Glenn Sparkman

Glenn Michael Sparkman

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 210 lb.
• School Wharton County Junior College
• High School Ganado (TX) High School
• Debut June 30, 2017
• Final Game August 2, 2020
• Born May 11, 1992 in Ganado, TX USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Glenn Sparkman began his professional career in 2013. He was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 20th round of the 2013 amateur draft. The scout was Mitch Thompson.

He had a 1.72 ERA in 20 relief appearances for the Idaho Falls Chukars in 2013, striking out 47 batters in 36 2/3 innings. He then went 8-3 with a 1.56 mark in 29 games (18 starts) for the Wilmington Blue Rocks in 2014. He was a MiLB.com Organization All-Star, Baseball America High Class A All-Star, Carolina League Pitcher of the Year that season. After appearing in just four games in 2015, when he underwent Tommy John surgery Sparkman struggled in 2016, but still averaged over a strikeout per inning. Blessed with great control, he walked just 54 batters in his first 238 innings pitched.

He was picked by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2016 Rule V Draft. He began the 2017 season on the disabled list, but after a month on rehabilitation assignments, he was called up to Toronto on June 30th, taking over for Aaron Loup in the 11th inning of a game against the Boston Red Sox after Loup had given up the go-ahead run. He finished up the inning, but the Jays lost the game, 7-4. His second appearance, two days later, was a disaster, as he gave up seven runs, all earned, while retiring only one Red Sox batter. It was his final outing in the majors that season, as he was returned to the Royals on July 8th.

He made it back to the Show with the Royals in 2018 and things went better for him, as he was 0-3, 4.46 in 15 games, including 3 starts. In 2019, he shuffled a couple of times between the Royals and AAA Omaha Storm Chasers early in the year, pitching mainly out of the bullpen, before joining the starting rotation on May 29th. Ironically, his first career win had come as a starter, in the second game of a doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays on May 1t, when he had tossed 7 scoreless innings in an 8-2 victory, but it took him almost a whole month to get another shot at starting. Things were a bit uneven at first, as he alternated between decent starts and very poor ones, but on July 16th he pitched an absolute gem, defeating the Chicago White Sox in a five-hit complete game shutout, 11-0. He walked 1 and struck out 8 in the game.

Notable Achievements

• 2014 Pitcher of the Year Carolina League Wilmington Blue Rocks

Related Sites

• Glenn Sparkman on mlb.com
• BR Minors page