Walter Pennington

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Walter Pennington

|image = Walter Pennington (53624153454) (cropped).jpg

|caption = Pennington with the Omaha Storm Chasers in 2024

|team = Baltimore Orioles

|number =

|position = Pitcher

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1998|4|14}}

|birth_place = Broomfield, Colorado, U.S.

|bats = Left

|throws = Left

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = July 5

|debutyear = 2024

|debutteam = Kansas City Royals

|statyear = 2024 season

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label = Win–loss record

|stat1value = 1–0

|stat2label = Earned run average

|stat2value = 3.00

|stat3label = Strikeouts

|stat3value = 17

|teams =

Kansas City Royals ({{mlby|2024}})
Texas Rangers ({{mlby|2024}})

}}

Walter Carlton Pennington (born April 14, 1998) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Baltimore Orioles organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers.

Career

=Kansas City Royals=

After going unselected in the 2020 MLB draft, Pennington signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals on August 24, 2020.{{Cite web|title=Royals bring Frazier off IL, promote pitcher for big-league debut|url=https://www.kctv5.com/2024/07/05/royals-bring-frazier-off-il-promote-pitcher-big-league-debut/?outputType=amp|access-date=July 5, 2024|website=kctv5.com|language=en}} He did not appear for the organization in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|title=2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled|access-date=July 5, 2024|website=mlb.com|language=en}} Pennington split his first professional season between the rookie–level Arizona Complex League Royals and Single–A Columbia Fireflies. In 25 games for the two affiliates, he accumulated a 3.32 ERA with 40 strikeouts and 4 saves across {{fraction|43|1|3}} innings pitched.{{Cite web|title=Walter Pennington - Stats - Pitching|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/players/walter-pennington/sa3014971/stats?position=P|access-date=July 5, 2024|website=fangraphs.com|language=en}}

Pennington split the 2022 campaign between the High–A Quad Cities River Bandits and Double–A Northwest Arkansas Naturals, compiling a 5.19 ERA with 61 strikeouts and 3 saves across 36 appearances.{{Cite web|title=Walter Pennington Stats & Scouting Report|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/19752-walter-pennington/stats/|access-date=July 5, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|language=en}} He spent the majority of the 2023 season with the Triple–A Omaha Storm Chasers, having received a promotion following eight scoreless appearances for Northwest Arkansas. In 41 games for Omaha, Pennington logged a 7–2 record and 3.69 ERA with 64 strikeouts across 61 innings.{{Cite web|title=Walter Pennington - Baseball Stats|url=https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/player/236848/|access-date=July 5, 2024|website=thebaseballcube.com|language=en}}

Pennington began 2024 back in Omaha, where he posted a 2.35 ERA with 76 strikeouts across 32 outings. On July 5, 2024, Pennington was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time. {{Cite web|title=Royals Select Walter Pennington|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/07/royals-select-walter-pennington.html|access-date=July 5, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} In his MLB debut, he tossed {{fraction|2|3}} of a scoreless inning against the Colorado Rockies.

=Texas Rangers=

On July 29, 2024, the Royals traded Pennington to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Michael Lorenzen, with Pennington being optioned to the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate, the Round Rock Express, after the trade.{{cite news |title=Royals acquire Michael Lorenzen from Rangers to boost rotation |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40672572/royals-acquire-michael-lorenzen-rangers-boost-rotation |access-date=July 29, 2024 |publisher=ESPN.com |date=July 29, 2024}} In 15 appearances for Texas, he posted a 1-0 record and 3.12 ERA with 16 strikeouts across {{fraction|17|1|3}} innings pitched.

Pennington was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock to begin the 2025 season.{{Cite web|title=Texas Rangers Announce Next Wave of Spring Training Roster Cuts|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/rangers/news/texas-rangers-announce-next-wave-of-spring-training-roster-cuts|access-date=March 12, 2025|website=si.com|language=en}} He was designated for assignment by Texas on April 23, 2025.{{Cite web|title=Rangers Select Nick Ahmed, Place Corey Seager On Injured List|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/04/rangers-to-select-nick-ahmed-place-corey-seager-on-injured-list.html|access-date=April 26, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}

=Baltimore Orioles=

On April 28, 2025, Pennington was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles.{{Cite web|title=Orioles Claim Walter Pennington|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/04/orioles-claim-walter-pennington.html|access-date=April 28, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} He made one appearance each for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides and High-A Aberdeen IronBirds, struggling to a cumulative 0-2 record and 45.00 ERA with no strikeouts over one inning pitched. Pennington was designated for assignment following the acquisition of Luis Castillo on May 7.{{Cite web|title=Orioles Acquire Luis F. Castillo From Mariners|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/05/orioles-acquire-luis-f-castillo-from-mariners.html|access-date=May 7, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Norfolk on May 9.{{Cite web|title=Orioles Outright Walter Pennington|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/05/orioles-outright-walter-pennington.html|access-date=May 10, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}