Bruce Rondón (born December 9, 1990) is a

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Mod ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

for the

Diablos Rojos del México The Diablos Rojos del Mexico (English: Mexico Red Devils) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Mexico City, Mexico. The team was founded in 1940 by Salvador Lutteroth and Ernesto Carmona. The Diablos Rojos play their hom ...

of the

Mexican League The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country. The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...

. He played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

for the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...

in 2013 and from 2015 through 2017 and for the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...

in 2018. Rondón's

fastball The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. "Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have thro ...

has exceeded .

Playing career

Early minor league career (2007–2012)

Rondón signed with the

organization as an international

free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...

on September 12, 2007. He first played with the organization in 2008 as a member of the

Venezuelan Summer League The Venezuelan Summer League (VSL) was a professional baseball sports league that operated in Venezuela from 1997 to 2015, primarily in the state of Carabobo. Teams in the league served as academies for Major League Baseball (MLB) organizations, a ...

Tigers (VSL). He started 13 games, compiling a 2–6

win–loss record In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of match ...

and a 3.58

earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...

(ERA). In 2009, Rondón appeared in six games, starting the year with the

Gulf Coast League Tigers The Florida Complex League Tigers are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. Prior to 2021, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Tigers. The team plays its home gam ...

(GCL). He made three starts, registering an 0–1 record and a 4.76 ERA. On July 10, he rejoined the VSL Tigers and made three relief appearances, posting an ERA of 13.50. IMG 0032 Bruce Rondón

Rondón split the 2010 season between the GCL Tigers and the

Lakeland Flying Tigers The Lakeland Flying Tigers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Lakeland, Florida, and play their home games at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. ...

of the

Class A-Advanced High-A (officially Class High-A, formerly known as Class A-Advanced, and sometimes abbreviated "A+" in writing) is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Canada, below Triple-A and Double-A, and abov ...

Florida State League The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following ...

(FSL), appearing in a combined total of 28 games, all of them as a reliever. He made 24 appearances in the GCL, leading the league with 15 saves. Rondón ended the season in the GCL with 20 consecutive scoreless outings and during that stretch, which covered 21

inning In baseball, softball, and similar games, an inning is the basic unit of play, consisting of two halves or frames, the "top" (first half) and the "bottom" (second half). In each half, one team bats until three outs are made, with the other team ...

s, he

struck out In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is denot ...

23 opponents. GCL hitters had a .133

batting average against In baseball statistics, batting average against (denoted by BAA or AVG), also known as opponents' batting average (denoted by OBA), is a statistic that measures a pitcher's ability to prevent hits during official at bats. It can alternatively b ...

Rondón, the best mark for all GCL relief pitchers in 2010. He was named a GCL all–star in 2010. Rondón finished the minor league season with four appearances for Lakeland, after he joined the Flying Tigers on August 24. Rondón spent all of 2011 with the

West Michigan Whitecaps The West Michigan Whitecaps are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Comstock Park, Michigan, a suburb of Grand Rapids, and play their home games at LMCU Ballpark. ...

of the Class A

Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...

, appearing in 41 games before trouble with his right shoulder ended his season in August. He gathered 19 saves and posted a 2.03 ERA with the Whitecaps, and was named to appear in the 2011

All-Star game Late in the year, ''

Baseball America ''Baseball America'' is a sports enterprise that covers baseball at every level, including MLB, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in the MiLB, college, high school, and international leagues. It is currently published in the form o ...

'' ranked Rondón as Detroit's 12th-highest prospect. The previous year, he had been rated 13th. Rondón started the 2012 season on Lakeland's roster, but he was promoted to the

Erie SeaWolves The Erie SeaWolves are an United States, American professional baseball team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. They compete in Minor League Baseball (MiLB) as a member of the Eastern League (1938–present), Eastern League's Southwest Division, serving ...

of the

Class AA Double-A (officially Class AA) is the second-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946, below only Triple-A. There are currently 30 teams classified at the Double-A level, one for each team in Major League ...

Eastern League on June 20 and then to the

Toledo Mud Hens The Toledo Mud Hens are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Toledo, Ohio, and play their home games at Fifth Third Field. A Mud Hens team has played in ...

of the

Class AAA Triple-A (officially Class AAA) has been the highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946. Currently, two leagues operate at the Triple-A level, the International League (IL) and the Pacific Coast League (PCL ...

International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ...

on August 7. Between the three teams, Rondón saved 29 games and posted an ERA of 1.53 while striking out 66 opponents. His save total was the third-highest for a minor leaguer. He was named to appear in the 2012

All-Star Futures Game The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game hosted by Major League Baseball (MLB) in conjunction with the mid-summer MLB All-Star Game. A team of American League-affiliated prospects competes against a team of National League ...

. He retired two hitters on four fastballs, with one fastball registering on the

Kaufman Stadium Kauffman Stadium (), often called "The K", is a baseball stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri. It is home to the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). It is part of the Truman Sports Complex together with the adjacent Arrowhead S ...

radar gun. Rondón was recognized as Detroit's Minor League Pitcher of the Year and in June, he was the organization's Minor League Pitcher of the Month. ''Baseball America'' picked Rondón as the top reliever in both the Eastern League and the FSL.

Detroit Tigers (2013–2017)

Tigers

general manager A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...

Dave Dombrowski David Dombrowski (born July 27, 1956) is an American baseball executive who serves as the President of Baseball Operations for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). Dombrowski also previously served as the general manager of ...

referred to Rondón as a "rare talent" after the 2012 season, and indicated that he could become the Tigers closer in 2013. Rondón struggled early in

spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...

