Zane Mills

Zane Mills

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 4", Weight 220 lb.

• School Washington State University
• High School Lincoln High School (Portland)

• Born July 4, 2000 in Portland, OR USA

BR register page

Biographical Information

Zane Mills has pitched in the minors and for Team USA.

Mills was All-State as a high school senior. He was 2-4 with a 5.25 ERA as a college freshman; his 28 games pitched tied him for 10th in the Pac-12 Conference. He was 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 then 5-5 with a 4.15 ERA in '21, striking out 83 in 80 1/3 innings. He was 8th in the Pac-12 in K. The St. Louis Cardinals took him in the 4th round of the 2021 amateur draft, one round before Gordon Graceffo, and signed him with a $375,000 bonus. He was the highest WSU draftee since Adam Conley ten years prior.

Making his pro debut with the FCL Cardinals, he allowed one run in 7 2/3 IP that summer. He split 2022 between the Palm Beach Cardinals (1-2, 3.48 in 7 G) and Peoria Chiefs (4-6, 4.03 in 19 G). Among Cardinal farmhands, only Michael McGreevy made more starts (28 to 26). In '23, he fell to 7-6, 5.63 for Peoria. Moving back to relief, he split 2024 between Peoria (4-0, Sv, 3.35 in 21 G) and the Springfield Cardinals (4-1, 5.08 in 11 G). He tied for 9th in the St. Louis system in victories.

He then joined the US team for the 2024 Premier 12. He debuted in their 9-3 win over Panama, relieving Spencer Patton to open the 9th; he was their 7th hurler of the day. He retired Joshwan Wright and Edgar Muñoz then was replaced by Anthony Gose. He struggled against Japan; coming in for Austin Drury with one on, one out and a 6-1 deficit in the 8th, he hit Masayuki Kuwahara and Kaito Kozono swatted a three-run homer. Ryosuke Tatsumi singled and stole, then Shota Morishita grounded out. Cam Vieaux succeeded Mills at that point. In his last outing, he took over for Darrell Thompson with a 5-5 tie against Venezuela in the 8th, with two outs and no one aboard. He got Angel Reyes to end that inning. After the US scored in the top of the 9th, he struck out Carlos Pérez and got Jermaine Palacios on a fly. He walked Francisco Arcia and Alexi Amarista but retired Hernán Pérez to get the win over Enderson Franco.