Charles Irvin "Bubby" Rossman (born June 29, 1992) is an American-Israeli[1] professional baseball pitcher for the Rieleros de Aguascalientes of the Mexican League. He played college baseball for Cerritos College and California State University, Dominguez Hills. He was selected in the 22nd round of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. He made his MLB debut at 30 years of age with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022. He pitched for the Israeli national baseball team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

Bubby Rossman
Rieleros de Aguascalientes – No. 69
Pitcher
Born: (1992-06-29) June 29, 1992 (age 32)
La Habra, California, U.S.
Bats: Both
Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 13, 2022, for the Philadelphia Phillies
MLB statistics
(through July 13, 2022)
Win–loss record0–0
Earned run average18.00
Strikeouts1
Teams

Early life

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Rossman was born in La Habra, California, to Charles (an actor) and Denyce Rossman, has a younger brother (Spencer), and is Jewish.[2][3][4][5] He attended La Habra High School ('10), where he played baseball (batting .452 as a junior), football, and soccer (as the starting goalkeeper).[3][6]

College

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He then attended Cerritos College in California, where Rossman played baseball and as a freshman was named a 2nd team All Star.[3] In his two seasons at Cerritos, while playing the outfield he batted .307/.446/.432 his freshman year, and .341/.459/.549 his sophomore year.[7][8][9]

Rossman transferred, and next double-majored in business and kinesiology while attending NCAA Division II California State University, Dominguez Hills.[8] Playing in 2014 in his senior season for the baseball team primarily in right field and as a designated hitter, he batted .261/.383/.455 while switch-hitting, and won a Division II West Region Rawlings Gold Glove Award in right field where he had 7 assists and played error-less defense; Kevin Pillar was a prior winner of the award for the school.[10][11] He also pitched 8.1 innings when the team ran low on pitchers, sporting a 92 mph fastball.[3]

Professional career

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Los Angeles Dodgers

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Rossman was selected in the 22nd round of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers, as a pitcher.[11][12] While he "definitely did not want to be a pitcher ... I wanted to be an outfielder in the big leagues," and several teams were interested in him as an outfielder, the Dodgers insisted that he transition to pitcher.[13] In 2014 as a relief pitcher for the rookie-level AZL Dodgers, he was 0-2 with one save and a 4.74 ERA in 19 innings, with 23 strikeouts.[14] In 2015 with the Single-A Great Lakes Loons he was 3-1 with 4 saves and a 2.26 ERA in 51.2 innings over 29 games, in which he had 54 strikeouts.[14] In 2016 pitching all but one inning for the High-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, he was 4-0 with a 3.43 ERA in 39.1 innings over 23 games, in which he had 34 strikeouts.[14]

He was slow to recover from a triceps injury, which impeded his velocity. Rossman was released by the Dodgers on August 30, 2016.[13][15][11]

Sioux City Explorers

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On June 18, 2017, Rossman signed with the Sioux City Explorers of the American Association of Professional Baseball.[16] He made 20 appearances for the team, posting an 0-2 record and 4.54 ERA with 30 strikeouts and 1 save in 35.2 innings pitched. On February 5, 2018, Rossman was released.[17]

Cleburne Railroaders

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On April 1, 2019, after not playing in the 2018 season, Rossman signed with the Cleburne Railroaders of the American Association of Professional Baseball.[18] Pitching in 6 games for Cleburne, he posted a 1-0 record and 5.40 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 6.2 innings pitched. He was released on June 11.

Trois-Rivières Aigles

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Rossman spent the remainder of the 2019 season with the Trois-Rivières Aigles of the Canadian-American Association. In 29 appearances, he registered a 3-0 record and 2.41 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 33.2 innings of work. During the season, Rossman also became vegan.[19]

Following the 2019 season, the Can-Am Association announced it would be merging with the Frontier League for the 2020 season, but play was delayed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[20] Rossman would spend 2020 with the Nerds Herd in the City of Champions Cup league, logging a 3.60 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 15 appearances.[21]

York Revolution

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On May 3, 2021, Rossman signed with the Bravos de León of the Mexican League.[22] However, he left the team without making an appearance and signed with the York Revolution of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball on May 27.[23][13][14] In 36 games for York, Rossman worked to a 4-3 record and 5.40 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 33.1 innings pitched.[14]

