John Church

John Michael Church

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 250 lb.

• School University of West Florida, Polk Community College
• High School Lake Wales High School

• Born November 4, 1986 in Winter Haven, FL USA

BR Register page

Biographical Information

John Church peaked at AAA and played for Team USA.

Church was 6-2 with a 1.43 ERA in high school and also played football. He had 4-7, 5.02 record as a sophomore at Polk Community College then transferred to West Florida. He led the Gulf South Conference with a 1.55 ERA in 2009. He was drafted by the New York Mets in the 23rd round of the 2009 Amateur Draft, after being scouted by Mac Seibert. He went 1-4 with a 5.28 ERA for the Savannah Sand Gnats in his first year.

He was 7-2 with a save and a 2.64 ERA for the Sand Gnats in 2010, and he went 5-2 with a 4.03 ERA for the St. Lucie Mets in 2011. Church had a 2.97 ERA in 37 appearances in St. Lucie in 2012, then he recorded a 3.44 ERA in 32 games for the Binghamton Mets in 2013. He also reached AAA in the '13 season, and his ERA was 3.21 in 23 games with 3 saves for the Las Vegas 51s. Only Justin Hampson made more appearances by a Mets farmhand that summer. Church had a 3.13 ERA in 18 games in Binghamton in 2014, but his ERA rose to 4.50 in 26 games for the 51s.

Staying in Las Vegas for the entire 2015 season, Church notched 7 saves with a 3.93 ERA in 61 appearances. Only Zack Thornton (63) had more games pitched by a Mets minor leaguer. He was third in the 2015 PCL in appearances, behind Thornton and Jeremy McBryde. He then represented the USA in the 2015 Premier 12. Church relieved Seth Simmons in the 5th inning against Venezuela, but he allowed 3 runs in 2 innings and got the loss. He then succeeded Zeke Spruill against South Korea, but he struggled again as he surrendered 2 runs with 2 walks in 1/3 of an inning. The St. Louis Cardinals signed him in 2016, and he was released in June after having a 3.34 ERA in 25 games for the Memphis Redbirds. He then went 1-2 with a 3.51 ERA for the Bridgeport Bluefish the remainder of the summer, and he had a 3.75 ERA in 15 games for the Caribes de Anzoategui in the winter to wrap up his career.

In 315 minor league games (14 starts), he had been 30-21 with 15 saves and a 3.56 ERA.