Christopher Kenneth Volstad (born September 23, 1986) is an American former professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...

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 ...

. He is a 2005 graduate of

Palm Beach Gardens High School Palm Beach Gardens Community High School is a public magnet high school for grades 9–12 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The school mascot is the Gator. It was built in 1968 as a public high school. The original school was demolished and a new sc ...

. He has played in MLB for the

Florida Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The franc ...

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...

Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...

and

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 ...

and in the

KBO League The KBO League (), officially the Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League, is the highest level league of baseball in South Korea. The KBO League was founded with six franchises in 1982 and is the most popular sports league in South Korea. The Kia Tigers ar ...

for the

Doosan Bears The Doosan Bears ( ko, 두산 베어스) are a South Korean professional baseball team based in Seoul. Founded in 1982, they are a member of the KBO League. The Bears have won six Korean Series titles (1982, 1995, 2001, 2015, 2016, and 2019) and ...

. Volstad was drafted with the 16th pick in the

2005 Major League Baseball draft The 2005 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 7 and 8. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams. It is widely considered to be one of the best ...

, the first of three first round picks for the Marlins that year.

Amateur career

Volstad played in amateur baseball tournaments from a young age, winning the championship in a 12-and-under travel competition for a team representing Broward and Palm Beach counties, against a team representing

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

's Central Valley, at the

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...

Cooperstown, New York Cooperstown is a village in and county seat of Otsego County, New York, United States. Most of the village lies within the town of Otsego, but some of the eastern part is in the town of Middlefield. Located at the foot of Otsego Lake in the C ...

David Adams David Adams Musical Theatre Performer Starlight Express, Avenue Q, Les Miserables, Government officials * David S. Adams (State Department) (born 1961), Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs * David Adams (Labour politician) ( ...

was a teammate. Volstad graduated from

Palm Beach Gardens Community High School Palm Beach Gardens Community High School is a public magnet high school for grades 9–12 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The school mascot is the Gator. It was built in 1968 as a public high school. The original school was demolished and a new sc ...

in 2005, pitching to a 7-2

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 ...

with one save and a 0.41

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 10 games for the school's baseball team as a senior,

striking out ''Striking Out'' is an Irish television legal drama series, broadcast on RTÉ, that first aired on 1 January 2017. Produced by Bl!nder F!lms for RTÉ Television, ''Striking Out'' stars Amy Huberman as Dublin-based solicitor Tara Rafferty, who is ...

98 batters and

walking Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of terrestrial locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults o ...

just eight in 69

innings pitched In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one innin ...

. He led his team deep into the regional playoffs, coming up one game short of States.

Minor league career

In his first season of professional baseball, Volstad went 4-3 in 13 starts (with 55 K's in 65 IP) between the GCL Marlins and

Jamestown Jammers The Jamestown Jammers were a minor league baseball team based in Jamestown, New York from 1994 until 2014. The team was the Short-Season A classification affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates and played in the New York–Penn League. The team playe ...

of the

New York–Penn League The New York–Penn League (NYPL) was a Minor League Baseball league that operated in the northeastern United States from 1939 to 2020. Classified as a Class A Short Season league, its season started in June, after major-league teams signed th ...

( Short season A) with a 2.22

ERA An era is a span of time defined for the purposes of chronology or historiography, as in the regnal eras in the history of a given monarchy, a calendar era used for a given calendar, or the geological eras defined for the history of Earth. Comp ...

. Volstad never returned to Jamestown, instead starting out with the

Greensboro Grasshoppers The Greensboro Grasshoppers are a Minor League Baseball team based in Greensboro, North Carolina. They are members of the South Atlantic League and are the High-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They play their home games at First National ...

of the

South Atlantic League The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its ...

(Class A). He went 11-8 over 26 starts with a 3.08 ERA. He was named the Marlins' #1 prospect in ''

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 ...

s annual rankings. Volstad started his second full pro season with the

Jupiter Hammerheads The Jupiter Hammerheads are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in the town of Jupiter, Florida, Jupiter in Palm Beach County, Florida, and play their home game ...

of the

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 ...

(Class A-Advanced). He struggled somewhat compared to his first season and a half, going 8-9 in 21 games (20 starts) with a 4.50 ERA. However, in later action with Florida's AA affiliate, the

Carolina Mudcats The Carolina Mudcats are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Zebulon, North Carolina, a suburb of Raleigh, North Carolina, Raleigh, and play their home games a ...

of the Southern League, he improved to a 4-2 record and a 3.16 ERA. In 2008, Volstad continued at Carolina, posting a 4-4 record, 3.36 ERA in 15 starts before being promoted to the major leagues.

Major league career

Pitching style

Volstad is a sinkerballer. He throws his sinker about half the time, averaging at 91 MPH. His secondary pitch is a mid-80s

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. He also features a straight

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 ...

, a

curveball In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...

, and 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 ...

. He throws his changeup primarily to left-handed hitters and his slider primarily to right-handed hitters.

Florida Marlins

On July 6, 2008, the Marlins purchased Volstad's contract and added him to the active roster. He made his major league debut the same day in a game against the

, earning the win with 2 scoreless innings from the bullpen. On July 11, 2008 Volstad started his first major league game against the

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...

, earning the win and baffling the Dodger hitters with a 94 mph fastball and sharp 12-6 curveball. Volstad pitched innings, and gave up 1 run on 5 hits, striking out 6. Volstad added his first major league hit in this game: a single off the Dodgers starter

Eric Stults Eric William Stults (born December 9, 1979) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Colorado Rockies, Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves in Major League Baseball, and for ...

