Matt Purke

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Matt Purke

| image = Matt Purke 4.jpg

| width =

| caption = Purke pitching for TCU

| team =

| number =

| position = Pitcher

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|7|17}}

| birth_place = Spring, Texas, U.S.

| bats = Left

| throws = Left

| debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = May 20

| debutyear = 2016

| debutteam = Chicago White Sox

| finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = June 29

| finalyear = 2016

| finalteam = Chicago White Sox

| statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Win–loss record

| stat1value = 0–1

| stat2label = Earned run average

| stat2value = 5.50

| stat3label = Strikeouts

| stat3value = 15

| teams =

Chicago White Sox ({{mlby|2016}})

|medaltemplates=

{{MedalCountry | {{bb|USA}}}}

}}

Matthew Taylor Purke (born July 17, 1990) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut and played his only MLB season with the Chicago White Sox in 2016.

Amateur career

Purke attended Klein High School in Klein, Texas. He was considered one of the best high school pitchers in baseball. His junior year was his best as he had a 12–1 win–loss record with a 0.37 earned run average (ERA). In his senior season he went 4–2 with a 1.18 ERA. He also carried a 4.5 GPA. He came out as a flamethrower throwing an average of {{convert|92|mph}}.{{citation needed|date=May 2014}} In 2009, ESPN projected that he would be the next Johan Santana.{{cite news|title=Who's the next David Ortiz?|url=https://www.espn.com/highschool/rise/news/story?id=3713290|access-date=26 December 2017|work=ESPN.com|date=26 January 2009}}

The Texas Rangers selected Purke in the first round, with the 14th overall selection, of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft.{{cite web|url=https://insider.espn.com/blog/mlb-draft/|title=MLB Draft Profiles: Matt Purke|work=ESPN.com|access-date=November 18, 2014}} He did not sign, and instead enrolled at Texas Christian University (TCU), where he played college baseball for the TCU Horned Frogs. While there, he earned 2nd Team All American as a Freshman, and was named the Freshman of the year while going 16–0 with a 3.02 ERA. His sophomore year he went 5–1 with a 1.71 ERA in 11 starts.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=purke-001mat|title=Matt Purke Minor League Statistics & History - Baseball-Reference.com|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=November 18, 2014}}

Professional career

=Washington Nationals=

Purke was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the third round of the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/nationals-journal/post/nationals-get-aggressive-take-tcus-matt-purke-in-the-third-round/2011/06/07/AG57FGLH_blog.html|title=Nationals get aggressive, take TCU's Matt Purke in the third round|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=November 18, 2014}} He signed with the Nationals on August 15, 2011.{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20110816&content_id=23270700&vkey=pr_was&fext=.jsp&c_id=was|title=Nationals agree to terms with LHP Matt Purke, third-round Draft selection|work=Washington Nationals|access-date=November 18, 2014}} Purke was added to the 40-man roster in 2012 and made 3 starts for the Single-A Hagerstown Suns. He then had shoulder debridement surgery and missed the remainder of the 2012 season. He returned with Hagerstown in 2013, and posted a 6-4 record and 3.80 ERA in 18 games between the High-A Potomac Nationals and Hagerstown.

Pitching for the Double-A Harrisburg Senators of the Eastern League in 2014, Purke struggled with a 1–6 record and an 8.04 ERA. Purke later underwent Tommy John surgery.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-77224378|title=Washington Nationals prospect Matt Purke needs Tommy John surgery – MiLB.com News – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball|work=Minor League Baseball|access-date=November 18, 2014}} On November 13, 2014, the Nationals released Purke,{{cite web|url=http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/2014/11/washington-releases-former-texas-rangers-top-pick.html/|title=Washington drops former Texas Rangers top pick from major-league roster|work=Texas Rangers Blog|access-date=November 18, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141120054326/http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/2014/11/washington-releases-former-texas-rangers-top-pick.html/|archive-date=November 20, 2014|url-status=dead}} and re-signed him to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training on November 18.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/nationals-journal/wp/2014/11/17/nationals-sign-matt-purke-to-a-minor-league-deal/|title=Nationals sign Matt Purke to a minor league deal|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=November 18, 2014}} He split the 2015 season between Harrisburg, Potomac, and Hagerstown, accumulating a 3-6 record and 4.36 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 64.0 innings of work between the three teams. On November 6, 2015, he elected free agency.