Philadelphia Phillies

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On November 9, 2021, Rossman signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies organization, at which point he was throwing his fastball in the high 90s, and touching 99 mph, along with an 88 mph slider.[24][25][12] He was assigned to the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils at the beginning of the season, and before he was called up he pitched in 27 games (including 8 starts; the first of his professional career), with a 3.32 ERA in 40.2 innings in which he struck out 48 batters.[26][27][28]

Rossman was promoted to the Phillies major league roster on July 13, 2022.[29] He made his MLB debut that day, at 30 years of age, after five years out of affiliated minor league baseball.[27][30] Pitching the 8th inning that evening against the Toronto Blue Jays, he first walked a batter and gave up a home run to Teoscar Hernandez.[1] He then retired the next three batters on only nine pitches, however, including a 98 mph four-seam fastball to strike out Matt Chapman.[1] After the game, he was sent back to the minor leagues.[1] In 2022, with Reading he was 2-2 with one save and a 3.02 ERA in 29 games (9 starts) in which he pitched 44.2 innings allowed 29 hits, and struck out 56 batters.[31] With the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs he was 3=3 with a 6.04 ERA in 15 games (5 starts) in which he pitched 25.1 innings and struck out 27 batters.[31] While he had pitched in only one game for the Phillies, he was awarded a National League Champions ring.[32] He elected free agency following the season on November 10.[33]

New York Mets

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On March 22, 2023, Rossman signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets organization.[34] He was assigned to the Triple-A Syracuse Mets to begin the season.[35] In 18 games for Syracuse, he struggled to an 8.18 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 22.0 innings of work.[36]

Kansas City Monarchs

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On July 29, 2023, Rossman signed with the Kansas City Monarchs of the American Association of Professional Baseball.[37] For the season, he was 1-0 with one save and a 1.04 ERA, as in 8+23 innings he struck out 16 batters.[35] Rossman became a free agent at the end of the 2023 season.

Rieleros de Aguascalientes

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On June 21, 2024, Rossman signed with the Rieleros de Aguascalientes of the Mexican League.[38] In 14 games 14.2 innings of relief he went 1-0 with a 3.07 ERA with more walks (12) than strikeouts (10) and 2 saves.

Team Israel

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In 2021 Rossman played internationally, representing the Israel national baseball team in the 2021 European Baseball Championship, debuting with a win against Team Russia.[39][40] He helped the team win a silver medal.[41][42]

Rossman played for Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, which took place in loanDepot park in Miami.[43][44][45] He played for Team Israel manager Ian Kinsler, and alongside two-time All Star outfielder Joc Pederson, starting pitcher Dean Kremer, and others.[46][47]

