Ángel Zerpa Bio
Ángel David Zerpa is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB). The left-hander previously played in MLB for the Kansas City Royals after signing with the organization as an international free agent in 2016. He made his MLB debut in 2021 and has built his career as a versatile arm capable of working in both starting and relief roles.
Born on September 27, 1999, Zerpa has been a steady presence on professional rosters since his teenage years, climbing through several levels of the minor leagues before reaching the majors. He represents Venezuela in international competition, including the World Baseball Classic.
Early Life and Background
Ángel David Zerpa was born on September 27, 1999, and grew up in Venezuela, a country with a deep tradition of producing Major League Baseball talent. From a young age, he developed an interest in pitching and quickly drew the attention of international scouts thanks to his frame and arm strength.
On July 26, 2016, the Kansas City Royals signed Zerpa as an international free agent for a $100,000 signing bonus, marking the formal start of his professional career. That agreement set him on a development path that would take him through the Royals’ farm system in both the Dominican Republic and the United States.
Path to Baseball
Zerpa made his professional debut in 2017 with the Dominican Summer League Royals, going 3–4 with a 1.84 earned run average (ERA) and 39 strikeouts over 63⅔ innings. The strong showing in his first taste of pro ball suggested a promising future.
He spent the 2018 season with the Arizona League Royals, where he recorded a 3–6 record with a 3.88 ERA and 34 strikeouts across 48⅔ innings. In 2019, Zerpa split the year between the Burlington Royals and the Idaho Falls Chukars, combining for a 6–3 record, a 3.40 ERA, and 55 strikeouts in 55⅓ innings. He did not play in a game in 2020 because the minor league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a setback that briefly paused his development but did not derail his trajectory.
Ángel Zerpa Career
Early Career (2017–2020)
After progressing through the Dominican and Arizona League affiliates, Zerpa established himself as a prospect worth protecting. On November 20, 2020, the Royals added him to their 40-man roster to shield him from the Rule 5 draft, a clear sign that the organization viewed him as part of its long-term plans.
That promotion came before he had even thrown a pitch in the upper minors, reflecting both his ceiling and the Royals’ confidence in his projectability as a left-handed pitcher.
Kansas City Royals Breakthrough (2021–2025)
Zerpa split the 2021 minor league season between the High-A Quad Cities River Bandits, Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals, and Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, going a combined 4–4 with a 4.58 ERA and 108 strikeouts over 88⅓ innings. On September 30, 2021, he was recalled to the active roster to make his MLB debut as the starting pitcher against the Cleveland Indians, a milestone that capped his rapid rise through the system.
In 2022, Zerpa made three MLB appearances, including two starts, logging a 2–1 record and a 1.64 ERA with three strikeouts in 11 innings pitched. He split the rest of the year between Northwest Arkansas and Omaha, posting a 2–5 record and 4.02 ERA with 69 strikeouts in 71⅔ innings. A small tear in his patellar tendon sent him to the 60-day injured list on August 2, 2021, and he missed the remainder of the year while recovering.
Zerpa opened 2023 on the 60-day injured list with left shoulder tendinopathy before being activated on July 14 and optioned to Triple-A Omaha. He made 15 appearances, including three starts, for Kansas City that season, finishing 3–3 with a 4.85 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 42⅔ innings. In 2024, he settled into a full-time bullpen role, making 60 relief appearances and registering a 2–0 record, 3.86 ERA, and 49 strikeouts in 53⅔ innings. During the 2025 campaign, Zerpa appeared in 69 games, including two starts, going 5–2 with a 4.18 ERA and 58 strikeouts across 64⅔ innings, showing durability and consistency in a hybrid role.
Milwaukee Brewers Era (2026–Present)
On December 14, 2025, the Royals traded Zerpa to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for Isaac Collins and Nick Mears, giving him a fresh start in the National League. He made 12 appearances for the Brewers early in the 2026 season, compiling an 0–2 record and 6.39 ERA with eight strikeouts and two saves across 12⅔ innings.
On May 5, 2026, the Brewers announced that Zerpa would undergo Tommy John surgery, ending his season. The procedure marked a difficult pause in his transition to Milwaukee but did not change the organization’s long-term investment in the left-hander.
Driving Style and Strengths
Zerpa has demonstrated the versatility to handle both starting and relief assignments, a flexibility that has become a defining feature of his career. His left-handed delivery and ability to generate swings and misses in the strike zone have allowed him to fit into multiple bullpen roles, including late-inning save situations during his early work with the Brewers.
Notable Events and Milestones
Highlights of Zerpa’s career include his MLB debut on September 30, 2021, against the Cleveland Indians, his first two MLB saves with the Brewers in 2026, and his selection to represent Venezuela at the 2026 World Baseball Classic in Miami. Being named to a national team roster stands as one of the most meaningful honors of his career so far.
Ángel Zerpa Career Wins
Across his time in Major League Baseball, Ángel David Zerpa has accumulated a growing résumé of wins and contributions out of the bullpen and in spot starts. His work with the Royals and Brewers has showcased his value as a reliable left-handed option in a variety of game situations.
Kansas City Royals Highlights
Zerpa recorded his first MLB victory during the 2022 season, when he went 2–1 with a 1.64 ERA in three appearances. He added two more wins in 2023 and two more in 2024, finishing that campaign 2–0 with a 3.86 ERA. In 2025, his most productive Royals season, he posted a 5–2 record with a 4.18 ERA across 69 appearances, including two starts.
Other Wins & Performances
Before reaching the majors, Zerpa posted several strong minor league campaigns, including a 6–3 record across Burlington and Idaho Falls in 2019 and a 4–4 mark split between three affiliates in 2021. His first two MLB saves came during his brief 2026 stint with the Brewers, signaling an expanded late-inning role before his season-ending injury.
Ángel Zerpa Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Ángel David Zerpa’s immediate family and upbringing remains limited, and detailed records about his parents and siblings have not been widely published.
Personal Life
Zerpa is a Venezuelan national who built his professional baseball career after signing with the Kansas City Royals in 2016. Further personal-life details, including marital status and children, are not publicly confirmed in available sources.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season represented one of the most productive stretches of Ángel David Zerpa’s career. Pitching primarily out of the Kansas City Royals’ bullpen, he appeared in 69 games, including two starts, and finished with a 5–2 record, a 4.18 ERA, and 58 strikeouts in 64⅔ innings. His durability and consistency helped stabilize a Royals relief corps that leaned heavily on left-handed options.
His 2025 performance was strong enough to attract trade interest, and on December 14, 2025, the Royals sent him to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for Isaac Collins and Nick Mears. The move to a contender gave Zerpa a new opportunity to showcase his skills in a leverage role.
Through the early portion of the 2026 campaign, Zerpa had made 12 appearances for the Brewers, recording two saves before a left-elbow injury led to the announcement on May 5, 2026, that he would undergo Tommy John surgery, ending his season and shifting his focus to a full recovery.