=Chicago White Sox=

On November 21, 2015, Purke signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox organization that included an invitation to Spring Training. He was assigned to the Triple-A Charlotte Knights to begin the 2016 season.

The White Sox promoted Purke to the major leagues for the first time on May 13, 2016.{{cite web| url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/ct-gameday-white-sox-yankees-spt-0514-20160513-story.html| title = Friday's recap: White Sox 7, Yankees 1 - Chicago Tribune| website = Chicago Tribune}} He made his MLB debut on May 20, pitching an inning and a third of scoreless ball against the Kansas City Royals. He finished his rookie season with a 5.50 ERA in 12 major league games with Chicago. On December 14, 2016, Purke was designated for assignment by the White Sox,{{cite web|url=http://m.whitesox.mlb.com/news/article/211135908/white-sox-derek-holland-have-1-year-contract/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161215143243/http://m.whitesox.mlb.com/news/article/211135908/white-sox-derek-holland-have-1-year-contract/|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 15, 2016|title=White Sox strike 1-year deal with Holland|last=Merkin|first=Scott|work=MLB.com|date=December 14, 2016|access-date=December 14, 2016}} and was outrighted to the minors on December 21.{{cite web|url=http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/12/minor-mlb-transactions-122116.html|title=Minor MLB Transactions: 12/21/16|last=Wilmoth|first=Charlie|work=mlbtraderumors.com|date=December 21, 2016|access-date=December 21, 2016}} Purke spent the 2017 season in Triple-A with Charlotte, and posted a 4-5 record and 3.84 ERA in 48 appearances with the team. He elected free agency following the season on November 6, 2017.{{Cite web|title=Minor League Free Agents 2017|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2017/?amphtml|access-date=June 25, 2023|website=baseballamerica.com|language=en}}

=New York Mets=

On November 17, 2017, Purke signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets organization.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/11/blue-jays-sign-deck-mcguire-minors.html|title=Minor MLB Transactions: 11/17/17|last=Adams|first=Steve|work=mlbtraderumors.com|date=November 17, 2017|access-date=November 17, 2017}} Purke spent the year with the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s, recording a 2-2 record and 7.14 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 46.2 innings of work. On November 2, 2018, he elected free agency.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2018/|title=Minor League Free Agents 2018|work=Baseball America|first=Matt|last=Eddy|date=November 6, 2018|access-date=November 12, 2018}}

=Sugar Land Skeeters=

On May 10, 2019, Purke signed with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He was released on August 16. He re-signed with the Skeeters on August 19, and finished the year with a 5-8 record and 5.62 ERA in 31 appearances. Purke became a free agent following the season.

=High Point Rockers=

On March 10, 2020, Purke signed with the High Point Rockers of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.{{Cite web|url=https://www.highpointrockers.com/news_article/show/1096346#:~:text=High%20Point%2C%20N.C.%2D%20The%20High,pitchers%20on%20the%20current%20roster.|title = Rockers Add Versatile Pitcher Matt Purke|date = March 18, 2020}} On May 4, Purke was released by the team without playing in a game, as the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coaching career

On August 11, 2020, Purke announced his retirement of professional baseball and returned to his alma mater, Texas Christian University, to serve as a student assistant on the coaching staff as he completed his undergraduate degree.{{Cite web|url=https://gofrogs.com/news/2020/8/11/baseball-matt-purke-returns-to-program.aspx|title=Matt Purke Returns to Program}}