Andrew Wantz
{{short description|American baseball player (born 1995)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Andrew Wantz
|image =
|team = Tampa Bay Rays
|number =
|position = Pitcher
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|10|13}}
|birth_place = Holly Springs, North Carolina, U.S.
|bats = Right
|throws = Right
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate = July 4
|debutyear = 2021
|debutteam = Los Angeles Angels
|statyear = 2024 season
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label = Win–loss record
|stat1value = 5–1
|stat2label = Earned run average
|stat2value = 3.88
|stat3label = Strikeouts
|stat3value = 126
|teams =
- Los Angeles Angels ({{mlby|2021}}–{{mlby|2024}})
}}
Andrew Hunter Wantz (born October 13, 1995) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels, for whom he made his MLB debut in 2021.
Amateur career
Wantz attended and played baseball at Holly Springs High School in Holly Springs, North Carolina. He then played college baseball for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In 2016, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League where he was named a league all-star.{{cite web|author= |url=https://baseball.pointstreak.com/player.html?playerid=990244&seasonid=29795 |title=Andrew Wantz |publisher=pointstreak.com |date= |accessdate=June 16, 2021}}{{cite web|url=http://capecodbaseball.org/news/season/index.html?article_id=2275 |title=2016 All-Star teams, Home Run Hitting Contest participants announced |publisher=capecodbaseball.org |access-date=May 6, 2020}} Wantz was selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the seventh round of the 2018 MLB draft.{{cite web|url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=wantz-000and|website = baseball-reference.com|title = Andrew Wantz|access-date = 3 July 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://greensboro.com/sports/college/uncgs-andrew-moritz-and-andrew-wantz-picked-in-baseball-draft/article_25f620c1-bf47-57d6-8ea0-2581b28c28c8.html|title=UNCG's Andrew Moritz and Andrew Wantz picked in baseball draft|first=Jeff Mills|last=jeff.mills@greensboro.com|website=Greensboro News and Record}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.adelnews.com/sports/20180820/monday-hive-bees-wantz-has-impressive-numbers-in-first-season|title=THE MONDAY HIVE: Bees' Wantz has impressive numbers in first season|first=John|last=Bohnenkamp|website=Dallas County News}}
Professional career
=Los Angeles Angels=
Wantz made his professional debut with the rookie-level Orem Owlz. He also played for the Single-A Burlington Bees, pitching to a cumulative 1–2 record and 2.74 ERA in 18 games. In 2019, Wantz split the season the High-A Inland Empire 66ers and the Double-A Mobile BayBears, posting a 5–9 record and 5.34 ERA with 112 strikeouts in 96 innings of work.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=wantz-000and|title=Andrew Wantz College, Amateur & Minor Leagues Statistics & History|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}
Wantz 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|website = mlbtraderumors.com|title = 2020 Minor League Season Canceled|access-date = 3 July 2021}} He was assigned to the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees to begin the 2021 season, where he recorded a 2.10 ERA in 8 appearances.
On July 3, 2021, Wantz was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.{{cite web|url =https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/07/angels-option-griffin-canning-designate-scott-schebler.html|website = mlbtraderumors.com|title = Angels Option Griffin Canning, Designate Scott Schebler|access-date = 3 July 2021}} He made his MLB debut the following day, pitching {{fraction|1|1|3}} innings of relief against the Baltimore Orioles.
