Ben Casparius
Ben Casparius | |
---|---|
Los Angeles Dodgers – No. 78 | |
Pitcher | |
Born: (1999-02-11) February 11, 1999 (age 25) Westport, Connecticut, U.S. | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
MLB debut | |
August 31, 2024, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
MLB statistics (through August 31, 2024) | |
Win–loss record | 1–0 |
Earned run average | 0.00 |
Strikeouts | 0 |
Teams | |
|
Benjamin Keith Casparius (born February 11, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Career
Amateur career
Casparius attended Staples High School in Westport, Connecticut, where he set the state's all-time hits record and led them to a state title in 2017 while being awarded as the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year.[1] He played college baseball at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for two years, where he was a two-way player. As a freshman he had a 1.69 ERA in 10 pitching appearances while collecting 18 hits and 15 RBI and helping them to a birth in the College World Series.[2] The following season, he struggled a bit at the plate so the Tar Heels asked him to concentrate on pitching where he had a 4.41 ERA in 12 outings.[3] After the season, he played collegiate summer baseball in both the Cape Cod League with the Falmouth Commodores,[4] and in the New England Collegiate Baseball League.[5]
He transferred to the University of Connecticut Huskies in 2020, but was denied a waiver and had to sit out his junior season, which wound up being cancelled anyway by the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] He played instead in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League for the New Britain Bees[5] and hoped to be selected in the 2020 MLB draft but because of its shortened length he was not chosen and opted to play for the Huskies in 2021.[1][6] In 15 starts he was 8–5 with a 4.03 ERA.[5]
Los Angeles Dodgers
Casparius was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fifth round of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft,[7] and signed for a $247,500 bonus on July 26.[8]
Casparius spent his first professional season with the Arizona Complex League Dodgers and Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, pitching in five games and allowing two earned runs in six innings.[5] He pitched 2022 with Rancho Cucamonga and the Great Lakes Loons, pitching 89+2⁄3 innings in 27 games (16 starts) for a 6.42 ERA.[5] The following season, with Great Lakes and the Tulsa Drillers he made 26 appearances (21 starts) and was 6–7 with a 5.27 ERA.[5][9] After the 2023 season, Casparius pitched in the Arizona Fall League for the Glendale Desert Dogs.[10] He started 2024 with Tulsa, making five starts with a 3.32 ERA[5] before being promoted to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Baseball Club.[11]
Casparius was promoted to the major leagues for the first time on August 18, 2024,[12] but was optioned back to Oklahoma City on August 21, without appearing in a major league game.[13] Casparius was promoted to the major leagues for a second time on August 31[14] and made his debut that day in relief against the Arizona Diamondbacks, working a scoreless inning of relief to pick up his first career win.[15]
References
- ^ a b c Borges, David (April 29, 2021). "UConn ace, Westport native Ben Casparius sees MLB draft prospects rise as strikeout numbers soar". The Hour. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ "Ben Casparius bio". North Carolina Tar Heels. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ Borges, David (August 20, 2019). "Westport's Ben Casparius returns "home" after transferring from North Carolina to UConn". Middletown Press. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ "Ben Casparius - Profile". pointstreak.com. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Ben Casparius College, Amateur and Minor League Statistics". Baseball Reference. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ Borges, David (June 24, 2020). "Formers Staples baseball star Ben Casparius of Westport will play at UConn for his senior season". New Haven Register. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ Aldam, Will (July 12, 2021). "UConn battery mates Casparius, Winkel picked on Day 2 of MLB draft". CT Insider. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ Stephen, Eric (August 4, 2021). "Dodgers 2021 MLB Draft tracker". SB Nation. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ Borges, David (July 15, 2023). "Uconn product Ben Casparius adjusting to new minor league level". CT Insider. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ Weinrib, Ben (November 7, 2023). "Ramos, Casparius earn Week 5 Fall League honors". MLB.com. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ Borges, David (June 1, 2024). "CT native, ex-UConn Pitcher, one step away from LA Dodgers rotation". Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ Borges, David (August 18, 2024). "Los Angeles Dodgers call up Ben Casparius, former Staples High, UConn baseball standout". The Hour. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ Stephen, Eric (August 21, 2024). "Dodgers activate Blake Treinen from injured list, option Ben Casparius". SB Nation. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
- ^ "Dodgers Place Clayton Kershaw On Injured List Due To Bone Spur In Toe". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
- ^ "Dodgers vs Diamondbacks (August 31, 2024)". ESPN. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- v
- t
- e
- 0 Jack Flaherty
- 3 Chris Taylor
- 5 Freddie Freeman
- 8 Kiké Hernández
- 9 Gavin Lux
- 11 Miguel Rojas
- 13 Max Muncy
- 16 Will Smith
- 17 Shohei Ohtani
- 18 Yoshinobu Yamamoto
- 21 Walker Buehler
- 25 Tommy Edman
- 37 Teoscar Hernández
- 40 Brent Honeywell
- 41 Daniel Hudson
- 44 Andy Pages
- 45 Michael Kopech
- 48 Brusdar Graterol
- 49 Blake Treinen
- 50 Mookie Betts
- 51 Alex Vesia
- 57 Ryan Brasier
- 59 Evan Phillips
- 67 Hunter Feduccia
- 78 Ben Casparius
- 93 Kevin Kiermaier
- 96 Landon Knack
- 99 Joe Kelly
- 28 Bobby Miller
- 29 Michael Grove
- 33 James Outman
- 62 Zach Logue
- 63 Kyle Hurt
- 70 Justin Wrobleski
- 76 Diego Cartaya
- 79 Nick Frasso
- 15 Austin Barnes
- 22 Clayton Kershaw
- 35 Gavin Stone
- 43 Anthony Banda
- 26 Tony Gonsolin
- 31 Tyler Glasnow
- 75 Connor Brogdon
- 77 River Ryan
- 80 Emmet Sheehan
- 85 Dustin May
- Manager 30 Dave Roberts
- Bench 71 Danny Lehmann
- First base 86 Clayton McCullough
- Third base 91 Dino Ebel
- Hitting 72 Robert Van Scoyoc
- 65 Aaron Bates
- Pitching 92 Mark Prior
- Asst. pitching 87 Connor McGuiness
- Bullpen 54 Josh Bard
- Major league field coordinator 88 Bob Geren
- Bullpen catcher 82 Steve Cilladi