Michael Harvey Tonkin (born November 19, 1989) is an American

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

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 ...

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), ...

(MLB). He previously has played for the

Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...

(MLB) and the

Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters The are a Japanese professional baseball team based in Kitahiroshima, Hokkaidō. They compete in the Pacific League of Nippon Professional Baseball, playing the majority of their home games at ES CON Field Hokkaido. The Fighters also host a ...

Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''. Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...

(NPB).

Career

Minnesota Twins

Tonkin attended

Palmdale High School Palmdale High School is located in Palmdale, California and is part of the Antelope Valley Union High School District. About 4,000 students attend Palmdale High School in grades 9 through 12. Palmdale High School was founded in 1956. Notable alumn ...

Palmdale, California Palmdale is a city in northern Los Angeles County in the U.S. state of California. The city lies in the Antelope Valley region of Southern California. The San Gabriel Mountains separate Palmdale from the Los Angeles Basin to the south. On Aug ...

. The

selected Tonkin in the 30th round, 906th overall, of the

2008 Major League Baseball Draft The 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft continued Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, and was held on June 5 and 6, 2008. First round selections ;Key Supplemental first rou ...

. He made his professional debut with the rookie-level

GCL Twins The Florida Complex League Twins are the Rookie-level affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. The team plays in Fort Myers, Florida, at the Lee County Sports Complex. Prior to 2021, the ...

, and recorded a 3.27 ERA in 6 games. He returned to the team the following year, posting a 3-4 record and 3.62 ERA in 11 appearances. In 2010, Tonkin split the year between the rookie-level

Elizabethton Twins The Elizabethton Twins were a Minor League Baseball team of the Appalachian League and a Rookie-level affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They were located in Elizabethton, Tennessee, and were named for their major league affiliate. The team playe ...

and the Single-A

Beloit Snappers The Beloit Sky Carp are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in Beloit, Wisconsin, and play their home games at ABC Supply Stadium. They previously played at Harry C ...

, pitching to a 4-6 record and 3.40 ERA in 23 appearances between the two teams. He returned to Beloit in 2011, and pitched to a 4-3 record and 3.87 ERA with 69 strikeouts in 76.2 innings of work. In 2012, Tonkin split the season between Beloit and the High-A

Fort Myers Miracle The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Fort Myers, Florida, and play their home games at the Lee County Sports Complex a ...

, logging a cumulative 4-1 record and 2.08 ERA in 44 appearances. On November 20, 2012, the Twins added Tonkin to their 40-man roster. He was assigned to the Double-A

New Britain Rock Cats The New Britain Rock Cats were a minor league baseball team that competed in the Eastern League. They were the Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox for 12 years, the Minnesota Twins for 20 years and the Colorado Rockies for one. They playe ...

to begin the 2013 season, and received a promotion to the Triple-A

Rochester Red Wings The Rochester Red Wings are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They are located in Rochester, New York, and play their home games at Innovative Field ...

later in the year. On July 11, 2013, the Twins promoted Tonkin to the major leagues for the first time, and he made his major league debut that day, pitching an inning and a third of scoreless ball against the

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...

. He finished his rookie season with a 0.79 ERA in 9 appearances with Minnesota. Tonkin was optioned to the Triple-A

on March 24, 2014, but recalled by the Twins on March 31 before the Rochester season began. He was optioned back to Rochester on April 3, and recalled on April 12. He was returned to Rochester again on May 9. Tonkin finished the 2014 season with a 4.74 ERA in 24 big league games with the Twins. In 2015 with Minnesota, Tonkin pitched to a 3.47 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 23.1 innings pitched. In 2016, for the Twins, he was 3-2 with a 5.02 ERA in 65 appearances out of the bullpen. On May 6, 2017, Tonkin was designated for assignment. He was outrighted to Rochester on May 13. On September 5, Tonkin was selected back to the 40-man roster. He ended the year having pitched in 16 games for the Twins, posting a 5.14 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 21.0 innings.

Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters

On November 9, 2017, Tonkin's contract was sold to the

(NPB). In 2018, Tonkin pitched in 53 games for the Fighters, recording a 4-4 record and 3.71 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 51.0 innings of work. He became a free agent after the season.

Texas Rangers

On January 8, 2019, Tonkin signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers organization. He was released by Texas on March 21, 2019.

Milwaukee Brewers

On March 22, 2019, Tonkin signed a minor league contract with the

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...

organization. Tonkin registered a 3-0 record and 4.26 ERA in 14 games with the Triple-A

San Antonio Missions The San Antonio Missions are a Minor League Baseball team of the Texas League and the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. They are located in San Antonio, Texas, and are named for the Spanish missions around which the city was founded. ...

before he was released by the team on June 10.

Long Island Ducks

On June 18, 2019, Tonkin signed with the

Long Island Ducks The Long Island Ducks are an American professional minor-league baseball team based on Long Island in Central Islip, New York. The Ducks compete in the North Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB), an independent "partne ...

of the independent

Atlantic League of Professional Baseball The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league based in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States. The Atlantic League's ...

. In 21 games with Long Island, Tonkin pitched to a 3-2 record and 0.34 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 26.2 innings pitched.

Arizona Diamondbacks

On August 18, 2019, Tonkin's contract was purchased by the

Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...

organization and he was assigned to the Triple-A

Reno Aces The Reno Aces are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. They are located in Reno, Nevada, and play their home games at Greater Nevada Field, which opened in 2009. ...

. Tonkin finished the year with Reno, logging a 7.71 ERA in 5 games. Tonkin did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor 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 May 22, 2020, Tonkin was released by Arizona.

Long Island Ducks (second stint)

On March 31, 2021, Tonkin signed with the

of the

. Operating as a closer, Tonkin earned 9 saves and posted a league-leading 0.53 ERA over 17 innings pitched.

Toros de Tijuana

On July 13, 2021, Tonkin's contract was purchased by the

Toros de Tijuana The Toros de Tijuana (or Tijuana Bulls) are a Mexican Baseball team based in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. They are members of the Mexican Baseball League and play their home games at Estadio Chevron. Team history Original Attempt The fran ...

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 ...

Atlanta Braves

On January 11, 2022, Tonkin signed a minor league contract with the

. He had his contract selected following the 2022 season.

Personal

Tonkin's brother-in-law is

Jason Kubel Jason James Kubel (born May 25, 1982) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Cleveland Indians. A Belle Fourche, South Dakota native, Kube ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Tonkin, Michael 1989 births Living people Águilas Cibaeñas players American expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic American expatriate baseball players in Japan Baseball players from California Beloit Snappers players Elizabethton Twins players Fort Myers Miracle players Gulf Coast Twins players Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters players Long Island Ducks players Major League Baseball pitchers Minnesota Twins players New Britain Rock Cats players Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers People from Glendale, California Peoria Javelinas players Reno Aces players Rochester Red Wings players San Antonio Missions players Sportspeople from Glendale, California People from Palmdale, California