Diamondbacks Claim RHP Tyler Zuber Off Waivers from Royals
The Diamondbacks announced they have claimed right-handed pitcher Tyler Zuber from the Kansas City Royals. Zuber was a former sixth round selection by the Royals in the 2017 MLB Draft out of Arkansas State University. In parts of two seasons with the Royals, Zuber is 1-5 with a 5.29 ERA in 54 appearances. In 49.1 innings, he struck out 55 hitters while walking 37. He missed the entire 2022 season due to shoulder issues, undergoing surgery in May.
Zuber has a four-pitch mix, but leans heavily on a 4-Seam Fastball that averages 94.6 MPH and a mid 80s slider. The two pitches account for 87% of the pitches he throws, as he'll occasionally mix in a curveball and a changeup. The D-backs have been looking to add velocity and strikeouts to their bullpen, with Zuber's career strikeout rate of 24.8% just a bit better than the MLB average of 22.1%.
Recently, he posted video on his Twitter account of him throwing from about 60 feet on flat ground.
The hope is Zuber can recover quickly enough from surgery to be a full participant for Spring Training, which would be about nine months from surgery. He'll be one of many arms competing for a roster spot in the big league bullpen, but he does have one option remaining should he not make the Opening Day roster in 2023.
