Austin Vernon

Austin Jeremy Vernon

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 8", Weight 265 lb.
• School North Carolina Central University
• High School Knightdale High School

• Born February 8, 1999 in Raleigh, NC USA

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Austin Vernon has pitched in the minors and for Team USA. He is the brother of Andrew Vernon.

He was 1-1 with a 5.85 ERA as a college freshman and 3-4 with four saves and a 4.09 ERA as a sophomore. With the Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod League, he was 3-0 with a 3.92 ERA and 31 K in 20 2/3 IP. His junior year, he improved to 5-4, 2.55 with 109 K in 70 2/3 IP, allowing only 41 hits. He threw the first no-hitter in NCCU history and was named All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, leading the league in K and opponent average (.163) and finishing second in ERA.

The Tampa Bay Rays took him in the 10th round of the 2021 amateur draft and signed for a $139,800 bonus. The scout was Joe Hastings. He made his pro debut with the FCL Rays, striking out 17 and allowing four hits in 11 1/3 IP, going 0-2 with a 0.79 ERA. He split 2022 between the Charleston RiverDogs (9-1, Sv, 1.69, 91 K in 58 2/3 IP) and Bowling Green Hot Rods (0-3, Sv, 4.50 in 9 G). He tied Alexander Cornielle, Luis Devers and Michele Vassalotti for 5th in the Carolina League in wins. In the Rays chain, he tied Josh Fleming for 4th in victories.

In 2023, he was 7-4 with two saves and a 6.12 ERA for Bowling Green. He had a 4.50 ERA in nine outings that fall for the Peoria Javelinas. Moving up to the Montgomery Biscuits for 2024, he was 2-3 with 9 saves and a 4.21 ERA, striking out 66 in 51 1/3 innings. He was third in the Southern League with 46 appearances, trailing Keyshawn Askew and Justin Yeager. He also tied Joe Record and Alfredo Zárraga for second in the Rays system in games pitched, one shy of Askew.

The giant right-hander made four appearances for the US when they won Bronze in the 2024 Premier 12. Debuting against the Dutch national team, he relieved Spencer Patton in closing out a 12-2 win. He struck out Didi Gregorius and then got Jonathan Schoop and Juremi Profar on grounders. He finished with a 2.45 ERA.