Robert Charles Ross Jr. (born June 24, 1989) 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 Texas Rangers and

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

Amateur career

Ross was born and raised in

Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city coterminous with and the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the city's population was 322,570, making it the List of ...

. He attended Lexington Christian Academy, where he competed in both

and

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

. Ross had a 1.98 career

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) with 176

strikeout 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 ...

s in 116

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 ...

, and also batted .404 with 52

runs batted in A run batted in or runs batted in (RBI) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if th ...

and 33

stolen base In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base unaided by other actions and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or out ...

s. During his senior year, Ross was selected as the Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year in Kentucky.

Professional career

Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers selected Ross in the second round of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft. In 2011, he had a 10-5

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 ...

with a 2.34 ERA with the Single–A

Myrtle Beach Pelicans The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are a Minor League Baseball team in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and the Single-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs of the National League in Major League Baseball. The Pelicans compete in the Carolina League. Home games a ...

and Double-A

Frisco RoughRiders The Frisco RoughRiders (often shortened to 'Riders) are a Minor League Baseball team of the Texas League and the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers. Based in Frisco, Texas, the team is named aft ...

. Ross made the Rangers opening day roster out of

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 ...

in 2012. He made his major league debut on April 8, 2012, against 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) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...

. Robbie's first strikeout victim was

Paul Konerko Paul Henry Konerko ( ; born March 5, 1976) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman from 1997 to 2014, most prominently as a member of the Chicago White Sox, where he was a s ...

. His first major league victory came April 14, 2012 against 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 ...

in relief of

Yu Darvish , more commonly known as Yu Darvish (ダルビッシュ有), is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers, Lo ...

. The very next day, he picked up his second victory, also against the Twins, in relief of

Neftalí Feliz Neftalí Feliz Antonio (; born May 2, 1988) is a People of the Dominican Republic, Dominican professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rang ...

Boston Red Sox

On January 27, 2015, the Rangers traded Ross to the

in exchange for pitcher Anthony Ranaudo. In his first season with the Red Sox, Ross appeared in 54 games, collecting a 0–2 record, with a 3.86 ERA, striking out 53 batters. In 2015, Ross had a solid season posting a 3.86 ERA in 54 appearances, and even serving as the Red Sox closer for a brief time. He would amass the only 6 saves of his MLB career in 2015. In 2016, Ross was an integral part of the Boston bullpen, appearing in 54 games, racking up innings, to the tune of a 3–2 record and 56 strikeouts. Ross' 2017 season was cut short due to a back injury, he appeared in only 8 games. He was outrighted off the roster after the season and he elected to become a free agent.

Chicago White Sox

Ross signed a minor league deal with the

on March 4, 2018. He was released on June 9, 2018.

Pittsburgh Pirates

On March 4, 2019, Ross signed a minor league deal with 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 ...

. He was released on March 25, 2019.

Sugar Land Skeeters

On June 19, 2019, Ross signed with the

Sugar Land Skeeters The Sugar Land Space Cowboys are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros Major League Baseball club. They are located in Sugar Land, Texas, part of the G ...

of the independent

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 July 22, 2019.

Sugar Land Lightning Sloths

In July 2020, Ross signed on to play for the Sugar Land Lightning Sloths of the Constellation Energy League (a makeshift 4-team independent league created as a result 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 ...

) for the 2020 season.

Detroit Tigers

On January 16, 2021, Ross signed a minor league contract with the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...

organization. He was assigned to the Triple-A

Toledo Mud Hens The Toledo Mud Hens are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Toledo, Ohio, and play their home games at Fifth Third Field. A baseball team nicknamed the ...

to begin the year. Ross appeared in 27 games for Triple-A Toledo, going 2–8 with a 7.03 ERA and 26 strikeouts. On August 6, Ross retired from professional baseball.

Wild Health Genomes

On May 3, 2022, Ross came out of retirement to sign with the

Wild Health Genomes The Wild Health Genomes were an United States, American professional baseball team based in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 2022, they were a member of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an MLB Partner League. The Genomes were owned ...

of the

. In 30 games, Ross registered a 3.40 ERA with 58 strikeouts and 2 saves in 45 innings of work. He became a free agent after the season.

Spire City Ghost Hounds

On July 1, 2023, Ross signed with the Spire City Ghost Hounds of the

. After allowing 2 runs (1 earned) on 2 hits and 2 walks across innings pitched during his only appearance, Ross was released by the team the following day.

Lexington Counter Clocks

On September 16, 2023, Ross signed with the Lexington Counter Clocks of the

. He started for Lexington that day, going 5 innings and allowing 2 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits and 3 walks with 7 strikeouts. He was released by the team the next day.

Mumbai Cobras

On October 23, 2023, Ross was selected in the second round by the Mumbai Cobras, with the 12th overall pick, of the 2023 Baseball United inaugural draft. Ross pitched innings for United All-Stars West in the league's inaugural showcase series, surrendering 2 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits and 2 walks.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ross, Robbie 1989 births Living people Bakersfield Blaze players Baseball players from Lexington, Kentucky Boston Red Sox players Charlotte Knights players Frisco RoughRiders players Hickory Crawdads players Kannapolis Intimidators players Kentucky Wild Health Genomes players Major League Baseball pitchers Myrtle Beach Pelicans players Pawtucket Red Sox players Round Rock Express players Spire City Ghost Hounds players Spokane Indians players Sugar Land Lightning Sloths players Sugar Land Skeeters players Texas Rangers players Toledo Mud Hens players Toros del Este players Lexington Counter Clocks players