Mark Zappelli

Mark John Zappelli

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 185 lb.
• School California Polytechnic State University
• High School Cardinal Newman High School

• Born July 21, 1966 in Santa Rosa, CA USA

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Mark Zappelli reached AAA and pitched in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Taiwan and Italy. He set a save record in Mexico and won a ERA title in the independent leagues.

Zappelli was signed by the California Angels as an undrafted free agent in 1989, and he went 5-3 with a 1.89 ERA for the Quad Cities Angels. He collected 22 saves, and he tied Heathcliff Slocumb for 3rd in saves in the Midwest League. He led the Angels minor leaguers in saves, five ahead of Gary Buckels. He had a 2.45 ERA in 21 appearances with the Palm Springs Angels, and he also recorded a 4.40 ERA in 35 relief outings for the Midland Angels in 1990. He tied John Marchese for second in the Angels farm system in saves and trailed only Brandy Vann in appearances. Zappelli notched 23 saves for the Yaquis de Obregón in the winter, and he held the Mexican Pacific League saves record until Jake Sanchez broke it in 2021.

The Californian had a 2.48 ERA in 32 games in Midland in 1991, and he also pitched 17 games with a 4.44 ERA for the AAA Edmonton Trappers. Among Angels farmhands, he was 4th in saves (between Troy Percival and Paul Swingle) and 3rd in games pitched (after Sherman Corbett and Buckels). Zappelli was turned into a starter in 1992, and he went 7-1 with a 3.19 ERA in Midland. He was 5-3 with a 3.65 ERA for the Trappers in 10 starts in the same season. He tied David Holdridge for 5th in the Angels system in wins and was 10th in K. Back in the bullpen, Zappelli had a 3.91 ERA and a save in 17 games for the Vancouver Canadians in 1993, and he pitched for the Saltillo Saraperos in 1994, going 7-8 with 17 saves and a 2.38 ERA. He tied Jose Juan Lopez for 5th in the Mexican League in saves and trailed only Dan Camacho and Luis Villanueva in games pitched with 52. He was 3-2 with a 2.62 ERA for the Tri-City Posse in 1995, and the Chicago White Sox signed him. Zappelli recorded a 0.68 ERA in 9 games for the Nashville Sounds, and his ERA was 5.84 in 4 starts for the Prince William Cannons.

The China Times Eagles of Taiwan then signed him, and Zappelli was 2-8 with a 6.05 ERA in 1997. He was 9-5 with a 2.33 ERA for the Somerset Patriots in 1998, and he won the ERA title (.08 ahead of Steve Renko III) and the All-Star right-handed pitcher award in the Atlantic League. Chris Eddy beat him out for Pitcher of the Year. He slumped to 5-7 with a 5.48 ERA for the Patriots in 1999, and he also went 2-1 with a 3.78 ERA for the Atlantic City Surf and 1-1 with a 4.85 ERA in a brief stint with Italy's Rimini club. Zappelli was 0-3 with a 9.17 ERA for the Surf in 2000, and his professional career ended.