Keyvius Nathaniel Sampson (born January 6, 1991) is an American professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("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 attempts to e ...

for the

Uni-President Lions The Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions, stylized as Uni-President 7-ᴇʟᴇᴠᴇn Lions, also known as Uni-Lions (), are a professional baseball team playing in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). The Lions are based in Tainan City, Ta ...

of the

Chinese Professional Baseball League The Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL; ) is the top-tier professional baseball league in Taiwan. The league was established in 1989 and played the first season in 1990. CPBL eventually absorbed the competing Taiwan Major League in 2 ...

(CPBL). He previously played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL) ...

(MLB) for the

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

and the

KBO League The KBO League (), officially the Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League, is the highest level league of baseball in South Korea. The KBO League was founded with six franchises in 1982 and is the most popular sports league in South Korea. The Kia Tigers are ...

for the

Hanwha Eagles The Hanwha Eagles ( ko, 한화 이글스) are a South Korean professional baseball team based in Daejeon. They are a member of the KBO League. The Eagles' home ballpark is Daejeon Hanbat Baseball Stadium. The Eagles have won the Korean Series onc ...

Career

San Diego Padres

Sampson was drafted by 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 (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...

in the fourth round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft. In 2010, he went 12–3 with a 2.90

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 numb ...

and 143

strikeouts In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...

in 118

innings pitched In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning ...

. He started the 2013 with the Triple-A

Tucson Padres The Tucson Padres were a minor league baseball team representing Tucson, Arizona in the Pacific Coast League (PCL). They were the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The team moved to Tucson from Portland, Oregon for the 2011 season. I ...

but was demoted to Double-A

San Antonio Missions The San Antonio Missions are a Minor League Baseball team of the Texas League and the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. They are located in San Antonio, Texas, and are named for the Spanish missions around which the city was founded ...

after posting an 8.03 ERA. He was promoted back to Triple-A on August 7, 2013, after going 10–4 with a 2.26 ERA in Double-A. He was added to the Padres 40-man roster on November 20, 2013. Sampson was designated for assignment on December 29, 2014.

Cincinnati Reds

On January 8, 2015, he was claimed off waivers by the

. The Reds promoted Sampson to the major leagues on July 30. He was designated for assignment on April 20, 2016, when they called up Drew Hayes. Sampsons contract was purchased by the Reds when the Reds placed Homer Bailey on the 60-Day DL on May 18, 2016. On November 28, 2016, Sampson was designated for assignment. He was non-tendered on December 2.

Arizona Diamondbacks

On December 17, 2016, Sampson signed a minor league contract with the

Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. ...

that included an invitation to spring training. He was released on June 15, 2017.

Texas Rangers

On June 16, 2017, Sampson signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers. He was released the next day.

Miami Marlins

On June 26, 2017, Sampson signed a minor league contract with the

Miami 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 club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The fra ...

. He elected free agency on November 6, 2017.

Hanwha Eagles

On November 13, 2017, Sampson signed with the

of the

. He became a free agent following the 2018 season.

San Francisco Giants

On January 5, 2019, Sampson signed a minor league deal with the

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Y ...

. He became a free agent following the 2019 season.

Chicago White Sox

On April 2, 2021, Sampson signed a minor league contract with the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...

organization. Sampson posted a 6.43 ERA in 8 appearances between the Low-A

Kannapolis Cannon Ballers The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. They are located in Kannapolis, North Carolina, and play their home games at Atrium Health Ballpark. The t ...

and the Triple-A

Charlotte Knights The Charlotte Knights are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. They are located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and play their home games at Truist Field, which opened in 20 ...

before he was released on July 20.

Kansas City Monarchs

On July 28, 2021, Sampson signed with the

Kansas City Monarchs The Kansas City Monarchs were the longest-running franchise in the history of baseball's Negro leagues. Operating in Kansas City, Missouri, and owned by J. L. Wilkinson, they were charter members of the Negro National League from 1920 to 1 ...

of the

American Association of Professional Baseball The American Association of Professional Baseball is an independent professional baseball league founded in 2005. It operates in the central United States and Canada, mostly in cities not served by Major League Baseball teams or their minor lea ...

Lexington Legends

On April 21, 2022, Sampson was traded to the

Lexington Legends The Lexington Legends are an American professional baseball team based in Lexington, Kentucky. They are a member of the South Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a "partner league" of Major League Baseball. The Legends have ...

of the

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

Uni-President Lions

On July 7, 2022, Sampson signed with the

of the

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sampson, Keyvius 1991 births Living people African-American baseball players American expatriate baseball players in South Korea Arizona League Giants players Arizona League Padres players Baseball players from Florida Charlotte Knights players Cincinnati Reds players El Paso Chihuahuas players Eugene Emeralds players Fort Wayne TinCaps players Hanwha Eagles players Kannapolis Cannon Ballers players KBO League pitchers Louisville Bats players Major League Baseball pitchers New Orleans Baby Cakes players Pensacola Blue Wahoos players Peoria Javelinas players People from Ocala, Florida Reno Aces players Richmond Flying Squirrels players San Antonio Missions players Tucson Padres players 21st-century African-American sportspeople Águilas de Mexicali players American expatriate baseball players in Mexico American expatriate baseball players in Taiwan Uni-President Lions players