D. J. Snelten

Snelten attended Lakes Community High School in Lake Villa, Illinois.[1] He was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 30th round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft, but did not sign and played college baseball at the University of Minnesota.[2] In 2011, he briefly played collegiate summer baseball with the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[3] After his junior season, he was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the ninth round of the 2013 MLB Draft.[4]

Snelten signed and spent 2013 with the AZL Giants, going 3–1 with a 1.57 ERA in 34.1 innings. He spent 2014 with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes and Augusta Greenjackets, posting a combined 4–1 record and 2.56 ERA in 29 relief appearances, and 2015 with the San Jose Giants and Augusta, pitching to a combined 5–11 record and 3.44 ERA in 23 total starts between the two teams. In 2016, he pitched for San Jose, going 4–7 with a 4.11 ERA in 31 games (13 starts), and in 2017, he played for the Richmond Flying Squirrels and Sacramento River Cats where he went 8–1 with a 2.20 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 51 appearances out of the bullpen.[5] After the season, he played in the Arizona Fall League.[6] The Giants added him to their 40-man roster after the 2017 season.[7]

Snelten began 2018 with Sacramento. On April 28, 2018, the Giants called up Snelten ahead of a double-header and he made his major league debut in the second game.[8] He was optioned back to Sacramento on May 8 and designated for assignment on May 28.[9]

Snelten was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles on June 4, 2018.[10] He was released on March 25, 2019.

On April 15, 2019, Snelten signed with the Chicago Dogs of the independent American Association.

On December 29, 2019, Snelten signed with the Tampa Bay Rays, getting exposure after throwing 99 mph in viral videos seen on Rob Friedman's FlatGround Twitter account.[11][12] He became a free agent on November 2, 2020.

On November 19, 2020, Snelten signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs organization.