Michael Justin Zagurski (born January 27, 1983), is an American former

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 ...

. He previously 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), ...

(MLB) for the

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 ...

, Arizona Diamondbacks,

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

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...

. Zagurski has also played in

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) for the

Hiroshima Toyo Carp The is a professional baseball team based in Hiroshima, Japan. They compete in the Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda ...

and

Yokohama DeNA BayStars The are a professional baseball team in the Japan, Japanese Central League. Their home field is Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The team has been known by several names since becoming a professional team in 1950. It adopted its c ...

Amateur career

Zagurski attended

Millard North High School Millard North High School is a high school in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Millard Public Schools district. Millard North partially opened in 1978 for 9th and 10th grade students. In 1981, the second phase of the project was co ...

. Zagurski was neither drafted after high school nor recruited by any four-year colleges. He started his college career at Hutchinson Community College and finished at

University of Kansas The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, and several satellite campuses, research and educational centers, medical centers, and classes across the state of Kansas. Tw ...

, where he set the single season record for

strikeout 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 deno ...

s. Zagurski played for the

Anchorage Glacier Pilots The Anchorage Glacier Pilots are a college summer baseball team in Anchorage, Alaska in the United States. They are part of the Alaska Baseball League, and a member of the National Baseball Congress. The Pilots have won the NBC World Series i ...

of the

Alaska Baseball League The Alaska Baseball League (ABL) is an amateur collegiate summer baseball league. Players in the league must have attended one year of college and must have one year of NCAA eligibility remaining. The Midnight Sun Game, held at Growden Memorial ...

in 2004.

Professional career

Philadelphia Phillies

Zagurski was drafted by the

in the 12th round of the

2005 MLB 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 ...

. After two seasons in the low minors, he started the season with the Single-A

Clearwater Threshers The Clearwater Threshers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. They are located in Clearwater, Florida, and have played their home games at BayCare Ballpark since 2 ...

before being promoted to the Double-A

Reading Phillies Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...

. On May 25, when

Brett Myers Brett Allen Myers (born August 17, 1980) is an American singer and former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros, Chicago White Sox, and Cleveland Indians. Born and rai ...

was placed on the

disabled list In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL). General guidelines ...

, Zagurski was placed on the Phillies major league roster. He made his first appearance that evening. "The only thing I could say was, 'wow,'" he later told ''

The Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pennsy ...

''. Almost 60 of the pitcher's friends, former teammates, and family were in attendance at Zagurski's first major league appearance at 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 ...

Turner Field Turner Field was a baseball stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia. From 1997 to 2016, it served as the home ballpark to the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). Originally built as Centennial Olympic Stadium in 1996 to serve as the c ...

. Legendary broadcaster Harry Kalas remarked on the cheers that greeted Zagurski's entry to the game and added that the 'Phillies might have themselves a left-hander' after Zagurski retired the first three batters he faced. Zagurski walked

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...

pinch hitter

Julio Franco Julio César Franco Robles (born August 23, 1958)Franco's birth date is in question. Many of his early bios and cards have his birthday listed in 1954, and on the roster of the Quintana Roo Tigres, his birthday is listed in 1961. is a Dominica ...

, who made his major league debut for the Phillies the year before Zagurski was born, and retired

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 ...

outfielder

Barry Bonds Barry Lamar Bonds (born July 24, 1964) is an American former professional baseball left fielder who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Bonds was a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1986 to 1992 and the San Francisco Giants f ...

less than two weeks after being called up. On the possibility of pitching to the potential future Hall of Famer, Zagurski had said, "Having an opportunity to face ondswould be awesome. I'm sure I would notice him, but he's still trying to hit the ball and I'm still trying to get him out, so I think the star-strucking will stop" On June 7, Zagurski won his first major league game as the Phillies completed a three-game sweep of the first-place

at Shea Stadium. Phillies color commentator Gary Matthews said Zagurski believed he had a place in the major leagues and that the young pitcher was "not at all in awe of being here." Phillies manager

Charlie Manuel Charles Fuqua Manuel Jr. (born January 4, 1944), is an American former professional baseball player, coach, and manager. During his playing career, he appeared over parts of six Major League Baseball seasons for the Minnesota Twins and Los Angel ...

said after the game that Zagurski "has a future in the big leagues, and he definitely has a future with us." On July 15, Zagurski pitched the entire ninth inning of the Phillies' 10,000th franchise loss. The game, which was carried nationally on

ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...

Sunday Night Baseball ''Sunday Night Baseball'' is an exclusive weekly telecast of a Major League Baseball game that airs Sunday nights at 7:00 p.m. EDT on ESPN during the regular season. The games are preceded most weeks by the studio show ''Baseball Tonight: ...

, saw the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Phillies 10–2. On July 27, Myers was activated from the 15-day disabled list and the Phillies optioned Zagurski to the Triple-A

Ottawa Lynx The Ottawa Lynx were a Minor League Baseball team that competed in the Triple-A International League (IL) from 1993 to 2007. The team's home field was Lynx Stadium in Ottawa, Ontario. Over 15 seasons, the team was an affiliate of the Montreal ...

