Zachary Sheridan Neal (born November 9, 1988) 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

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 ...

and

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 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

Saitama Seibu Lions The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based north of Tokyo in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture. Before 1979, they were based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, in Kyushu. The team is owned by a subsidiary of Seibu Railway ...

Career

Amateur career

Neal attended

Flower Mound High School Flower Mound High School (FMHS) is part of Lewisville Independent School District and is located in Flower Mound, Texas, United States. The school rests on of land that was purchased in 1916. FMHS was the second high school built in Flower Mound ...

Flower Mound, Texas Flower Mound is an incorporated town located in Denton and Tarrant counties in the U.S. state of Texas. Located northwest of Dallas and northeast of Fort Worth adjacent to Grapevine Lake, the town derives its name from a prominent mound loca ...

. He 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, ...

Sam Houston State University Sam Houston State University (Sam Houston, SHSU or Sam) is a public research university in Huntsville, Texas, United States. Founded in 1879, it is the third-oldest public college or university in Texas. It is one of the first normal schools wes ...

Howard College Howard College is a Public college, public community college with its main campus in Big Spring, Texas. It also has branch campuses in San Angelo, Texas, San Angelo and Lamesa, Texas, Lamesa. History Howard County Junior College was establishe ...

, and the

University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma, United States. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two territories became the ...

Florida / Miami Marlins

The

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 ...

selected Neal in the 17th round of the

2010 Major League Baseball draft The 2010 Major League Baseball draft was held on June 7–9, 2010 at the MLB Network Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. First-round selections The draft order was determined based on the 2009 MLB standings, with the worst team picking first. ;Key ...

. He made his professional debut with the

GCL Marlins The Florida Complex League Marlins are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Miami Marlins, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. Prior to the 2021 season, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Marlins. The team plays i ...

and also played for the Low-A

Jamestown Jammers The Jamestown Jammers were a minor league baseball team based in Jamestown, New York from 1994 until 2014. The team was the Short-Season A classification affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates and played in the New York–Penn League. The team play ...

, accumulating a 2–1 record and 1.44 ERA in 7 games. In 2011, Neal played for the Single-A

Greensboro Grasshoppers The Greensboro Grasshoppers are a Minor League Baseball team based in Greensboro, North Carolina. They are members of the South Atlantic League and are the High-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They play their home games at First National B ...

, posting a 7–6 record and 4.16 ERA in 22 appearances. The next year, he split the season between the High-A

Jupiter Hammerheads The Jupiter Hammerheads are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in the town of Jupiter in Palm Beach County, Florida, and play their home games at Roger Dean ...

and the Double-A

Jacksonville Suns The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in Jacksonville, Florida, and are named for shrimp caught in the area. The team pla ...

, pitching to a cumulative 8–7 record and 2.78 ERA with 78 strikeouts in 30 games.

Oakland Athletics

On March 31, 2013, Neal signed a minor league contract with the

. He was assigned to the Double-A

Midland RockHounds The Midland RockHounds are a Minor League Baseball team based in Midland, Texas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Athletics major league club. The RockHounds play in Momentum Bank Ballpark, which ope ...

, where he spent the season, registering an 8–12 record and 4.35 ERA with 96 strikeouts in 165.2 innings of work. In 2014, Neal split the season between the High-A

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 ...

, Midland, and the Triple-A

Sacramento River Cats The Sacramento River Cats are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and are the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Prior to 2015, the River Cats were the Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland ...

, logging a 10–7 record and 3.09 ERA in 27 appearances between the three teams. In 2015, Neal split the year between the Triple-A

Nashville Sounds The Nashville Sounds are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the ci ...

and Midland, pitching to a 10–13 record and 4.67 ERA with 100 strikeouts in 167.2 innings pitched. Neal was called up to the majors for the first time on May 11, 2016. Neal was a solid contributor for Oakland, appearing in 24 games with 6 spot starts. He finished with a 2–4 record and 2 saves. However, he had a low strikeout rate, striking out only 9.6 percent of batters faced. On January 18, 2017, 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 ...

by Oakland after the team signed

Trevor Plouffe Trevor Patrick Plouffe ( ; born June 15, 1986) is an American media personality and former professional baseball third baseman. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Oakland Athletics, Tampa Bay Rays, and ...

