Collin Snider

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Collin Snider

|image = Snider in the dugout (51488300086).jpg

|caption = Snider with the Omaha Storm Chasers in 2021

|team = Seattle Mariners

|number = 52

|position = Pitcher

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1995|10|10}}

|birth_place = Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.

|bats = Right

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = April 9

|debutyear = 2022

|debutteam = Kansas City Royals

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = May 29, 2025

|stat1label = Win–loss record

|stat1value = 8–7

|stat2label = Earned run average

|stat2value = 4.44

|stat3label = Strikeouts

|stat3value = 103

|teams =

Kansas City Royals ({{mlby|2022}}–{{mlby|2023}})
Seattle Mariners ({{mlby|2024}}–present)

}}

Collin Kenneth Snider (born October 10, 1995) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB with the Kansas City Royals in 2022.

Amateur career

Snider played four years of high school baseball at Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. His team was district and regional champs from 2012 to 2014. He pitched a perfect game in 2014.{{Cite web |date=2019-05-04 |title=Collin Snider |url=https://vucommodores.com/roster/collin-snider/ |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=Vanderbilt University Athletics |language=}}

Snider played college baseball at Vanderbilt University. In three seasons as a reliever for the Commodores, he had a 7–2 record with a 3.62 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 87 innings pitched. His college teammates included future MLB All-Stars Walker Buehler, Bryan Reynolds, and Dansby Swanson.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-17 |title=Dores in the Pros |url=https://vucommodores.com/bsb-dores-in-the-pros/ |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=Vanderbilt University Athletics |language=}} Snider's coaches at Vanderbilt praised his sinker, calling it "disgusting" and a "unicorn" due to its extreme movement that was difficult for batters to hit into the air.

After his second year of college in 2016, Snider played collegiate summer baseball with the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League.

Professional career

=Kansas City Royals=

2017–2021: drafted and minor leagues

The Kansas City Royals selected Snider in the 12th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft.{{Cite web |last=Sparks |first=Adam |title=Four more Vanderbilt baseball players drafted on final day |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/college/vanderbilt/2017/06/14/vanderbilts-collin-snider-reed-hayes-drafted-day-3/392604001/ |access-date= |website=The Tennessean |language=}} Snider debuted that June with the rookie-level Burlington Royals, moving up to the Single-A Lexington Legends in August. He had a cumulative 3.21 ERA in 17 appearances with both teams in 2017. Snider returned to Lexington in 2018, posting a 5.57 ERA with 50 strikeouts in 76 innings of work across 29 games. In 2019, Snider split the year between the rookie-level AZL Royals and the High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks, recording a 2.24 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 31 games between the two teams.{{Cite web |title=Collin Snider College, Amateur & Minor Leagues Statistics & History |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=snider001col |website=Baseball Reference}}

Snider did not pitch in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |date=2020-06-30 |title=2020 Minor League Season Canceled |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/06/2020-minor-league-season-will-be-canceled.html |access-date= |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=}} That year, he trained at his former high school and college in Tennessee.{{Cite web |last=Gerson |first=Aria |title=Royals pitcher Collin Snider thankful to Vanderbilt, Riverdale baseball after MLB call-up |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/college/vanderbilt/2022/04/06/kansas-city-royals-collin-snider-vanderbilt-baseball-riverdale-high-school/9486843002/ |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=The Tennessean |language=en-US}} In 2021, Snider pitched for the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals and the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, registering a 4.48 ERA with 64 strikeouts in {{Fraction|66|1|3}} innings pitched across 48 total appearances. The Royals added Snider to their 40-man roster after the season on November 19.{{cite web |last=Rogers |first=Anne |date=November 20, 2021 |title=MJ Melendez, Nick Pratto added to Royals' 40-man roster |url=https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/mj-melendez-nick-pratto-added-to-royals-40-man-roster |website=MLB.com}}{{Cite news |last=Lewis |first=Alec |date=March 29, 2022 |title=The late friend, the strong mother and the unicorn pitch: The arc of Royals pitching prospect Collin Snider |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/3214614/2022/03/29/the-late-friend-the-strong-mother-and-the-unicorn-pitch-the-arc-of-royals-reliever-collin-snider/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241127144242/https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/3214614/2022/03/29/the-late-friend-the-strong-mother-and-the-unicorn-pitch-the-arc-of-royals-reliever-collin-snider/ |archive-date=2024-11-27 |access-date=2024-11-27 |work=The Athletic |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

== 2022–2023 MLB debut and time in Triple-A ==

Snider made the Royals 2022 Opening Day roster to begin the 2022 season. In his Royals debut, he threw a scoreless tenth inning and picked his first MLB win and strikeout, with 11 family members watching.{{Cite news |last=Grathoff |first=Pete |date=April 11, 2022 |title=Royals pitcher had big family contingent in KC for first win — and one good dog, too |url=https://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/for-petes-sake/article260272225.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220411140400/https://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/for-petes-sake/article260272225.html |archive-date=April 11, 2022 |work=Kansas City Star}}{{Cite web |title=Cleveland Guardians vs Kansas City Royals Box Score: April 9, 2022 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/KCA/KCA202204090.shtml |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Collin Snider records his first strikeout, first win {{!}} 04/09/2022 |url=https://www.mlb.com/video/collin-snider-s-first-career-k |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=MLB.com |language=en}} He was sent down to Triple-A in mid-June for two months, returning to the Royals on August 20.{{Cite web |title=Collin Snider 2022 College, Amateur & Minor Leagues Game Logs & Splits |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=snider001col&type=pgl&year=2022 |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} Snider made 42 appearances for Kansas City in his rookie campaign, registering a 4–2 record and 6.55 ERA with 22 strikeouts in {{Fraction|34|1|3}} innings pitched.

