Brad Hand

Bradley Richard Hand, born on March 20, 1990, in Minneapolis, MN, began his professional baseball career after being drafted by the Florida Marlins in the second round of the 2008 MLB draft. Before his professional debut, Hand was recognized as Minnesota’s Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year during his senior year at Chaska High School. He made his Major League debut on June 7, 2011, with the Florida Marlins. Early in his career, Hand primarily served as a starting pitcher, including a memorable debut where he pitched six one-hit innings. During his early years, he also played for the Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs and Double-A Jacksonville Suns, demonstrating consistent strikeout numbers and earning accolades like the Florida State League Pitcher of the Week in 2010.

A significant turning point in Hand’s career occurred in 2016 when he transitioned from a starting role to a full-time bullpen pitcher with the San Diego Padres. This move proved strategic, as he recorded a career-high 82 appearances that season, leading the Majors for a reliever, and accumulated 111 strikeouts. This successful shift cemented his role as a dominant left-handed reliever. His performance led to consecutive All-Star selections in 2017 and 2018 with the Padres, and he continued to achieve significant milestones, including earning NL Reliever of the Month honors in July 2017 and May 2018.

Throughout his career, Hand has pitched for multiple MLB teams, including the Miami Marlins, San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians, Washington Nationals, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Colorado Rockies, and Atlanta Braves. His notable achievements include being named All-MLB Second Team in 2020 while with the Cleveland Indians, where he led the league with 16 saves. Hand achieved 10 years of MLB service time, a milestone recognized by his Colorado Rockies teammates in 2023. He credits his longevity to disciplined body maintenance and strategic workload management, which have allowed him to maintain effectiveness across various high-pressure bullpen roles.