Darren Byrd

Darren Wayne Byrd

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 200 lb.
• High School Pine Forest High School (Pensacola)

• Born October 24, 1986 in Pensacola, FL USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Darren Byrd pitched for three different major league organizations in a minor league career that lasted from 2005 to 2015. He was originally drafted out of high school by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 18th round of the 2005 amateur draft and began his career that same year with the GCL Phillies, going 3-1, 2.66 in 9 games. He went 4-1, 2.94 in 13 games between the GCL Phillies and Batavia Muckdogs in 2006, then moved to full-season ball for the first time in 2007. That year, he spent the entire season with the Lakewood Blue Claws of the South Atlantic League where he was 9-11, 4.04 as a starter. His 156 innings that year would be the highest total of his pro career.

In 2008, he split the season bwrween Lakewood and the Clearwater Threshers of the Florida State League, finishing at 5-9, 4.33 in 24 games, again as a full-time starter. In 2009, he was with Clearwater the entire year, going 5-7, 4.60 in 24 games, as he began a transition to the bullpen. Following the season, he was let go by the Phillies and started 2010 in the independent leagues, with the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks of the Northern League, where he was 0-2, 4.58 in 4 games. On July 2nd, he signed as a free agent by the Milwaukee Brewers who sent him back to the FSL with their own affiliate there, the Brevard County Manatees. He went 2-4, 4.18 as a starter. In 2011, he was in AA with the Huntsville Stars of the Southern League the entire season, , going 5-3, 2.95 in 41 games as a full-time reliever. He was back at Huntsville in 2012, this time making 50 appearances and finishing at 3-5, 2.59 with 6 saves. On August 2nd, he was one of a Southern League-record five pitchers to combine on a 3-1 no-hitter against the Chattanooga Lookouts; he was the fourth pitcher of the game, following Jimmy Nelson, Dan Merklinger and R.J. Seidel, and was succeeded by Brandon Kintzler. The many changes were justified by the fact that the five issued a total of 11 walks.

In 2013, he was traded to the Oakland Athletics during spring training, on March 20th, in return for 3B Stephen Parker. He began the season in AA with the Midland RockHounds but after 3 solid outings, finally got a chance to pitch in AAA, with the Sacramento RiverCats of the Pacific Coast League. Unfortunately, he couldn't do much with his opportunity, as he went 1-1, 5.71 in 23 games, and also made a few appearances in the California League with the Stockton Ports on a rehabilitation assignment. He retired after that season, but then attempted a comeback in 2015 with the Bridgeport Bluefish of the Atlantic League. There wasn't much left in his arm by then, as his ERA was 9.45 in 6 games.

Folowing his playing career, he became a youth pitching instructor in Watertown, FL.