Position: LHP
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 205 lbs
Throws: L
Born: 03/26/1992
College: University of Missouri
Drafted: 2nd Rd., 41st Overall, 2013 by Chicago Cubs
How Acquired: Signed as Minor League Free Agent in February of 2023
Bonus: $1,100,000
Overview
Zastryzny is a curious case. The Cubs drafted him in the second round on the basis of a fastball that had some deception and that he located well. His velocity has never been very good, averaging 88-90 in the majors from 2016-18, then 92 in 2022. He throws a cutter, curve and change, but none of his secondary pitches has ever been well regarded. The change is probably the best. He’s seldom gotten good results; his career ERA is 4.61 in the minors and 4.66 in the majors. He’s often had reverse platoon splits. The Pirates signed him to a minor league deal for 2023.
2013
Zastryzny had a good debut, mostly as a starter. Baseball America ranked him 20th in the Cubs’ system after the season.
2014
Still pitching as a starter Zastryzny got hit around some in the pitching-dominated Florida State League. Opponents put up a 279/340/449 line against him, all well above the league averages. He did improve a good deal after a rough time in the first two months. BA ranked him 14th in the system.
2015
After missing May and most of June with a broken ankle, Zastryzny struggled in AA. His control slipped and opponents put up an .896 OPS against him.
2016
The Cubs sent Zastryany to AA and he pitched just decently through nine starts. In late May, they moved him up to AAA. He mostly struggled there, but had a good run in late July and early August. The Cubs called him up and he pitched well in middle relief the rest of the season. BA restored him to the #14 ranking in the system.
2017
Zastryzny went back to AAA and pitched in relief until he got called up in early May. After one appearance, he went out for two months with a back injury. He returned to AAA in late July, still pitching in relief, and mostly got hit hard, then he returned to Chicago for three rough appearances in September.
2018
Zastryzny spent most of the season pitching in relief in AAA, getting just a few brief callups. He mostly pitched well in AAA; one meltdown inflated his ERA, but his control wasn’t good overall. The Cubs outrighted him at the beginning of September and he became a free agent after the season.
2019
Zastryzny signed a minor league deal with the Angels at the end of spring training. He spent most of the season in AAA, mainly as a starter. He struggled badly, getting sent down to AA for a while in July. Opponents put up an .851 OPS against him on the season. Afterward, he became a free agent again and signed with Baltimore.
2020
DNP
Zastryzny never pitched for the Orioles in the pandemic season. They released him in September.
2021
Zastryzny was out of organized baseball until early May, when he signed a minor league deal with Miami. He spent the rest of the season pitching in relief in AAA. He fanned a lot of hitters, but also allowed a lot of baserunners. In the fall, he signed a minor league deal with the Mets.
2022
With the Mets, Zastryzny pitched in relief in AAA until mid-August. He again pitched just decently, with a lot of strikeouts but also a lot of baserunners. In August, the Mets called him up, but they designated him for assignment two days later. The Angels claimed him and he pitched eight times for them in AAA and five times in the majors. They removed him from the roster after the season and he signed with the Pirates.
There’s not much in Zastryzny’s history to suggest much upside, but he had a strong spring and made the team to start the season. He was helped by an injury to Jarlin Garcia.
Zastryzny pitched regularly for the Pirates through mid-April, then went on the injured list. He returned in late May and continued pitching frequently until mid-June, when he went back on the injured list. He wasn’t especially effective for them in the majors. In early July, the Pirates designated him for assignment when they activated Ji-Man Choi from the 60-day injured list.
Stats
Transactions
June 7, 2013: Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 2nd round, 41st overall pick; signed on June 17.
August 19, 2016: Contract purchased by the Chicago Cubs.
September 1, 2018: Designated for assignment by the Chicago Cubs; outrighted to AAA on September 3.
February 25, 2019: Became a free agent.
March 27, 2019: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
November 4, 2019: Became a free agent.
November 26, 2019: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Baltimore Orioles.
September 18, 2020: Released by the Baltimore Orioles.
May 4, 2021: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Miami Marlins.
November 10, 2021: Became a free agent.
November 29, 2021: Signed as a minor league free agent by the New York Mets.
August 20, 2022: Called up by the New York Mets.
August 22, 2022: Designated for assignment by the New York Mets.
August 25, 2022: Claimed off waivers from the New York Mets by the Los Angeles Angels.
November 15, 2022: Designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels, became a free agent on November 18.
December 22, 2022: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
March 30, 2023: Called up by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
July 7, 2023: Designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates; outrighted to AAA on July 11.