| Brad Goldberg | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Goldberg with theCleveland Guardians in 2024 | |
| Cleveland Guardians – No. 81 | |
| Pitcher /Coach | |
| Born: (1990-02-21)February 21, 1990 (age 35) Cleveland, Ohio | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 3, 2017, for the Chicago White Sox | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 21, 2017, for the Chicago White Sox | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 0–0 |
| Earned run average | 8.25 |
| Strikeouts | 3 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| |
Bradley Andrew Goldberg (born February 21, 1990) is an American former professionalbaseballpitcher, and currentbullpen coach for theCleveland Guardians. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theChicago White Sox.
In high school, Goldberg was a 2008 preseasonBaseball AmericaAll-American, 2008 First Team All-Ohio, and the 2008 MVP of the Chagrin Valley Conference. In college in 2013, his senior year atOhio State University, he was an All-Big Ten third-team selection. Selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 10th round of the2013 MLB draft, that yearBaseball America named him "Closest To The Majors" (withTyler Danish) and "Best Fastball in the White Sox draft class". In 2016, he was anInternational League All Star with theCharlotte Knights inClass AAA. His fastball reaches 99mph.
Goldberg pitched forIsrael at the 2017 World Baseball Classic (WBC) qualifier, saving Israel's first two games. He leftspring training with theChicago White Sox to join and pitch for Israel in the second round of the 2017 WBC in Japan, in March 2017.
Goldberg was born inCleveland, Ohio, to Marla Goldberg and Bryan Goldberg, lives inBeachwood, Ohio, and is Jewish.[1][2][3] He has two younger twin brothers, Rob and Todd.[4][2] He went toHebrew school and had hisbar mitzvah atAnshe Chesed Fairmount Temple in Beachwood.[2][5] Goldberg graduated fromBeachwood High School.[6]
Goldberg attendedBeachwood High School in Beachwood, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, graduating in 2008.[4][7] Playing baseball for the school, he was 5–1 with a school record 64 strikeouts as a junior, and 9–2 with a 1.64 earned run average and 102 strikeouts as a senior; that season he also batted .450 with 35 RBIs.[4][8]
He was 2008 First Team All-Ohio, was All-Chagrin Valley Conference all four years, and as a senior Goldberg was the 2008 Most Valuable Player of the Chagrin Valley Conference.[9][10][2][4][11] He was also a 2008 preseasonAll-American byBaseball America andUnder Armour, a two-time All-Sun Press Southeast Pitcher, and aCleveland Plain Dealer Player of the Week in 2006.[8] He was named to the Beachwood Hall of Fame.[11] Steve Baraona, who coached Goldberg at Beachwood High School, believes Goldberg is the first Beachwood player to be picked in the MLB draft.[2] His catcher had a major impact on his high school career, Tyler Margolin. Margolin caught a no hitter for Goldberg in 2006.
Goldberg enrolled atCoastal Carolina University inConway, South Carolina, to playcollege baseball for theCoastal Carolina Chanticleers, and initially majored in Sports Management.[4][12][7] He played for Coastal Carolina in 2009 and 2010, making 18 appearances (17 in relief) in those two seasons.[4][13] In the summer of 2009 he played college summer baseball for the North Coast Knights, was ranked the No. 6 prospect in theProspect League, and was named to the league's All Star team.[14][15]
Goldberg transferred toOhio State University, to play forOhio State Buckeyes, switching his major to Sociology.[4][12] Goldberg sat out the 2011 season in accordance with transfer "redshirt" rules, but also missed the 2012 season because most of his credits did not transfer, rendering him academically ineligible.[4][2][7]
Goldberg pitched for the Buckeyes as a starter in 2013, and was 6–1 with a 2.99 earned run average in 15 starts.[3][2][13] He was an All-Big Ten third-team selection, and was twice named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week.[2] In college, he threw hisfastball in the mid-90s, relied heavily on a sinking fastball, had a very goodslider in the 82-84 mph range, and threw a 76-78 mphcurveball.[2][16][17][14]
