John Vincent Koronka (born July 3, 1980) 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, ...

, who 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

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 ...

, Texas Rangers, and

Florida Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. The team plays its home games at LoanDepot Park. The ...

. He also played 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 ...

Playing career

Cincinnati Reds

Koronka was selected by the

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

in the 12th round of the 1998 MLB Draft. While playing in the Reds farm system with the

Stockton Ports The Stockton Ports are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Athletics. They are located in Stockton, California, and are named for the city's seaport. The team plays its home games at Banner I ...

in 2002, he was named to the

California League The California League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in California. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following Major Leagu ...

All-Star team. On December 16, 2002, he was selected by the Texas Rangers in the

Rule 5 Draft The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball (MLB) player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor lea ...

but did not make the Rangers opening day roster and was returned to the Reds on March 21, 2003.

Chicago Cubs

Koronka was traded by the Reds to the

on August 26, 2003, for

Phil Norton Phillip Douglas Norton (born February 1, 1976) is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played in the major leagues from - for the Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds. He played in the independent Atlantic League from to . On August 8, ...

. He made his major league debut for the Cubs on June 1, against the

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...

and gave up 3 runs over 5 innings, walked 3, and

struck out 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 safel ...

5 for the

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Texas Rangers

On March 31, 2006, Koronka was traded to the Texas Rangers for Freddie Bynum, whom the Rangers had just acquired from the

Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...

. Koronka started 23 games for the Rangers in 2006, going 7–7 with a 5.69 ERA. He was expected to compete for a spot on the rotation in , but failed to make the Rangers' big league roster. He was optioned to the Triple-A

Oklahoma RedHawks Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...

prior to the start of the 2007 season. Koronka made two starts in 2007 for the Rangers going 0–2 with a 7.84 ERA.

Cleveland Indians

He was designated for assignment on July 1, 2007, and subsequently claimed off outright waivers on July 9, 2007, by 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 ...

. He was assigned to their Triple-A team, 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 ...

. With the Bisons, he made 9 starts and went 3–3 with a 3.54 ERA. On September 1, 2007, he 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 ...

and outrighted to the minor leagues on September 12. Koronka opted for minor league

free agency In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...

on November 3, 2007.

Colorado Rockies/Orix Buffaloes

On December 21, 2007, 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 ...

signed Koronka to a minor league contract with an invitation 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 ...

. He was 5–3 in 13 appearances (12 starts) for the

Colorado Springs Sky Sox The Colorado Springs Sky Sox were a Minor League Baseball team in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team played in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and was the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers (2015–2018), Colorado R ...

. On June 23, , the Rockies released Koronka so he could sign with a Japanese team, the

. He started 3 games for the Buffaloes, finishing 0–1 with a 6.75 E.R.A..

Florida Marlins

On January 13, , Koronka signed a minor league deal with the

. He started two games for the Marlins (0-2, 11.75 E.R.A.) and spent most of the season with the

New Orleans Zephyrs New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz (South Korean band), The Boyz * New (album), ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** New (Paul McCartney song), "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * New (EP), ''New'' (EP), ...

. He was granted free agency on October 8, .

Los Angeles Dodgers

On January 28, 2010, Koronka signed a minor league contract with the

with an invite to spring training. He began 2010 with 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 ...

in the Double-A Southern League. After seven starts with the Lookouts he was promoted to the AAA

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 ...

. He made one start with the Isotopes, allowing eight runs in 1 innings. He was released on June 2.

Lancaster Barnstormers

On July 26, 2010, Koronka signed a contract 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 ...

. He was released on August 3, 2010. In 2 games 2.1 innings of relief he went 0-0 with a horrible 19.29 ERA and 3 strikeouts.

Southern Maryland Blue Crabs

On August 7, 2010, Koronka signed with the

Southern Maryland Blue Crabs The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs are an American professional baseball team based in Waldorf, Maryland. They are members of the South Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an independent "partner league" of Major League Base ...

of the

. He became a free agent following the season. In 6 games (5 starts) throwing 15.1 innings he went 0-4 with a horrific 11.74 ERA and 14 strikeouts.

Lancaster Barnstormers (second stint)

On March 8, 2011, Koronka signed with the

of the

.Transactions
He appeared in 2 games (1 start) throwing 1 inning going 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 0 strikeouts. He was released on April 17.

Post-playing career

Koronka worked for the Chicago Cubs as a regional scout in charge of Florida from 2011 to 2020. In March 2021, Koronka was hired as an assistant coach for the

Embry–Riddle Eagles The Embry–Riddle Eagles are the athletic teams that represent Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, located in Daytona Beach, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the NCAA Division II ranks, primarily competing in the Sunshine State Conf ...

baseball program.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Koronka, John 1980 births Living people Major League Baseball pitchers Chicago Cubs players Texas Rangers players Florida Marlins players Billings Mustangs players Gulf Coast Reds players Clinton LumberKings players Dayton Dragons players Mudville Nine players Chattanooga Lookouts players Stockton Ports players West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx players Iowa Cubs players Oklahoma RedHawks players Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Colorado Springs Sky Sox players Orix Buffaloes players New Orleans Zephyrs players Albuquerque Isotopes players 21st-century American sportsmen American expatriate baseball players in Japan Lancaster Barnstormers players Southern Maryland Blue Crabs players Embry–Riddle Eagles baseball coaches Chicago Cubs scouts Baseball players from Clearwater, Florida