| Tyler Kolek | |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1995-12-15)December 15, 1995 (age 30) Shepherd, Texas, U.S. | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
Tyler Frank Kolek (born December 15, 1995) is an American former professionalbaseballpitcher. He was drafted by theMiami Marlins with the second overall pick of the2014 Major League Baseball draft.
Kolek attended Shepherd High School inShepherd, Texas, and played for the school's baseball team. He missed most of his junior season, after breaking his arm in a collision with a baserunner.[1] He signed a letter-of-intent withTexas Christian University in November 2013.[2] Throughout the first three starts of his senior year, he had not given up a hit and had 35strikeouts over 15 innings.[3][4]
With a fastball that had been clocked as high as 102 miles per hour (164 km/h), Kolek was considered to be among the top high school pitching prospects for the2014 Major League Baseball draft.[5][6][7][8] TheMiami Marlins selected Kolek in the first round, second overall, of the draft.[9] He signed on June 16[10] and was assigned to theGulf Coast League Marlins, where he posted a 0-3 record with a 4.50 ERA in nine games. He spent 2015 with theGreensboro Grasshoppers where he went 4-10 with a 4.56 ERA, with a 1.56 WHIP in 25 games. On April 7, 2016, Kolek underwentTommy John surgery, and had to sit out during the 2016 season.[11] Kolek missed a majority of the 2017 season as well due to injury; he pitched in only three games for the GCL Marlins in which he gave up 12 earned runs in3+2⁄3 innings.[12]
Kolek spent the 2018 season split between the Low-ABatavia Muckdogs and the GCL Marlins, where he pitched to a 6.32 ERA in 10 appearances for the affiliates. He split 2019 between the Single-AClinton LumberKings and Batavia, registering a 9.22 ERA in 15 games.[13] Kolek did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of theCOVID-19 pandemic.[14] On November 2, 2020, Kolek elected free agency.[15]
Being inactive in 2021 and having failed to advance past Single–A which is three levels below the major leagues, he will become the fifth player to be drafted #2 overall in the first year player draft, and the first since 1987, to fail to reach the major leagues before retiring should he not resume his baseball career. In addition, the #1 overall pickBrady Aiken was also inactive in 2021, and also having failed to advance past Single–A. This will mark the first major league baseball draft in which both the first and second overall selections failed to reach the major leagues, Triple-A, or Double-A.
Kolek's brother,Stephen, also played for Shepherd's baseball team, and played college baseball forTexas A&M University.[5][16] He was drafted in the 11th round of the2018 MLB draft by theLos Angeles Dodgers,[17] and is currently a pitcher for theKansas City Royals.[18]
· Baseball Reference (Minors)