Zac Gallen

Born in Somerdale, New Jersey, Gallen grew up in nearby Gibbsboro.[1] He attended Bishop Eustace Preparatory School in Pennsauken Township, New Jersey and played three years of college baseball at the University of North Carolina.[2][3] After the 2014 and 2015 seasons, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[4][5] During his junior year in 2016, he went 4-3 with a 2.79 ERA along with limiting opponents to a .231 batting average. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the third round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft.[6][7]

Gallen made his professional debut with the Gulf Coast Cardinals, posting a 1.86 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 9.2 innings pitched. He started 2017 with the Palm Beach Cardinals and was later promoted to the Springfield Cardinals and Memphis Redbirds.[8] He finished 2017 with a combined 10-8 record, a 2.93 ERA, and a 1.17 WHIP in 26 starts between all three clubs.[9]

On December 14, 2017, the Cardinals traded Gallen to the Miami Marlins (along with Sandy Alcántara, Magneuris Sierra, and Daniel Castano) for Marcell Ozuna.[10] He was a non-roster invitee to 2018 spring training.[11] He spent the season with the New Orleans Baby Cakes, going 8-9 with a 3.65 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP in 25 starts.[12] He returned to New Orleans to begin 2019.[13]

On June 20, 2019, his contract was selected and he was called up to the major leagues for the first time.[14] He made his debut that night in a start versus the St. Louis Cardinals, recording six strikeouts and giving up one earned run over five innings pitched.[15]

On July 31, 2019, the Marlins traded Gallen to the Arizona Diamondbacks for shortstop Jazz Chisholm.[16] In 8 starts for Arizona, Gallen was 2-3 with a 2.89 ERA in ​43 ²⁄₃ innings, striking out 53 in the process. In 2020, Gallen continued his success from the previous season, recording 82 strikeouts in 72 innings. He also finished with an ERA of 2.75 and a 3-2 record.