| Tony Zych | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Zych with the Seattle Mariners | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1990-08-07)August 7, 1990 (age 35) Monee, Illinois, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 4, 2015, for the Seattle Mariners | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 19, 2017, for the Seattle Mariners | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 7–3 |
| Earned run average | 2.72 |
| Strikeouts | 80 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Anthony Aaron Zych (/ˈzɪk/; born August 7, 1990) is an American former professionalbaseballpitcher. He pitched inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theSeattle Mariners from 2015 through 2017. Zych is notable as the last player in alphabetical order among all of those who have ever played in MLB.
Zych is fromMonee, Illinois. He traveled 35 miles (56 km) each way from Monee to attendSt. Rita of Cascia High School inChicago, Illinois, due to the higher level of competition offered in theChicago Catholic League than he would have faced if he attendedCrete-Monee High School. He played for the school's baseball team as asecond baseman, and also occasionally served as theirclosingpitcher.[1] As a senior, Zych had a .410batting average and a 9–2win–loss record.[2]
After graduating from high school, theChicago Cubs selected Zych in the 46th round of the2008 Major League Baseball draft. He opted not to sign, and instead enrolled at theUniversity of Louisville, where he playedcollege baseball for theLouisville Cardinals. Competing in theCape Cod Baseball League for theBourne Braves in 2010, Zych received the league's Outstanding Relief Pitcher and Outstanding Pro Prospect awards.[3][4] He served as the closer for Louisville.[1]
TheChicago Cubs drafted Zych in the fourth round, with the 129th overall selection, of the2011 Major League Baseball draft, and he signed.[1] The Cubs assigned Zych to theBoise Hawks of theLow–ANorthwest League in 2011.[5] He began the 2012 season with theDaytona Cubs of theHigh–AFlorida State League, and was promoted to theTennessee Smokies of theDouble–ASouthern League.[1][6] After the 2012 season, the Cubs assigned Zych to theMesa Solar Sox of theArizona Fall League, where he had a 1.29 ERA in seven games.[1] He returned to Tennessee in 2013, and had a 5–5win–loss record and a 3.05earned run average (ERA). He returned to Tennessee in 2014, and had a 4–5 win–loss record with a 5.09 ERA.[7]
On April 2, 2015, at the end ofspring training, the Cubs traded Zych to theSeattle Mariners in exchange for aplayer to be named later or cash considerations in the amount of $1. The Cubs eventually chose the dollar over a player.[8] In 2015, Zych pitched for the Double-AJackson Generals of the Southern League and theTacoma Rainiers of theTriple-APacific Coast League. Between the two teams, he pitched to a 2.98 ERA with 55 strikeouts in48+1⁄3 total innings.[9] The Mariners promoted him to the major leagues for the first time on September 1, 2015.[10] He made his major league debut on September 4.[11] He had a 2.45 ERA with 24 strikeouts in18+1⁄3innings pitched for Seattle.[8] As of 2025[update], Zych's name ranks lastalphabetically among the more than 21,000 players to play in the major leagues.[11][12]
Zych began the 2016 season with the Mariners, and allowed fourearned runs in 12 innings pitched in April. After an appearance on May 1, 2016, Zych went on thedisabled list withtendinitis in his rightrotator cuff.[13] He rested the shoulder until August. He made two appearances for the Mariners towards the end of the season, before he was shut down due to the shoulder pain During the 2016–17 offseason, he had abiceps tendon transfer surgery in his shoulder: a surgery that had never before been performed in an MLB player.[14] He missed ten games of the 2017 season in April while recovering from the offseason shoulder surgery, and went on the disabled list in August 2017 with an elbow strain.[15] Through 2017, Zych pitched to a 7–3 win–loss record and 2.72 ERA. He missed much of the 2016 and 2017 seasons with elbow and shoulder injuries. Again limited by injuries duringspring training in 2018, the Mariners released Zych on March 10, 2018.[16]
On February 12, 2020, Zych signed a minor league contract with theNew York Yankees. Zych did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of theCOVID-19 pandemic.[17] He became a free agent on November 2.[18]