Goldberg was selected by theChicago White Sox in the 10th round of the2013 MLB draft.[10][12] White Sox assistant scouting director Nick Hostetler, who saw Goldberg in college, said: "A big, strong power-arm guy, with a live fastball. He's going to be a guy who can flash a breaking ball every now and then. I loved ... the competitiveness."[12] When he was drafted, Goldberg was still one semester and an internship short of earning his college degree.[7]
In 2013, Goldberg was 3–0 with a 1.54 ERA and 3 saves, and averaged 12.6 strikeouts per 9.0 IP, in 14 relief appearances with the Advanced RookieGreat Falls Voyagers of thePioneer League, Class AKannapolis Intimidators of theSouth Atlantic League, and A-AdvancedWinston-Salem Dash of theCarolina League.[3][13]Baseball America named him "Closest To The Majors" (withTyler Danish) and "Best Fastball in the White Sox draft class".[3]
In early 2014 White Sox assistant general managerBuddy Bell said: "We like his arm. He's got some sink. Big,[Curt] Schilling-type looking body."[12] That season Goldberg was 4–4 with a 5.23 ERA with Winston-Salem, as he pitched in 35 games, including 7 starts.[3][13]
In 2015, pitching for the Winston-Salem Dash, Goldberg was 1–4 in 39 games with a 2.97 ERA, and 11 saves (tied for 4th in the league) in 12 opportunities, and struck out 58 batters in 57.2 innings, all in relief.[1][3][13] In the Fall of 2015, Goldberg finished his coursework for his college degree, and graduated in December with an Ohio State University Sociology degree.[7]
Goldberg began the 2016 season with theBirmingham Barons of theClass AASouthern League, for whom he was 0–0 with a 1.50 ERA, and was promoted to theCharlotte Knights of theClass AAAInternational League for whom he was 3–5 with a 2.84 ERA and 10 saves (a team high) in 11 opportunities as the team'scloser, in 43 relief appearances.[18][1][19][13][20] He was Charlotte's lone 2016 mid-season International League All Star.[1][19] His fastball was reaching 99 mph.[21][22] The White Sox added him to their40-man roster after the season.[23]
In 2017, Goldberg threw the most innings in spring training for the White Sox without allowing a run, 4.2 innings.[24] With the Charlotte Knights, his fastball touched 99 mph, he threw a heavycutter ortwo-seam fastball in the low 90s, his slider was in the mid-to-upper 80s range, and he threw a changeup.[25] Pitching for them in 2017 he was 3–2 with a 3.35 ERA, 5 saves, and 47 strikeouts over 40.1 innings.[26]
Goldberg was called up to the major league White Sox in June 2017, after achieving a record to that point in 2017 of 2–1 with a 1.99 ERA, four saves, and 22 strikeouts over 17 games with the Charlotte Knights.[27] He made his major league debut on June 3, giving up four runs in a third of an inning, and was sent back down to Charlotte.[28] He was recalled on July 19, and pitched a total of 12 innings for the team.[25]
Goldberg began the 2018 season pitching for the Birmingham Barons.[29] He had a 2.82 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 22.1 innings of relief, before he was traded.[1]
On June 3, 2018, Goldberg was traded to theArizona Diamondbacks in exchange for cash considerations.[30] In 2018 for theJackson Generals of the Southern League, he was 2–1 with 4 saves and an 0.64 ERA, and had 24 strikeouts in 14 innings while giving up only 4 hits.[1] He was released from the organization on March 14, 2019.
Goldberg pitched forIsrael at the 2017 World Baseball Classic qualifier.[31] He picked up saves in Team Israel's first two games.[32] During the first game Goldberg threw 21 pitches while recording all 3 outs in the ninth inning, giving up a hit and a walk, while recording two strikeouts.[33] The next day Goldberg faced the minimum number of batters on 11 pitches with a strikeout, for his second save.[34]
Goldberg leftspring training with theChicago White Sox to join and pitch forTeam Israel in the second round of the 2017 World Baseball Classic in Japan, in March 2017.[35][36] He pitched in two games, pitching 2 scoreless innings.[37]
In October 2019, Goldberg returned to the Ohio State Buckeyes, team as their Director of Pitching Development.[38]
Goldberg was named pitching coach of theAkron RubberDucks, theDouble-A affiliate of theCleveland Guardians, for the 2023 season.[39]
The Guardians named Goldberg their bullpen coach for the 2024 season. He was promoted to the role of assistant pitching coach on December 13, 2024.[40]