Aaron Ashby
{{short description|American baseball player (born 1998)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Aaron Ashby
|image =
|team = Milwaukee Brewers
|number = 26
|position = Pitcher
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|5|24}}
|birth_place = Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
|bats = Right
|throws = Left
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate = June 30
|debutyear = 2021
|debutteam = Milwaukee Brewers
|statleague = MLB
|statyear = June 12, 2025
|stat1label = Win–loss record
|stat1value = 6–14
|stat2label = Earned run average
|stat2value = 3.98
|stat3label = Strikeouts
|stat3value = 207
|teams =
- Milwaukee Brewers ({{mlby|2021}}–{{mlby|2022}}, {{mlby|2024}}–present)
}}
Aaron Phillip Ashby (born May 24, 1998) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Brewers chose Ashby in the fourth round of the 2018 MLB draft and he made his MLB debut in 2021.
Career
Ashby attended Park Hill High School in Kansas City, Missouri, and graduated in 2016. He enrolled at Crowder College, where he played college baseball. The Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB) selected Ashby in the 25th round, with the 764th overall selection, of the 2017 MLB draft.{{Cite web|url=http://www.plattecountycitizen.com/theplattecountycitizen/royals-take-platte-countys-mitchell-in-mlb-draft-park-hill-grad-goes-to-rangers2162017|title=Royals take Platte County's Mitchell in MLB Draft; Park Hill grad goes to Rangers|date=June 21, 2017|website=The Platte County Citizen|accessdate=April 8, 2024}} He did not sign with the Rangers and returned to Crowder.{{Cite web|url=https://www.joplinglobe.com/sports/local_sports/ashby-follows-uncles-footsteps-to-crowder/article_4a7cf3d0-fc5e-526e-8ddc-46038302d3c5.html|title=Ashby follows uncle's footsteps to Crowder|first=Levi |last=Payton|date=January 18, 2016|work=Joplin Globe|accessdate=April 8, 2024}}
The Milwaukee Brewers selected Ashby in the fourth round, with the 125th overall selection, of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/baseball-legacies-in-mlb-draft/c-279859128|title= Mr. Marlin's son, J-Roll's cousin top legacy picks|last=Adler|first=David|work=MLB.com}} He made his professional debut with the rookie-level Helena Brewers, and also played for the Single-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, posting a cumulative 2–3 record and 3.59 ERA with 66 strikeouts over 13 games. In 2019, Ashby split the season between Wisconsin and the High-A Carolina Mudcats, logging a 5–10 record and 3.50 ERA and 135 strikeouts in 24 appearances between the two affiliates.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=ashby-001aar|title = Aaron Ashby Minor Leagues Statistics & History}}
Ashby did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/06/2020-minor-league-season-will-be-canceled.html|title= 2020 Minor League Season Canceled|last=Todd|first=Jeff|work=mlbtraderumors.com}} He was assigned to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds to begin the 2021 season. Ashby was shifted to the bullpen in June, and recorded a 4–1 record and 4.50 ERA in 12 games for the team.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/brewers-aaron-ashby-receives-big-league-promotion/|title = Brewers' Aaron Ashby: Receiving big-league promotion}}
On June 29, 2021, the Brewers announced that they would promote Ashby to the major leagues for the first time.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/06/brewers-to-select-aaron-ashby.html|title= Brewers To Select Aaron Ashby|last=Franco|first=Anthony|work=mlbtraderumors.com}} He was formally selected to the 40-man and active rosters the on June 30.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/06/brewers-designate-bobby-wahl-for-assignment.html|title= Brewers Designate Bobby Wahl For Assignment|last=Zencka|first=TC|work=mlbtraderumors.com}} Ashby made his MLB debut that day as the starting pitcher against the Chicago Cubs. In his debut, he went {{fraction|2|3}} of an inning and allowed seven runs, four earned. At the end of his rookie campaign, Ashby made 13 appearances (four starts), and logged a 3–2 record and 4.55 ERA with 39 strikeouts across {{fraction|31|2|3}} innings pitched.{{Cite web |title=Aaron Ashby Stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/ashbyaa01.shtml |access-date=May 22, 2022 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}
On July 23, 2022, the Brewers and Ashby agreed on a five-year contract extension that will keep him under contract through the 2027 season, with club options for 2028 and 2029.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/aaron-ashby-signs-five-year-contract-with-brewers |title=Crew inks southpaw Ashby to 5-year deal |date=July 24, 2022}} He made 27 appearances (19 starts) for Milwaukee in 2022, registering a 2–10 record and 4.44 ERA with 126 strikeouts over {{fraction|107|1|3}} innings pitched.
