Kyle Drabek

MLB player, Toronto Blue Jays[52]

What is Kyle Drabek known for?

Kyle Jordan Drabek, an alumnus of The Woodlands High School in Texas, is a notable figure in the world of Major League Baseball (MLB). Born on December 8, 1987 in Victoria, Texas, he made his mark in baseball as a right-handed pitcher. Drabek debuted in the MLB on September 15, 2010, for the Toronto Blue Jays and had his last MLB appearance on April 7, 2016, for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

During his career, Drabek played for the Toronto Blue Jays from 2010 to 2014, the Chicago White Sox in 2015, and finally the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2016. He finished his career with an MLB win-loss record of 8-15, an earned run average of 5.26, and a total of 123 strikeouts. His WHIP (Walks plus Hits per Inning Pitched) was 1.70.

Drabek's accomplishments as a pitcher are even more impressive when considering his lineage. He is one of only three sons of former Cy Young Award winners to reach the big leagues, following in the footsteps of his father, Doug Drabek, a prominent former major-league pitcher and the 1990 National League Cy Young Award winner.

Before his professional career, during his time at The Woodlands High School, Drabek achieved significant success. He gained recognition as an Aflac, USA Today, and Louisville Slugger high-school All-American at both pitcher and shortstop positions. Drabek achieved a remarkable record of 30–1 on the mound while hitting 27 home runs and setting the school record for most strikeouts in a game by a pitcher (19), which was part of a no-hitter performance. Furthermore, he played a leading role in leading the Highlanders to the Texas 5-A State Championship in the 2006 spring season.

In the 2006 Major League Baseball draft, he was selected in the first round as the 18th overall pick by the Philadelphia Phillies. Despite being ranked as the 12th-best prospect in the draft by Baseball America, he was drafted lower due to concerns about personal incidents at that time.

Off the field, Drabek's father played a significant part in his development, not only guiding him in the physical aspects of the game but also in the mental ones. Drabek described his father's involvement as like "having a pitching coach who lives with you ... He taught me so much."