, but began to improve with mechanical changes. The Tigers optioned Rondón to Toledo for the start of the 2013 season. They promoted him to the major leagues on April 23, but did not use him as their closer. He made his Major League debut on April 25, 2013 against the Kansas City Royals. He entered the game in relief in the eighth inning. His first batter faced was Billy Butler, who singled to right field. His pitching line for this first inning was two hits, one run scored. Bruce returned to Toledo in early May, where he posted 14 saves and a 1.52 ERA, with 40 strikeouts and 13 walks in 29 innings. The Tigers recalled him to the major league club on June 28, 2013. He earned his first major league save on August 30, 2013 against the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...

. He posted a 3.45 ERA in his first major league season, striking out 30 batters in 28 innings. Expected to be one of the Tigers' primary setup men for 2014, Rondón underwent

Tommy John surgery Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, colloquially known as Tommy John surgery (TJS), is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's bo ...

to repair a torn ligament in his right elbow during spring training. After the procedure, Rondón missed the entire 2014 season. He returned to pitch for the Tigers midway through the 2015 season. On September 22, 2015, Rondón was sent home by the Tigers due to their displeasure with his effort level. In 35 appearances this season, he posted a 1–0 record, with five saves in nine opportunities, a 5.81 ERA, a 1.61 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts. In 31 innings, he allowed 31 hits and 19 walks, while issuing a team-high 5.5 walks per nine innings. Preparing for the 2016 season, Rondón lost and made mechanical changes to his delivery. The Tigers optioned Rondón to the Mud Hens on March 28, 2016. Rondón was recalled to the Tigers on June 19, 2016, and he pitched two scoreless innings of relief against the

Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...

. Rondón made 37 relief appearances in the 2016 season, compiling a 5–2 record with a 2.97 ERA and 45 strikeouts in innings. On January 13, 2017, the Tigers avoided arbitration with Rondón, agreeing on a one-year, $850,000 contract. He appeared in the

2017 World Baseball Classic The 2017 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was an international professional baseball competition, composed of 16 competing nations, held from March 6 to March 22, 2017. It was the fourth iteration of the World Baseball Classic. The first-round hosts ...

for the

Venezuelan national baseball team The Venezuela national baseball team (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Selección de béisbol de Venezuela'') is the national team of Venezuela. It is currently WBSC World Rankings, ranked sixth in the world by the World Baseball Softball Confederat ...

. During the 2017 season, Rondón pitched , allowing 19 runs on 21 hits, before he was demoted to Toledo. The Tigers did not include Rondón in their

September call-up A Major League Baseball roster is a list of players who are allowed, by league agreement, to play for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Each MLB team maintains two rosters: an active roster of players eligible to participate in an MLB game, and ...

s. He was non-tendered and became a free agent on December 1, 2017. His major league career with the Tigers ended with a 5.00 ERA and seven saves in 123 relief appearances.

Chicago White Sox

On February 1, 2018, Rondón signed a minor league contract with the

. He had his contract purchased on April 8, 2018. He entered the game that same day against the Tigers striking out all four batters he faced. He was designated for assignment on July 12 after posting an ERA of 8.49 in innings. He elected free agency on July 17, 2018.

Mexican League

On April 20, 2020, Rondón signed with the

Rieleros de Aguascalientes The Rieleros de Aguascalientes (English: Aguascalientes Railroaders) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Aguascalientes, Mexico. History Baseball arrived in Aguascalientes in hand with the railroad at the beginning o ...

of the

. Rondón did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Mexican League season because of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

. On March 10, 2021, Rondón signed with the

Sultanes de Monterrey The Sultanes de Monterrey ( en, Monterrey Sultans) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Monterrey, Mexico. They compete in the Northern Division. The team also joined the Mexican Pacific League for the 2019–20 season f ...

. However, he was released prior to the season on May 5, 2021, due to an injury to his throwing arm. Rondón signed with Aguascalientes for the 2022 season on March 21, 2022. On June 21, 2022, he was traded to the

Pitching style

Rondón relies heavily on a hard

four-seam fastball A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family of pitches and is usually the hardest (i.e., fastest) ball thrown by a pitcher. It is ca ...

in the range, which he frequently throws at or above . His other pitches include a

slider Slider or Sliders may refer to: Arts * K.K. Slider, a fictional character within the ''Animal Crossing'' franchise * ''The Slider'', a 1972 album by T. Rex * Sliders (TV series), ''Sliders'' (TV series), an American science fiction and fantasy t ...

in the range, a

changeup A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball. The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced speed ...

in the range, and an occasional sinker in the upper 90s, which he is still developing.

Personal life

Rondón is named after

Bruce Lee Bruce Lee (; born Lee Jun-fan, ; November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was a Hong Kong and American martial artist and actor. He was the founder of Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial arts philosophy drawing from different combat disciplines that ...

References

External links

Venezuelan Professional Baseball League statistics
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rondon, Bruce 1990 births Living people Bravos de Margarita players Charlotte Knights players Chicago White Sox players Detroit Tigers players Erie SeaWolves players Gulf Coast Tigers players Lakeland Flying Tigers players Major League Baseball pitchers Major League Baseball players from Venezuela Navegantes del Magallanes players Sportspeople from Valencia, Venezuela Toledo Mud Hens players Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in the United States Venezuelan Summer League Tigers players West Michigan Whitecaps players World Baseball Classic players of Venezuela 2017 World Baseball Classic players Diablos Rojos del México players Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in Mexico

Playing career

Early minor league career (2007–2012)

Detroit Tigers (2013–2017)

Chicago White Sox

Mexican League

Pitching style

Personal life

See also

References

External links