Sean Russell Poppen (born March 15, 1994) is an American 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, ...

in the

Los Angeles Angels The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, ...

organization. He has previously 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

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 ...

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 ...

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. They are one of two major ...

, and

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 ...

Career

Poppen attended Cape Henry Collegiate in

Virginia Beach, Virginia Virginia Beach (colloquially VB) is the most populous city in the U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. The city is located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay in southeastern Virginia. It is the sixth-most populous city in the ...

. He attended

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

for four years (2013 through 2016), and 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, ...

for the

Crimson Crimson is a rich, deep red color, inclining to purple. It originally meant the color of the kermes dye produced from a scale insect, '' Kermes vermilio'', but the name is now sometimes also used as a generic term for slightly bluish-red col ...

Minnesota Twins

Poppen was drafted by the

in the 19th round, with the 573rd overall selection, of the

2016 MLB draft The 2016 Major League Baseball draft began on June 9, 2016, to assign amateur baseball players to MLB teams. The draft order is the reverse order of the 2015 MLB season standings. In addition, compensation picks were distributed for players who ...

. He spent the 2016 season with the

Elizabethton Twins The Elizabethton Twins were a Minor League Baseball team of the Appalachian League and a Rookie-level affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They were located in Elizabethton, Tennessee, and were named for their Major League Baseball, major league aff ...

and the

Cedar Rapids Kernels The Cedar Rapids Kernels are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and play their home games at Veterans Memorial Stadium (Cedar Rapids), Veter ...

. In 2017, he played for Cedar Rapids and 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 ...

. His 2018 was split between Fort Myers and 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 ...

. He split the 2019 minor league season between the

Pensacola Blue Wahoos The Pensacola Blue Wahoos are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League (1964–present), Southern League and the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are based in Pensacola, Florida, and play their home ga ...

and 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 ...

, going a combined 7–4 with a 4.01 ERA over 89.2 innings. On June 19, 2019, his contract was selected and he was called up to the major leagues for the first time. He made his debut that night versus the

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 ...

. He posted a 0–0 record with a 7.56 ERA over 8.1 innings for the Twins in 2019. Poppen finished the 2019 season on the

injured list In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL). General guidelines ...

with elbow inflammation. Poppen was designated for assignment by the Twins on September 29, 2020, when

Alex Kirilloff Alexander David Kirilloff (born November 9, 1997) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and outfielder. He played for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2020 to 2024. Amateur career Kirilloff played baseb ...

was selected to the 40-man roster. With the 2020 Minnesota Twins, Poppen appeared in 6 games, compiling a 0–0 record with 4.70 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 7.2 innings pitched.

Pittsburgh Pirates

On October 1, 2020, Poppen was claimed off waivers by the

. Poppen recorded a 7.71 ERA in 3 appearances before being designated for assignment on May 13, 2021.

Tampa Bay Rays

On May 18, 2021, Poppen was traded to the

in exchange for cash considerations. He was designated for assignment on July 30, 2021.

Arizona Diamondbacks

On August 2, 2021, Poppen was claimed off of waivers by the

. He finished the season appearing in 20 games for Arizona, registering a 1–1 record and 4.67 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 17.1 innings pitched. In 2022, Poppen made 29 appearances for the Diamondbacks, pitching to a 2–2 record and 4.40 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 28.2 innings of work.

San Diego Padres

On December 2, 2022, Poppen was claimed off waivers 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 (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. ...

. On January 20, 2023, Poppen was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to the Triple-A

El Paso Chihuahuas The El Paso Chihuahuas are a Minor League Baseball team based in El Paso, Texas. The Chihuahuas compete in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) as the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. The team plays its home games at Sou ...

. In 47 games for El Paso, he struggled to a 1–4 record and 6.33 ERA with 51 strikeouts across innings pitched. Poppen elected free agency following the season on November 6.

Seattle Mariners

On January 18, 2024, Poppen signed a minor league contract with the

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 ...

. In two appearances for the Triple–A

Tacoma Rainiers The Tacoma Rainiers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They are located in Tacoma, Washington, and play their home games at Cheney Stadium, ...

, he surrendered four runs in innings pitched. Poppen was released by the Mariners organization on April 5.

Gastonia Baseball Club

On April 26, 2024, Poppen signed with the Gastonia Baseball Club 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 ...

. In 12 games for the team, he logged a 5.11 ERA with 35 strikeouts across innings pitched. On June 17, Poppen was released by Gastonia.

Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos

On January 29, 2025, Poppen signed with the

Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos The Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos (English: Two Laredos Owls), formerly known as the Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo (English: Nuevo Laredo Owls), are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League. The Tecolotes are a binational baseball team, spli ...

of the

Mexican League The Mexican Baseball League (, or LMB, ) is a professional baseball league in Mexico. It is the oldest running professional sports league in the country. The league has 20 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games ...

. Poppen made three scoreless appearances for Dos Laredos, recording five strikeouts across innings pitched.

Los Angeles Angels

On April 28, 2025, Poppen signed a minor league contract with the

.https://www.milb.com/transactions/2025-04-28/p-2

Personal life

In 2016 Poppen graduated (with honors) from

Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher lear ...

, double majoring in Chemistry and Physics, and Engineering Sciences.

References

External links

Harvard Crimson bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Poppen, Sean 1994 births Living people American expatriate baseball players in Mexico Arizona Complex League Angels players Arizona Diamondbacks players Baseball players from Virginia Beach, Virginia Cedar Rapids Kernels players Chattanooga Lookouts players Duluth Huskies players Durham Bulls players El Paso Chihuahuas players Elizabethton Twins players Fort Myers Miracle players Gastonia Ghost Peppers players Harvard Crimson baseball players Indianapolis Indians players Major League Baseball pitchers Minnesota Twins players Pensacola Blue Wahoos players Pittsburgh Pirates players Reno Aces players Rochester Red Wings players Rocket City Trash Pandas players Tacoma Rainiers players Tampa Bay Rays players Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos players Toros del Este players