On February 16, 2023, it was announced that Ashby would miss "a couple of months" with left shoulder inflammation.{{Cite web|title=Brewers' Aaron Ashby: Multi-month absence on tap|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/brewers-aaron-ashby-multi-month-absence-on-tap/amp/|access-date=February 20, 2023|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} On April 5, manager Craig Counsell announced that Ashby would require arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder, and would likely miss the entire 2023 season.{{Cite web|title=Brewers' Aaron Ashby: Headed for shoulder surgery|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/brewers-aaron-ashby-headed-for-shoulder-surgery/amp/|access-date=April 8, 2023|website=cbssports.com|language=en}}
The Brewers optioned Ashby to Triple–A Nashville to begin the 2024 season.{{Cite web|title=Brewers option Joey Wiemer, Aaron Ashby to Triple-A Nashville|url=https://www.brewcrewball.com/2024/3/22/24109028/brewers-option-joey-wiemer-and-aaron-ashby|access-date=March 22, 2024|website=brewcrewball.com|language=en}} He was called back up to the Brewers in August and pitched well in a bullpen role.{{Cite news| first=Darragh |last=McDonald |date=October 11, 2024 |title=Brewers Manager Discusses Rotation Options |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/10/brewers-manager-discusses-rotation-options.html |access-date=March 4, 2025 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en-US}}
Going into the 2025 season's spring training, Ashby was in contention for a spot in the Brewers' starting rotation.{{Cite news |last=Rosiak |first=Todd |date=March 3, 2025 |title=Reds 5, Brewers 4: Milwaukee's injury-thinned pitching staff suffers another blow |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2025/03/03/reds-5-brewers-4-another-pitching-injury-as-aaron-ashby-goes-down/81148514007/ |access-date=March 5, 2025 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel}} However, he suffered a strained oblique that would prevent him from throwing for approximately two weeks.{{Cite news |first=Anthony |last=Franco |date=March 3, 2025 |title=Aaron Ashby Headed For Imaging On Oblique Strain |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/03/aaron-ashby-headed-for-imaging-on-oblique-strain.html |access-date=March 4, 2025 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |first=Steve |last=Adams |date=March 7, 2025 |title=Aaron Ashby Shut Down For Two Weeks, Expects To Build Back Up As Starter |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/03/brewers-aaron-ashby-oblique-two-weeks-starter-rotation.html |access-date=March 7, 2025 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en-US}}
Personal life
Aaron is the nephew of former MLB pitcher Andy Ashby.{{cite web|url=https://www.postcrescent.com/story/sports/baseball/minors/2018/08/03/milwaukee-brewers-wisconsin-timber-rattlers-mlb-milb-crowder-college/893667002/|title=Ashby makes strong first impression with Rattlers|date=August 3, 2018|first=Dan|last=Wussow|quote=To assist him with the process of adjusting to life as a professional baseball player, Aaron says he has leaned on his uncle, Andy Ashby, a former MLB pitcher of 14 years.|work=The Post-Crescent}} He is married to Avery Ashby.{{Cite news |last1=Rosiak |first1=Todd |last2=Hogg |first2=Curt |title='I hope I outperform the contract': Aaron Ashby's extension will keep him with the Brewers through at least 2027 |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2022/07/23/milwaukee-brewers-aaron-ashby-agree-five-year-contract-extension/10121838002/ |access-date=March 5, 2025 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel}}{{Cite Instagram |user=aaronashbyy |postid=C9jGOoYuLNT |title=Happiest of birthdays to my stunning bride ... |date=July 17, 2024}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{baseballstats|mlb=676879|espn=41325|br=a/ashbyaa01|fangraphs=23550|brm=ashby-001aar|retro=A/Pashba003}}
{{Milwaukee Brewers roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashby, Aaron}}
Category:Arizona Complex League Brewers players
Category:Baseball players from Kansas City, Missouri
Category:Biloxi Shuckers players
Category:21st-century American sportsmen
Category:Carolina Mudcats players
Category:Helena Brewers players
Category:Major League Baseball pitchers
Category:Milwaukee Brewers players