Rossman pitched for Team Israel in the 2023 European Baseball Championship in September 2023 in the Czech Republic, and was 0-0 with one save and a 0.00 ERA in which he held batters hitless with seven strikeouts over four innings across two games.[48]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Scott Barancik (July 15, 2022). "Bubby Rossman makes MLB debut; It was as fun as it was unlikely". Jewish Baseball News.
  2. ^ Pannier, Robert (March 28, 2019). "Cleburne Adds Physical Righty Bubby Rossman". Minor League Sports Report.
  3. ^ a b c d "Bubby Rossman - Baseball". Cal State Dominguez Hills Athletics.
  4. ^ "Minor Leaguers". Jewish Baseball Museum.
  5. ^ "Players". Jewish Baseball News.
  6. ^ Kelly Kwan (2011). "2011 Cerritos College Baseball Media Guide".
  7. ^ "2011-12 Baseball Statistics - Cerritos". Cerritos College Athletics.
  8. ^ a b Matt Hanlon (March 6, 2014). "Catching a draft". The Orange County Register.
  9. ^ "Cerritos Falcons - Season Statistics". Cerritos College Athletics.
  10. ^ "Bubby Rossman Named a 2014 Rawlings Gold Glove All-Region Selection". Cal State Dominguez Hills Athletics. May 23, 2014.
  11. ^ a b c Stephen, Eric (June 8, 2014). "Dodgers take RHP Bubby Rossman in 22nd round". True Blue LA.
  12. ^ a b Salisbury, Jim (January 31, 2022). "Former Nerd grateful for his chance to chase dream with Phillies". NBC Sports Philadelphia. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  13. ^ a b c Matthew Knaub (July 16, 2022). "Reading Fightin Phils pitcher Bubby Rossman's MLB debut the culmination of years of perseverance; After eight seasons in the minor leagues, Rossman made his major league debut at age 30 with Philadelphia on July 13". Reading Eagle.
  14. ^ a b c d e "Register Players Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  15. ^ "Bubby Rossman Stats, Fantasy & News". MiLB.com.
  16. ^ "American Association of Professional Baseball - 2017 Transactions".
  17. ^ "American Association of Professional Baseball - 2018 Transactions".
  18. ^ "American Association of Professional Baseball - 2019 Transactions".
  19. ^ Tom Housenick (April 10, 2022). "Phillies minor leaguers, coach never give up on major league dreams". The Morning Call. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  20. ^ "Frontier League, Can-Am League to Join Forces". FrontierLeague.com. October 16, 2019.
  21. ^ "NERDS Herd Hang on to Beat Deep Dish 5-4". oursportscentral.com. August 28, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  22. ^ "Bubby Rossman Stats, Fantasy & News". mlb.com. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  23. ^ "Atlantic League Professional Baseball: Transactions".
  24. ^ "Player Card: Bubby Rossman". Brooks Baseball.
  25. ^ "2022 Preseason update". Jewish Baseball News. April 4, 2022.
  26. ^ "Bubby Rossman Minor, Independent & Fall Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.
  27. ^ a b Daubert, Ty (July 13, 2022). "Former indy-ball pitcher Bubby Rossman joins Phillies in Toronto". Phillies Nation.
  28. ^ Seidman, Corey (July 13, 2022). "Phillies add 2 new players for final game in Toronto". NBC Sports Philadelphia. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  29. ^ "Phillies' Bubby Rossman: Joins roster as substitute player". CBS Sports. RotoWire. July 13, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  30. ^ Lugardo, Destiny (July 13, 2022). "Wheeler struggles, Phillies drop two-game set in Toronto". Phillies Nation.
  31. ^ a b "Bubby Rossman Minor, Independent & Fall Leagues Statistics".
  32. ^ Gelb, Matt (April 5, 2023). "What the Phillies' NL championship ring will mean to 3 players on the fringe". The Athletic.
  33. ^ "2022-23 Minor League Free Agents For All 30 MLB Teams". baseballamerica.com. November 13, 2022. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  34. ^ "Mets' Bubby Rossman: Inks minor-league deal with NYM". CBS Sports. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  35. ^ a b "Bubby Rossman Minor, Independent & Fall Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  36. ^ "Monarchs Sign Big-League Pitcher Rossman". monarchsbaseball.com. July 28, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  37. ^ "2023 Transactions". aabaseball.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  38. ^ "LMB: Movimientos en listas de reserva - 21 de junio de 2024". milb.com. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  39. ^ "Israel edges Russia to start Euros". Israel Association of Baseball.
  40. ^ Danny Grossman (September 24, 2021). "Behind the silver lining for blue-and-white baseball; Israel caps off stellar summer on the diamond with second-place finish at European Championships in Torino". The Jerusalem Post.
  41. ^ Danny Grossman (September 20, 2021). "Baseball: Israel loses European Championship to Netherlands, wins silver". The Jerusalem Post.
  42. ^ Danny Grossman (September 18, 2021). "Baseball: Israel overcomes Italy 11-5 to reach gold medal game". The Jerusalem Post.
  43. ^ Jonathan Mayo (February 9, 2023). "Pederson, Kremer headline Team Israel's Classic roster". MLB.com.
  44. ^ Cramer, Philissa (October 14, 2022). "In a breakthrough, Team Israel will boast current MLBers on its World Baseball Classic roster".
  45. ^ Joshua Halickman (July 17, 2022). "Blue-and-white manager Kinsler talks Israeli baseball, Judaism". The Jerusalem Post.
  46. ^ Scott Barancik (July 21, 2022). "Israel's roster swelling with stars; Joc Pederson, Harrison Bader among recent WBC commits". Jewish Baseball News.
  47. ^ "Israel drawn to WBC group in Miami". Israel Association of Baseball.
  48. ^ "2023 European Baseball Championship". WBSC Europe.
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