Matt Purke


Matthew Taylor Purke is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He made his Major League Baseball debut with the Chicago White Sox in 2016.

Amateur career

Purke attended Klein High School in Klein, Texas. He was considered one of the best high school pitchers in baseball. His junior year was his best as he had a 12–1 win–loss record with a 0.37 earned run average. In his senior season he went 4–2 with a 1.18 ERA. He also carried a 4.5 GPA. He came out as a flamethrower throwing an average of. In 2009, ESPN projected that he would be the next Johan Santana.
The Texas Rangers selected Purke in the first round, with the 14th overall selection, of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft. He did not sign, and instead enrolled at Texas Christian University, where he played college baseball for the TCU Horned Frogs. While there, he earned 2nd Team All American as a Freshman, and was named the Freshman of the year while going 16–0 with a 3.02 ERA. His sophomore year he went 5–1 with a 1.71 ERA in 11 starts.

Professional career

Washington Nationals

Purke was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the third round of the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft. He signed with the Nationals on August 15, 2011. He was added to the 40-man roster in 2012 and made 3 starts for the Class A Hagerstown Suns. He then had shoulder debridement surgery and missed the remainder of the 2012 season. He returned with Hagerstown in 2013.
Pitching for the Harrisburg Senators of the Class AA Eastern League in 2014, Purke struggled with a 1–6 record and an 8.04 ERA. Purke underwent Tommy John surgery. In November 2014, the Nationals released Purke, and then re-signed him to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

Chicago White Sox

The White Sox promoted Purke to the major leagues on May 13, 2016. He was designated for assignment on December 14, 2016, and outrighted to the minors on December 21. He elected free agency on November 6, 2017.

New York Mets

On November 17, 2017, Purke signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets. He became a free agent after the 2018 season.

Sugar Land Skeeters

On May 10, 2019, Purke signed with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He was released on August 16. He re-signed with the Skeeters on August 19, and became a free agent following the season.