Tyler Zombro

Last updated

318+1⁄3innings pitched. [6]

Professional career

Tampa Bay Rays

Zombro was not selected in the 2017 Major League Baseball draft. [5] Two weeks later, he signed with the Tampa Bay Rays as an undrafted free agent. [7] He made one appearance for the Gulf Coast Rays of the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and spent the rest of the season with the Princeton Rays of the Rookie-level Appalachian League, making 13 appearances for Princeton. [8] [9] In 2018, Zombro pitched for the Bowling Green Hot Rods of the Single-A Midwest League, [10] and he had an 8–2 record and a 2.84 ERA, paired with 54 strikeouts against eight walks in 76 innings pitched. [11] The Rays had Zombro start the 2019 season with the Montgomery Biscuits of the Double-A Southern League, and was named the league's relief pitcher of the month in June. [12] He had a 2–0 record, a 1.87 ERA, and 11 saves, while striking out 53 and walking seven in 57+2⁄3 innings for Montgomery, [11] was promoted to the Durham Bulls of the Triple-A International League during the 2019 season. The Rays named Zombro their minor league relief pitcher of the year. [6] The Rays invited Zombro to spring training in 2020 as a non-roster player, [11] but the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Zombro received a non-roster invitation to spring training with the Rays in 2021, [13] and he returned to Durham for the 2021 season. [5]

During Durham's game on June 3, 2021, at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, Zombro was pitching against Brett Cumberland of the Norfolk Tides. He threw a 90.6-mile-per-hour (145.8 km/h) sinking fastball, which Cumberland hit. The line drive hit Zombro in the head, above his right ear, at 104 miles per hour (167 km/h). Zombro immediately lost consciousness and fell face-first on the pitcher's mound, as he was having a seizure. [5] Zombro was taken off the field on a stretcher and brought to Duke University Hospital for surgery to repair a skull fracture. [14] Surgeons inserted 16 titanium plates and 36 screws during a 2+1⁄2-hour operation to repair the temporal bone and reduce intracerebral hemorrhaging and intracranial pressure. [5] [15] The game was suspended and later declared final. [16] Zombro spent four days in the intensive care unit and another two days being monitored before he was discharged from the hospital on June 9. [5] [14] He has no memory of the incident. [15]

After his discharge from the hospital, Zombro underwent physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy. A CT scan performed in December 2021 showed that the fracture had completely healed, clearing Zombro to return to baseball. [15] Zombro reported to minor league spring training in March 2022. [17] He is wearing protective head gear made from kevlar under his baseball cap, with a small piece that sticks out to cover his zygomatic bone. [15] Zombro threw a batting practice to Rays hitters for the first time since the injury on March 10, pitched an inning in an intrasquad game on March 14, and appeared in a spring training game against the Boston Red Sox on March 22, retiring both batters he faced. [18] The Bulls added him to their active roster on April 21. [19] Zombro appeared in his first game since the injury on April 24, pitching a scoreless inning in relief for Durham against Norfolk. [20] In June, Zombro had surgery to correct thoracic outlet syndrome, ending his 2022 season. [21] Zombro was released by the Rays organization on March 26, 2023. [22]

Texas Rangers

On May 19, 2023, Zombro signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers organization, and was assigned to the Triple-A Round Rock Express. [23] He made two scoreless appearances for the Triple–A Round Rock Express and became a free agent following the season on November 6. [24]

On November 22, 2023, Zombro re-signed with the Rangers on a new minor league contract. [25] He did not appear in a game during the 2024 season, as he was dealing with "consistent nerve issues," and he announced his retirement over social media in August. [26]

Personal life

Zombro's wife, Moriah, is a registered nurse. [5] She graduated from Lee High School and James Madison University (JMU), and has worked in travel nursing. [8] Zombro's parents both graduated from Bridgewater College, where his father played baseball and his mother played basketball and volleyball. [5] [8] His grandfather, Melvin "Wimpy" Zombro, played in American Legion Baseball's adult division and continued playing baseball into his 80s. [1]

Zombro got into baseball analytics while he was in college. He started working as a trainer with R&D Baseball Academy in the Washington metropolitan area while he was in college, [2] and converted it into a full-time job while playing professional baseball. Zombro has worked with pitchers from JMU and the University of Virginia, as well as professional players, including Matt Bowman and Sam McWilliams, a teammate with Montgomery. [11] Zombro also works with Tread Athletics, a training facility based in Charlotte, North Carolina. [5]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Grandson has 65 more years to catch up with granddad | News, Sports, Jobs". Shepherdstown Chronicle. June 27, 2014. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Elliot, Cody. "Former Lee hurler Zombro wrapping up stellar collegiate career". The News Virginian. The Daily Progress. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Zombro released by Cape Cod League team". Newsleader.com. June 16, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Tyler Zombro". pointstreak.com. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Simpson, Tonya (August 26, 2021). "Pitcher Tyler Zombro's remarkable recovery after being hit by a line drive". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  6. 1 2 "Former R.E. Lee star Zombro earns honor from Tampa Bay Rays organization". WHSV. September 23, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Robert E. Lee grad Tyler Zombro gets the call, signs with Tampa Bay Rays". Newsleader.com. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 Driver, David (January 21, 2021). "Harrisonburg-Born Zombro Headed To Spring Training With Rays". Daily News-Record. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Tyler Zombro, Princeton Ray of the day". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Staunton's Zombro working his way through Tampa Bay organization". Newsleader.com. June 28, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Topkin, Marc (March 7, 2020). "How 'Coach Z' is impacting the Rays' pitching staff, others". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Tyler Zombro Named BC Relief Pitcher of the Month". MiLB.com. July 3, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  13. ↑ Driver, David. "Harrisonburg Native Zombro Waited His Turn With Rays". Daily News-Record. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  14. 1 2 Cox, Steve. "Baseball, Valley communities rally around Tyler Zombro as he recovers from traumatic head injury". The News Virginian. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Topkin, Marc (February 15, 2022). "Rays minor-leaguer Tyler Zombro on track to return from traumatic incident". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Bulls Tyler Zombro hit by line drive". MiLB.com. June 3, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  17. ↑ "'It is miraculous': Zombro back in action after brain surgery". MLB.com. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  18. ↑ Berry, Adam (March 26, 2022). "Zombro's latest milestone: a Spring Training appearance". MLB.com. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Bulls add Zombro to active roster". WRALSportsFan.com. April 21, 2022. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  20. ↑ Berry, Adam (April 24, 2022). "Zombro gets standing O in return to mound". MLB.com. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  21. ↑ Topkin, Marc (June 13, 2022). "Rays' Corey Kluber has reason to be confident against Yankees". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  22. ↑ "Transactions". MiLB.com.
  23. ↑ "Rangers sign Tyler Zombro to minor-league deal, two years post-brain surgery after line drive to the head". cbssports.com. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  24. ↑ "2023 MiLB Free Agents". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Transactions". MiLB.com.
  26. ↑ "Ex-Rays minor leaguer hit by comebacker retires". ESPN.com. August 23, 2024.
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Tyler Zombro
Tyler Zombro on Sports Spectrum.jpg
Zombro interviewed about his injury in 2021
Pitcher
Born: (1994-09-02) September 2, 1994 (age 29)
Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right