Tyler Higgins

Tyler E. Higgins

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 215 lb.
• School Lansing Community College, Wayne State University
• High School Mount Pleasant (MI) High School

• Born April 22, 1991 in Alma, MI USA

BR Minors page

Biographical information

Pitcher Tyler Higgins played a number of years in the minor leagues before moving to Nippon Pro Baseball in 2020. A Michigan native, he was drafted twice, first in the 47th round in the 2009 amateur draft by the Texas Rangers out of high school and again in the 23rd round of the 2011 amateur draft by the Florida Marlins, out of junior college. He did sign that time, while continuing his studies at Wayne State University.

In his first pro season in 2011, he pitched 2 games for the GCL Marlins. He played a first full season in 2012, with 23 games in relief between the GCL Marlins and Jupiter Hammerheads, going 2-1, 2.57. He was used solely as a reliever over the following seasons, which were largely at AA with the Jacksonville Suns/Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, with whom he was every season from 2014 to 2017. After that season, he became a free agent and had to go through a stint in the independent Atlantic League before being picked up by the Seattle Mariners organization in June. He made his AAA debut with the Tacoma Rainiers, going 1-1, 2.83 in 28 games with 3 saves. He looked close to the majors by that time, but his career continued going sideways. A free agent again, he signed with the San Diego Padres but his 2019 season did not go well, as he had to deal with injuries, then struggled in AAA with the El Paso Chihuahuas, going 4-1, 5.52 in 33 games.

That is when he decided to take a shot at Japan, signing with the Orix Buffaloes of the Pacific League. He went 3-3, 2.40 in 41 games during the bizarre 2020 season that was upended by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, he was 1-2, 2.53 in 49 games with 2 saves. He was able to pitch in the 2021 Japan Series as the Buffaloes won their first-ever pennant. He pitched in Game 1 on November 20th, but gave up a two-run homer to Munetaka Murakami, although Orix ended up defeating the Yakult Swallows, 4-3. He pitched again in Games 4 and 5, the latter being Orix's only other win in the series.

He returned to the U.S. after that two-year stint, signing again with the Padres that March. The Pads had also inked Robert Suarez, who had pitched for Yakult in the 2021 Japan Series, but while Suarez went on to become a key member of their bullpen, Tyler struggled with El Paso, going 1-4 4.97 in 24 games. He was released on July 12th and had to go back to the indy leagues, ending up with the High Point Rockers of the Atlantic League. Things went a lot better there, as he went 2-1, 1.72 in 15 games with 4 saves.

Higgins was a pitching coach for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in 2024.