. On August 7, 2008, Volstad delivered a masterful performance against the NL East-leading

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...

to reduce their lead in the division to games. He pitched 6 innings of shutout baseball, outdueling

Cole Hamels Colbert Michael Hamels (born December 27, 1983), nicknamed "Hollywood", is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies (2006–2015), Texas Rangers ( ...

of the Phillies. On July 8, 2009, Volstad pitched what many could argue as the best game of his career. Against the

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...

, he pitched his first career complete game allowing only five hits and no runs. His win helped the Marlins avoid a sweep in San Francisco. In late August 2009 he was sent to the Triple-A

New Orleans Zephyrs New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

after a inning start against the

San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...

. In September 2010, Volstad was involved in a bench clearing brawl against the

Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...

. In the day's previous game, the Nationals'

Nyjer Morgan Nyjer Jamid Morgan (born July 2, 1980) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Nationals, Milwaukee Brewers, and Cleveland Indians, in Nippon Pro ...

intentionally ran into Marlins' catcher Brett Hayes on a play at home plate where Morgan was called out. Hayes separated his shoulder and it was determined later that night that he would miss the remainder of the season. In Morgan's first at-bat, Volstad threw at Morgan, hitting him. Morgan proceeded to steal two bases when the Marlins had an almost double digit lead, breaking an

unwritten rule Unwritten rules (synonyms: Unspoken rules) are behavioral constraints imposed in organizations or societies that are not typically voiced or written down. They usually exist in unspoken and unwritten format because they form a part of the logical ...

of ethics in the game. Offended by Morgan once again, Volstad threw another pitch at Morgan in his next at-bat, with it going behind Morgan's back. Morgan quickly charged the mound, despite the fact that Volstad stood nearly a foot taller than him. Morgan's punch connected, and Morgan was promptly knocked to the ground by Marlins' first baseman

Gaby Sánchez Gabriel Sánchez (born September 2, 1983) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida/Miami Marlins and Pittsburgh Pirates, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the ...

, resulting in the bench-clearing brawl. After the game, Volstad sported a shiner from the Morgan punch. Volstad was suspended for 6 games because of the incident.

Chicago Cubs

On January 5, 2012, The Marlins traded him to the

for

Carlos Zambrano Carlos Alberto Zambrano Matos (born June 1, 1981), nicknamed "Big Z" or "El Toro", is a Venezuelan former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2001 to 2012 for the Chicago Cubs and Miami Marlins. Zambrano ...

. On May 18, 2012, Volstad was sent to Triple A Iowa after an 0-6 slump. On July 3, 2012, Volstad was called back up to the Cubs. He made a start later that day, giving up 6 runs over 4.1 innings, and getting the loss against the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...

Kansas City Royals

On October 26, 2012, Volstad was claimed off of waivers by 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 ...

. On November 20, 2012 the Royals designated Volstad for assignment in order to clear room on the 40-man roster.

Colorado Rockies

On January 20, 2013, Volstad signed a minor league deal with the

, with a chance to compete for a spot in the Colorado rotation. After allowing 10 runs in 6 games for the Rockies, Volstad was placed on waivers on June 20, 2013. He became a free agent on October 1.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

On November 6, 2013, he signed a minor league contract with the

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...

Doosan Bears

Volstad pitched for the

of the

Korea Baseball Organization The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO; ko, 한국야구위원회) is the governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. The KBO was founded in 1981 and has governed two leagues: the KBO League ( ko, KBO 리그) and KBO ...

in 2014. However, he was ineffective for the Bears, who released him at midseason.

Pittsburgh Pirates

On January 30, 2015, the

signed Volstad to a minor league deal. Then, after pitching in relief for two scoreless innings in a game on June 24, 2015, Volstad was designated for assignment alongside

José Tábata José Nicolas Tábata (born August 12, 1988) is a Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He was an international signee (2005) of the New York Yankees and, by 2008, became the Yankees' No. 2 prospect. He played in Major L ...

on June 28 to make room for

Gorkys Hernández Gorkys Gustavo Hernández Lugo (born September 7, 1987) is a Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Miami Marlins, San Francisco Giants, and ...

and Steve Lombardozzi Jr.

Atlanta Braves

On October 30, 2015, Volstad signed a minor league deal with the

. He was released on March 12, 2016.

Chicago White Sox

On March 24, 2016, Volstad signed a minor league deal with the

. In December 2016, he signed another minor league contract with the White Sox. He was first called up by the White Sox in September 2017, and made 6 appearances for the club, including 2 starts. On January 22, 2018, Volstad re-signed a minor league deal with the

. His contract was selected by the White Sox on April 12, 2018. Volstad spent the majority of the 2018 season in the White Sox bullpen, compiling the most innings he's pitched in the majors since 2012. In innings, he was 1-5 with a 6.27 ERA. Volstad was designated for assignment on July 27, 2018. He was released on July 31, 2018.

Cincinnati Reds

On February 16, 2020, Volstad signed a minor league deal with the

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...

. He was released prior to the 2020 season.

References

External links

Career statistics and player information
from

{{DEFAULTSORT:Volstad, Chris Living people 1986 births People from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida Baseball players from Florida Major League Baseball pitchers KBO League pitchers American expatriate baseball players in South Korea Florida Marlins players Chicago Cubs players Colorado Rockies players Doosan Bears players Pittsburgh Pirates players Chicago White Sox players Gulf Coast Marlins players Jamestown Jammers players Greensboro Grasshoppers players Jupiter Hammerheads players Carolina Mudcats players New Orleans Zephyrs players Iowa Cubs players Colorado Springs Sky Sox players Salt Lake Bees players Tigres del Licey players American expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic Indianapolis Indians players Charlotte Knights players