. Neal cleared waivers and was assigned to Nashville. He began the 2017 season in Triple-A, but was called up to the Athletics on May 24. He was twice optioned back to Nashville and recalled during the season before being designated for assignment on August 16. He was outrighted to Nashville on August 18. On the year, he recorded a 7.98 ERA in 6 appearances. He elected to become a free agent after the season.

Los Angeles Dodgers

On January 6, 2018, Neal signed a minor league contract with the

that included an invitation to spring training. He was added to the Dodgers major league roster on April 3. After pitching one inning for the Dodgers, in which he allowed a home run to John Ryan Murphy, Neal was designated for assignment on April 5.

Cincinnati Reds

On April 17, 2018, the Dodgers traded Neal and Ibandel Isabel to 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 ...

for Ariel Hernández. Neal was assigned to the

Louisville Bats The Louisville Bats are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Louisville, Kentucky, and are named in dual reference to the bat, wi ...

. Neal pitched to a 2–2 record and 5.90 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 39.2 innings of work.

Los Angeles Dodgers (second stint)

On July 4, 2018, Neal was traded back to the Dodgers organization along with

Dylan Floro Dylan Lee Floro (born December 27, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami M ...

and international bonus pool space for minor league pitchers James Marinan and Aneurys Zabala. He pitched in 14 games for the Triple-A

Oklahoma City Dodgers The Oklahoma City Comets are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and play their ho ...

, starting 11 of them, and finished with a 3–2 record and 4.40 ERA. Neal elected free agency on October 11.

Saitama Seibu Lions

Neal signed with the

for the 2019 season. He finished his first NPB season with a 12–1 record and 2.87 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 100.1 innings of work. In 2020, Neal pitched to a 6–8 record and 5.22 ERA in 21 games. In 2021, Neal made 11 appearances, going 1–6 with a 5.85 ERA and 26 strikeouts. He became a free agent following the season.

Colorado Rockies

On February 18, 2022, Neal signed a minor league contract with 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 ...

. Neal pitched in 29 games (starting 21) for the Triple-A

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 ...

, logging a 6–6 record and 6.87 ERA with 95 strikeouts in innings. He elected free agency following the season on November 10.

Oakland Athletics (second stint)

On April 7, 2023, Neal signed a minor league contract with the

. He made 3 appearances (2 starts) for the Triple-A

Las Vegas Aviators The Las Vegas Aviators, formerly known as the Las Vegas 51s and Las Vegas Stars, are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Athletics. They are located in Summerlin South, Nevada, a comm ...

, posting a 5.56 ERA with 11 strikeouts in innings pitched. On May 11, Neal was selected to the active roster to make a spot start against the Texas Rangers. Neal pitched in 2 games for Oakland, giving up 3 runs on 4 hits with 3 strikeouts in innings pitched. Neal was

on May 19, following the promotion of Lucas Erceg. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A on May 20. On August 3, Neal returned to the major league roster. In 14 total appearances for Oakland, he struggled to a 6.67 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 27 innings. On October 4, Neal was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to Triple-A Las Vegas. On October 6, Neal elected free agency.

Retirement

Neal announced his retirement after the 2023 season.

Personal life

Neal is married to Kianna Neal, née Witt, sister of

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 ...

shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. Neal and his wife met when he was pitching for the University of Oklahoma, where she was a cheerleader. Neal is a father.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Neal, Zach 1988 births Living people Albuquerque Isotopes players 21st-century American sportsmen Baseball players from Columbia, South Carolina Greensboro Grasshoppers players Gulf Coast Marlins players Howard Hawks baseball players Jacksonville Suns players Jamestown Jammers players Jupiter Hammerheads players Las Vegas Aviators players Los Angeles Dodgers players Louisville Bats players Major League Baseball pitchers Midland RockHounds players Nashville Sounds players Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers Oakland Athletics players Oklahoma City Dodgers players Oklahoma Sooners baseball players Sacramento River Cats players Saitama Seibu Lions players Sam Houston Bearkats baseball players Sportspeople from Flower Mound, Texas Stockton Ports players