. On August 15, Zagurski was recalled to the majors when starter Adam Eaton was placed on the 15-day disabled list. On April 3, 2008, Zagurski underwent season-ending

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 ...

and missed the entire 2008 season. Zagurski started the 2010 season with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Triple-A Affiliate of the Phillies, and was recalled to the major league club on June 22, 2010. He pitched innings in his return, allowing one

walk 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 ov ...

and one

. Zagurski was designated for assignment by the Phillies on September 16, 2011.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Zagurski was

traded Trade involves the transfer of goods and services from one person or entity to another, often in exchange for money. Economists refer to a system or network that allows trade as a market. An early form of trade, barter, saw the direct excha ...

by the Phillies to the Arizona Diamondbacks on September 23, 2011 in exchange for a minor league pitcher. On April 4, 2012, Zagurski was out righted to the minors, removing him from the major league roster.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Zagurski signed with the

on December 1, 2012. He was designated for assignment on June 14, 2013 to make room on the Pirates' roster for

Brandon Cumpton Brandon Tyler Cumpton (born November 16, 1988) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 9th round of the 2010 Major League Baseball draft and made his MLB debut for them in 2013. He att ...

New York Yankees

Zagurski signed a minor league deal with the

on June 21, 2013. He opted out of his minor league deal on August 16.

Oakland Athletics

Zagurski signed a minor league deal with the

Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...

on August 18, 2013. He was released on September 2, after making 6 appearances for their Triple-A affiliate

Sacramento River Cats The Sacramento River Cats are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and are the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Prior to 2015, the River Cats were the Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics for 15 yea ...

Second stint with Yankees

Zagurski re-signed with the New York Yankees on September 10, 2013. He made his Yankee debut on September 15 at

Fenway Park Fenway Park is a baseball stadium located in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, near Kenmore Square. Since 1912, it has been the home of the Boston Red Sox, the city's American League baseball team, and since 1953, its only Major League Base ...

against the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...

. He was outrighted off the roster on October 3.

Cleveland Indians

Zagurski signed a minor league deal with 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 ...

on November 22, 2013. Zagurski was assigned to the Triple-A

Columbus Clippers The Columbus Clippers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. They are located in Columbus, Ohio, and are named for speedy Merchant ship, mercha ...

. He was released on May 24, 2014.

Toronto Blue Jays

On May 27, 2014, Zagurski signed a minor league deal with the

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...

. He was added to the Triple-A

Buffalo Bisons The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen Fiel ...

roster on May 30. On September 2, Zagurski asked for and was granted his release from the Blue Jays organization. He posted a 4–1 record in 2014, with a 2.08 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 60 innings.

Hiroshima Toyo Carp

On October 21, 2014, it was announced that Zagurski had signed a contract with the

. Zagurski pitched in 19 games for the Carp in 2015, recording no decisions, with 16 strikeouts in 15 innings pitched and a 2.40 ERA.

Yokohama DeNA BayStars

On April 5, 2016, Zagurski signed with the

. Zagurski appeared in 32 games for the BayStars in 2016. He posted a 3-1 record with a 4.96 ERA. He struck out 34 batters in 32 innings pitched.

Detroit Tigers

On February 5, 2017, Zagurski signed a minor league contract with 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 ...

. He was released on June 15.

Milwaukee Brewers

On December 17, 2017, Zagurski 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 ...

. On June 27, his minor league contract was bought by the Brewers, promoting him to the Majors. Three days later, Zagurski made his first Major League appearance since the 2013 season, earning his first career loss against 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 ...

. This set the MLB record for the longest time between a pitcher's first career win and loss at 11 years, 23 days. Zagurski was designated for assignment on July 8, 2018. He was later optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs. He declared free agency on October 15, 2018.

Chicago Cubs

On December 19, 2018, Zagurski signed a minor league contract with the

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 ...

. He was released on March 24, 2019.

References

External links

Mike Zagurski
at Baseball Almanac

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zagurski, Mike 1983 births Living people American expatriate baseball players in Canada American expatriate baseball players in Japan Arizona Diamondbacks players Baseball players from Nebraska Batavia Muckdogs players Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Clearwater Threshers players Colorado Springs Sky Sox players Erie SeaWolves players Hiroshima Toyo Carp players Hutchinson Community College alumni Indianapolis Indians players Kansas Jayhawks baseball players Lakewood BlueClaws players Lehigh Valley IronPigs players Major League Baseball pitchers Milwaukee Brewers players New York Yankees players Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers Ottawa Lynx players Philadelphia Phillies players Pittsburgh Pirates players Reading Phillies players Reno Aces players Sacramento River Cats players Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders players Sportspeople from Omaha, Nebraska Toledo Mud Hens players Yokohama DeNA BayStars players Anchorage Glacier Pilots players