Snider was optioned to Triple-A Omaha to begin the 2023 season.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-28 |title=Royals' Collin Snider: Optioned to Omaha |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/royals-collin-snider-optioned-to-omaha/amp/ |access-date=2023-03-29 |website=CBS Sports |language=en |agency=RotoWire}} He was called up to Kansas City for the first two weeks of July, pitching in five games, then rejoined the Royals near the end of August. In 30 games for the Royals in 2023, he had a 4.87 ERA with 11 strikeouts across {{fraction|20|1|3}} innings of work. On December 11, Snider was designated for assignment as the Royals added reliever Will Smith to their roster.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-11 |title=Royals Designate Collin Snider For Assignment |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/12/royals-dfa-collin-snider-reliever.html |access-date=2024-01-16 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en-US}}

Snider was briefly on the Arizona Diamondbacks roster. On December 18, 2023, the team claimed Snider off waivers but designated for assignment on January 30, 2024 to make room for Joc Pederson on the roster.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-18 |title=Diamondbacks Claim Collin Snider Off Waivers From Royals |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/12/diamondbacks-claim-collin-snider-waivers-royals.html |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=January 30, 2024 |title=Diamondbacks Designate Collin Snider For Assignment |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/01/diamondbacks-designate-collin-snider-for-assignment.html |website=MLB Trade Rumors}}

=Seattle Mariners=

On February 6, 2024, the Seattle Mariners claimed Snider.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/02/mariners-claim-collin-snider-from-diamondbacks.html|title=Mariners Claim Collin Snider From Diamondbacks|date=February 6, 2024|website=MLB Trade Rumors}} He pitched much better with the Mariners, going 3–4 with a 1.94 ERA and 47 strikeouts in {{Fraction|41|2|3}} innings. He was on the Mariners' Opening Day roster but went on the injured list on April 8 with a knee contusion. He was sent down to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers immediately after coming off the injured list later in April{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-04-23 |title=Mariners Reinstate RHP Collin Snider from 15-Day Injured List, Option Him to Triple-A Tacoma |url=https://marinersblog.mlblogs.com/mariners-reinstate-rhp-collin-snider-from-15-day-injured-list-option-him-to-triple-a-tacoma-889b747d0c8e |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=Seattle Mariners PR |language= |via=Medium}} but returned to the majors in early June.{{Cite web |title=Collin Snider 2024 Pitching Game Logs |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=snideco01&t=p&year=2024 |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} Snider changed his pitch mix in 2024, favoring a four-seam fastball and sweeper rather than the sinker and slider he used with the Royals. His cutter remained his third most common pitch.{{Cite web |title=Collin Snider Stats: Statcast, Visuals & Advanced Metrics |url=https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/collin-snider-676092?stats=statcast-r-pitching-mlb |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=baseballsavant.com |language=en-US}} He also consistently threw first-pitch strikes, starting with a strike to 73 percent of batters faced, which ranked second among MLB pitchers who threw at least 40 innings in 2024 and is in the top 10 among single season performances since at least 2002.{{Cite web |title=Major League Leaderboards - 2024 - Pitching |url=https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/major-league?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&type=5&team=0&ind=1&startdate=&enddate=&month=0&sortcol=10&sortdir=default&season1=2024&season=2024&qual=40 |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=FanGraphs Baseball |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Major League Leaderboards - 1871 to 2024 - Pitching |url=https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/major-league?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&type=5&team=0&ind=1&startdate=&enddate=&month=0&sortcol=10&sortdir=default&qual=40&season1=1871&season=2024&pagenum=1 |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=FanGraphs Baseball |language=en}}

Personal life

Snider and his wife Rachel married in 2019.{{Cite Instagram |postid=B6cDtohANaI |user=collinsnider11 |title=One month of marriage with this beautiful woman, and a lifetime to go!! |first=Collin |last=Snider |date=December 24, 2019}} They were high school sweethearts. They have a golden retriever named Jax.{{Cite Instagram |postid=ChsOEeSAon- |user=collinsnider11 |title=Jax loves the off days! |first=Collin |last=Snider |date=August 25, 2022}}

Snider spoke at the funeral of Vanderbilt teammate Donny Everett, who drowned in 2016. Snider has Everett's initials and number stitched on his baseball glove.

Snider's parents, Jerry and Cheri Snider, and siblings Danielle, Spencer, Andrew, and Zachary, are all athletic. Cheri Snider was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2021.

In college, Snider said his favorite baseball team was the Atlanta Braves and his favorite player was David Price, who is also from Murfreesboro and pitched for Vanderbilt.{{Cite web |date=2019-05-04 |title=David Price |url=https://vucommodores.com/roster/david-price/ |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=Vanderbilt University Athletics |language=}}