On April 19, 2022, the Angels recalled Wantz from Triple-A Salt Lake and added him to the active roster.{{Cite tweet |user=LAAngelsPR |number=1516535850259009537 |title=The Angels have made the following roster moves... |date=19 April 2022 |access-date=20 April 2022}} Wantz made his first major league starting appearance on June 27, at the last minute as an opener,{{cite news|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/angels-andrew-wantz-gets-look-in-opener-role/|title=Angels' Andrew Wantz: Gets look in opener role|date=26 June 2022|work=CBSSports.com|publisher=RotoWire|access-date=27 June 2022}} but was ejected for the first time in his career after one pitch in the second inning (and twelve pitches total), which hit Seattle Mariners outfielder Jesse Winker, triggering a bench-clearing brawl which resulted in eight players and both team managers being ejected, including Wantz and Winker.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/angels/story/2022-06-26/angels-mariners-players-fight-in-benches-clearing-brawl|title=Angels and Mariners players throw punches in benches-clearing brawl|last=Valenzuela|first=Sarah|date=26 June 2022|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=27 June 2022}} Wantz threw a pitch behind the head of the second batter of the game, Julio Rodríguez, in the first inning.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=401355329|title=Melee mayhem: Big brawl, 8 ejected, Angels top Mariners 2-1|date=26 June 2022|agency=Associated Press|work=ESPN.com|access-date=27 June 2022}} The day after, Wantz was suspended three games by Major League Baseball, with his manager Phil Nevin receiving a ten-game suspension for ordering a beanball despite both teams being warned not to.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34158698/mlb-suspends-12-players-coaches-roles-seattle-mariners-los-angeles-angels-brawl-phil-nevin-gets-10-games|title=MLB suspends 12 players, coaches for roles in Seattle Mariners-Los Angeles Angels brawl; Phil Nevin gets 10 games|date=28 June 2022|agency=Associated Press|work=ESPN.com|access-date=28 June 2022}} He ultimately pitched in 42 contests for the Angels in 2022, logging a 3.22 ERA with 52 strikeouts.
In 2023, Wantz made 27 appearances for Los Angeles, registering a 3.89 ERA with 33 strikeouts across {{fraction|39|1|3}} innings of work.{{Cite web|title=Where Andrew Wantz fits on the Angels roster next season|url=https://halohangout.com/posts/where-andrew-wantz-fits-on-the-angels-roster-next-season|access-date=March 23, 2024|website=halohangout.com|language=en}} He was optioned to Triple–A Salt Lake to begin the 2024 season.{{Cite web|title=Angels' Andrew Wants: Sent down to Triple-A|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/angels-andrew-wantz-sent-down-to-triple-a/|date=March 22, 2024|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} Wantz made only one appearances for the Angels before he was placed on the injured list with right elbow inflammation on July 2.{{Cite web|title=Angels' Andrew Wantz: Out with elbow inflammation|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/angels-andrew-wantz-out-with-elbow-inflammation/amp/|access-date=July 5, 2024|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} He was transferred to the 60–day injured list three days later.{{cite news |title=Angels place 3B Luis Rengifo (wrist) on 10-day IL |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40501725/angels-place-3b-luis-rengifo-wrist-10-day-il |access-date=July 6, 2024 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=ESPN.com |date=July 5, 2024}} Wantz was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to Triple–A Salt Lake on October 24.{{Cite web|title=Angels Outright Six Players|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/10/angels-outright-six-players-2.html|access-date=October 24, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} He elected free agency following the season on November 4.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2024/|title=Minor League Free Agents 2024|work=Baseball America|date=November 6, 2024|accessdate=November 6, 2024|first=Matt|last=Eddy}}
=Tampa Bay Rays=
On January 2, 2025, Wantz signed a two-year minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays.{{Cite web|title=Rays, Andrew Wantz Agree To Minor League Contract|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/01/rays-andrew-wantz-agree-to-minor-league-contract.html|access-date=January 17, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Baseballstats|mlb=681806|espn=42809|br=w/wantzan01|fangraphs=24933|brm=wantz-000and|retro=W/Pwanta001}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wantz, Andrew}}
Category:Baseball players from Wake County, North Carolina
Category:Bourne Braves players
Category:Burlington Bees players
Category:Inland Empire 66ers players
Category:Los Angeles Angels players
Category:Major League Baseball pitchers
Category:Mobile BayBears players
Category:People from Holly Springs, North Carolina