Walter Pennington #52

Walter Carlton Pennington IV…married wife, the former Brianne Sanford, on Dec. 30, 2022…was a four-year player on the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers baseball team of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference from 2016-20, finishing his collegiate career with a 24-10 record in 51 appearances/30 starts, including six complete games, three saves and one shutout…led his team with 18 appearances as a freshman...in 2019, he set the school’s single-season records with 10 wins and 92.1 innings as a junior…graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering…two-way player prepped at Broomfield (Colo.) High School where he excelled as a pitcher and outfielder, as well as in the classroom, graduating with a 4.0 GPA…posted a 0.83 ERA in 42.0 IP with 48 SO/9 BB while batting .323 en route to being named Front Range Athlete of the Year during his 2016 senior campaign…named CHSAA Academic All-State twice from 2015-16…participated in the 2016 Colorado High School Futures game at Coors Field…also lettered in basketball…the former engineering grad employs a “one-thought limit” when on the mound so as to avoid thinking too much while pitching… hobbies include LEGOs, carpentry, and unwinding with YouTube videos, specifically on the mechanics of machines.

2024

Rookie southpaw was acquired by Texas via trade from Kansas City on 7/29 for RHP Michael Lorenzen…combined to go 1-0, 3.00 ERA (6 ER/18.0 IP) with 17 SO/11 BB in 16 G/1 GS between KC (1 G) and TEX (15 G/1 GS) in ’24, his first Major League action…had five separate big-league stints: 7/5, 7/10 (27th man; did not appear), 8/2-5, 8/11-9/23, 9/28-end of season…the Rangers went just 3-12 in his 15 appearances in ’24, but won three straight from 9/1-4…allowed runs in four of 15 appearances for TEX, incl. eight consecutive scoreless appearances from 8/30-9/19…opponents batted .275/.390/.391/.782 (19-for-69) with 5 XBH (HR, 3B, 3 2B)… opposing right-handers hit .243 (9-for-37) while lefties hit .294 (10-for-34)…saw more success on the road (1.00 ERA in six games) than at home (5.00 ERA in 10 G/1 GS)…Colorado native made MLB debut for Kansas City in his home state, working 0.2 IP of relief on 7/5 at Coors Field against the Rockies (0 H, 1 SO) to strand runners at second and third…fanned Nolan Jones for his first MLB strikeout…made first appearance for TEX on 8/4 vs. BOS, allowing three-run HR to first batter he faced (Wilyer Abreu) – the only HR he allowed all season…first career MLB start on 9/1 vs. OAK (1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 SO, 20 pitches/12 strikes)…posted career highs in innings (3.0) and pitches (50) on 8/24 at CLE (4 H, 2 R-1 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO) in 13-5 TEX defeat…picked up first MLB win on 9/3 vs. NYY (0.1 IP, BB), retiring one of two batters faced in ninth inning before Wyatt Langford’s walk-off grand slam in bottom of ninth lifted Texas to a 7-4 victory…was scoreless in eight straight appearances from 8/30-9/19 (8.2 IP, 9 H, 4 BB, 5 SO), cutting season ERA from 3.00 to 1.56…marked the T-fourth-longest string of scoreless app. by a TEX pitcher in ’24 (13-Yates, 11-Yates, 9-Robertson, 8-5 pitchers tied)…spent the balance of the campaign in the Minor Leagues, totaling a 7-3 record, 2.13 ERA (15 ER/63.1 IP), 82 SO/21 BB in 39 games/two starts spilt between Omaha (37 G/2 GS) and Round Rock (2 G)…named International League Pitcher of the Week for 5/27-6/2 after fanning 12 in 6.1 SHO IP with one hit and no walks.

2023

Was in Minor League Spring Training camp, but made six appearances in Major League games, allowing two runs on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts over 4.0 innings of work... He began the season with Double-A Northwest Arkansas, where he made eight scoreless appearances with one save and 11 strikeouts in 9.2 innings... Was promoted to Triple-A Omaha on May 3, where he made 41 appearances and went 7-2 with a 3.69 ERA (25 ER in 61.0 IP)... Finished his season with 5.0 hitless, scoreless innings over his last two games for Triple-A Omaha, striking out five batters and walking just two.