Zach Pop

Zach Pop
Zach Pop
Toronto Blue Jays – No. 56
	Pitcher
	Born: September 20, 1996 (age 28); Brampton, Ontario, Canada
	Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
	April 3, 2021, for the Miami Marlins
MLB statistics ; (through June 27, 2024)
Win–loss record	6–3
Earned run average	4.08
Strikeouts	106
	Stats at Baseball Reference
Teams
	Miami Marlins (2021–2022); Toronto Blue Jays (2022–present);

Zachery Michael Pop (born September 20, 1996)^[1] is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2021 with the Miami Marlins.

Career

Amateur

Pop attended Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School in Brampton, Ontario.^[2] He was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 23rd round of the 2014 Major League Baseball Draft, but did not sign and played college baseball at the University of Kentucky. In 2016, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League.^[3]

Los Angeles Dodgers

Pop was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh round of the 2017 MLB Draft.^[4] He signed and made his professional debut with the AZL Dodgers, pitching five scoreless innings. In 2018, he began the year with the Great Lakes Loons before being promoted to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.

Baltimore Orioles

On July 18, 2018, Pop was traded to the Baltimore Orioles along with Breyvic Valera, Dean Kremer, Yusniel Diaz, and Rylan Bannon in exchange for Manny Machado.^[5] He was assigned to the Bowie Baysox and finished the season there. In 44 relief appearances between Great Lakes, Rancho Cucamonga, and Bowie, he compiled a 2–3 record with a 1.53 ERA.^[6] He returned to Bowie to begin 2019,^[7] and went 1–0 with a 0.84 ERA in 10.2 innings. On May 14, he underwent Tommy John surgery, and missed the rest of the 2019 season.^[8] Pop did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[9]

Miami Marlins

Pop was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2020 Rule 5 Draft.^[10] Shortly after, Pop was traded to the Miami Marlins in exchange for Tyler Jones.^[11]^[12] Pop made the Marlins' Opening Day roster.^[13] On April 3, 2021, Pop made his MLB debut, pitching a scoreless inning of relief against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Marlins traded Pop, Anthony Bass, and a player to be named later (named Edward Duran on August 31)^[14] to the Toronto Blue Jays for prospect Jordan Groshans on August 2, 2022.^[15]

Pop made the Blue Jays' Opening Day roster in 2023.^[16] In 15 games for Toronto, he struggled to a 6.59 ERA with 14 strikeouts across 13+2⁄3 innings pitched.

Pop was optioned to the Triple–A Buffalo Bisons to begin the 2024 season.^[17]