ...

, and he signed. He made his professional debut that same year with the

Tri-City Dust Devils The Tri-City Dust Devils are a Minor League Baseball team based in Pasco, Washington. The Dust Devils are members of the Northwest League The Northwest League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Northwestern United States ...

, pitching one scoreless inning and compiling one strikeout. In 2015, he made 46 relief appearances for the

Asheville Tourists The Asheville Tourists are a Minor League Baseball team of the South Atlantic League and the High-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. It is located in Asheville, North Carolina. Asheville teams have played under the Tourists moniker in different ...

where he was 2-4 with a 2.93 earned run average, and held opponents to a .199 average. This season also helped him earn his first Minor League All Star Appearance. In 2016, he was called up to play with the

Modesto Nuts The Modesto Nuts are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They are located in Modesto, California, and are named for the several types of nuts grown in the Central Valley. They ...

and

Hartford Yard Goats The Hartford Yard Goats are a Minor League Baseball team based in Hartford, Connecticut. The Yard Goats, which play in the Eastern League, are the Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. The team was founded in 2016 when the New Britain Ro ...

. In 56 relief appearance, Jerry compiled a combined 4-4 record with 70 strikeouts and a 2.26 earned run average and earned his second Minor League All Star appearance. Jerry was invited to participate in the

Arizona Fall League The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an off-season baseball league owned and operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) which operates during autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes. Arizona Fall League rosters are filled ...

for the 2016 season, where he struggled and had an earned run average of 8.31 in 8 2/3 innings pitched. Vasto was called up and spent 2017 with the

Albuquerque Isotopes The Albuquerque Isotopes are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. They play home games at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at an ...

, where at one point in the season he had major success and ranked #30 in the Rockies top prospects list. However, due to injuries and major second half struggles, his stats declined and he pitched to a 3-3 record, a 6.88 earned run average, and a 1.68 walks plus hits divided by innings pitched in 53.2 relief innings. He began 2018 with the

, where he improved tremendously and compiled a 3.16 earned run average with 44 strikeouts in 37 relief appearances.

Major league career

Vasto was called up to the majors for the first time on June 10, 2018, and he made his major league debut that same day against the

Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West Division. The franchise was established ...

. Jerry recorded his first major league strikeout against the

outfielder

Jon Jay Jonathan Henry Jay (born March 15, 1985) is an American professional baseball coach and former outfielder who is an assistant coach for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for the St. Louis Cardinals, San Di ...

, but overall struggled in his debut as he allowed 3 hits, 3 earned runs, and a walk in only 2/3 innings pitched. He was optioned back to Albuquerque on June 14.

Kansas City Royals

On August 31, 2018, Vasto was traded to the

in exchange for catcher

Drew Butera Andrew Edward Butera (; born August 9, 1983) is an American former professional baseball catcher who is currently on the coaching staff of the Chicago White Sox. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Dodger ...

. Jerry made one appearance with the

Omaha Storm Chasers The Omaha Storm Chasers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. They are located in Papillion, Nebraska, a suburb southwest of Omaha, Nebraska, Omah ...

before getting called up on September 4. He made his debut that same night and recorded his first Royals strikeout against

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 ...

outfielder

Brandon Guyer Brandon Eric Guyer (born January 28, 1986) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and mental strength coach for the Los Angeles Angels and the University of Virginia Cavilers Baseball team. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) ...

. Jerry finished his 2018 Royals season with three

strikeouts In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It means the batter is out, unless the third strike is not caught by the catcher and the batter reaches first base safe ...

and a 2.45

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 ...

in 3 2/3 innings pitched. Vasto finished his first major league season with four strikeouts and an 8.31 earned run average in 4 1/3 innings pitched.

Chicago Cubs

On October 31, 2018, Vasto was claimed off waivers by the

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...

. On November 20, Vasto removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to the Triple-A

Iowa Cubs The Iowa Cubs are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. They are located in Des Moines, Iowa, and are named for their Major League Baseball (MLB) affiliate. T ...

. Vasto missed the entire 2019 season due to an injury, and did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. He became a free agent on November 2, 2020. On November 16, 2020, Vasto re-signed with the Cubs on a minor league contract. On March 29, 2021, Vasto was released by the Cubs.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vasto, Jerry 1992 births Living people Henry Hudson Regional High School alumni People from Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey Baseball players from Monmouth County, New Jersey Major League Baseball pitchers Colorado Rockies players Kansas City Royals players Tri-City Dust Devils players Asheville Tourists players Modesto Nuts players Hartford Yard Goats players Salt River Rafters players Albuquerque Isotopes players 21st-century American sportsmen Omaha Storm Chasers players