Carl Edwards Jr. Bio
Carl Fleming Edwards Jr., born on September 3, 1991, is an American professional baseball pitcher who has spent more than a decade moving between Major League organizations and minor league affiliates. Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing 170 pounds, the right-hander has built a career on a strong arm and a long, lean frame that earned him the lasting nickname “The String Bean Slinger.” Across his journeyman path he has appeared with the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Atlanta Braves, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago White Sox, Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Angels, and Texas Rangers, and is currently in the New York Mets organization.
Edwards is best known for his role on the 2016 Chicago Cubs, the team that ended a 108-year championship drought by winning the World Series. While he has since traveled through several organizations, that championship season remains the signature accomplishment of his big-league career, and he continues to pursue another opportunity in the majors.
Early Life and Background
Carl Fleming Edwards Jr. was born on September 3, 1991, in Prosperity, a small town in South Carolina. He grew up there and attended Mid-Carolina High School, where he developed into a promising pitcher and drew attention from professional scouts. Coming from a tight-knit community, he played alongside friends and future teammates who shaped his early approach to the game.
Edwards initially committed to play college baseball at Charleston Southern University, where he planned to join a high school teammate, Will Bedenbaugh, on the Buccaneers roster. When Bedenbaugh died in a car accident, Edwards reconsidered his path, deciding that he could not play for a program defined by his friend’s absence. Instead, he chose to enter professional baseball and was selected by the Texas Rangers in the 48th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft directly out of high school.
His decision to turn professional so soon after the loss shaped his early years in the sport. The Rangers organization gave him his first taste of professional ball, and he quickly showed the strike-throwing ability and poise that would carry him through the minor leagues.
Path to Professional Baseball
Edwards began his professional career in the Texas Rangers system in 2011, splitting his first season between the Arizona League Rangers and the Spokane Indians. He finished that year 5–3 with a 1.48 earned run average and 85 strikeouts across 67 innings, an impressive debut that suggested a future in the major leagues. The following year he returned to the minors, and in 2013 he opened the season with the Hickory Crawdads, going 8–2 with a 1.83 ERA and 122 strikeouts over 93 and one-third innings in 18 starts.
His performance quickly outgrew the lower levels of the minors, and on July 22, 2013, he was traded, along with Mike Olt, Justin Grimm, and a player to be named later, to the Chicago Cubs for starting pitcher Matt Garza. After the trade, Edwards reported to the High-A Daytona Cubs and posted a 1.96 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 23 innings, performances that earned him the organization’s MiLB Pitcher of the Year honors. He was soon ranked among the top prospects in all of baseball.
Carl Edwards Jr. Career
Early Career (2011-2014)
After a year in the Rangers system, Edwards was traded to the Chicago Cubs in the middle of 2013 and immediately impressed in the Florida State League. He climbed the ladder in 2014 with the Double-A Tennessee Smokies, going 1–2 with a 2.44 ERA across ten starts, and on November 20, 2014, the Cubs added him to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.
He opened 2015 back in Tennessee and was promoted to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs in May. Across 36 appearances in the bullpen between the two affiliates that year, he went 5–3 with a 2.77 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 55 and one-third innings, numbers that pushed the Cubs to call him up to the major leagues.
Chicago Cubs Era (2015-2019)
Edwards made his Major League debut on September 7, 2015, against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. He returned to the Cubs in 2016 and spent most of that season in the Chicago bullpen, finishing the year with a 3.75 ERA in 35 innings and recording his first major league save on September 1 against the San Francisco Giants.
That October, Edwards became part of one of the most memorable World Series runs in modern baseball history. He and teammates Addison Russell, Dexter Fowler, and Jason Heyward were the first African-Americans to play for the Cubs in a World Series game, and Edwards later became the first African-American pitcher to appear in a World Series game for the franchise. In Game 3 he struck out the side in relief, and in Game 7 he recorded the first two outs of the bottom of the 10th inning before surrendering a run. The Cubs went on to win their first World Series title in 108 years.
Edwards was a full-time major leaguer in 2017, going 5–4 with a 2.98 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 66 and one-third relief innings, though he struggled in the National League Division Series against the Washington Nationals, surrendering a game-tying home run to Bryce Harper in Game 2. He rebounded in 2018 with a 3–2 record, a 2.60 ERA, and 67 strikeouts in 52 innings, but injuries hampered him in 2019, and he was optioned to the minors in April to work through mechanical issues.
Journeyman Years (2019-2025)
On July 31, 2019, the Cubs traded Edwards to the San Diego Padres for Brad Wieck, though his time in San Diego was brief and difficult. He signed a one-year contract with the Seattle Mariners in December 2019 and allowed just one run in five appearances in 2020, but he was outrighted off the 40-man roster after the season and elected free agency.
Edwards signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves in January 2021 and reached the majors briefly in May before being designated for assignment. He joined the Toronto Blue Jays organization in mid-May and was selected to the active roster, only to be placed on the 60-day injured list in June with a left oblique strain. After being released, he signed with the Chicago White Sox in August 2021 and pitched for the Triple-A Charlotte Knights, posting a 2.00 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 10 appearances before electing free agency again.
In February 2022, Edwards signed a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals and added a change-up to his arsenal, pitching well at Triple-A Rochester before earning a major league call-up. He agreed to a one-year, $2.25 million contract with the Nationals in January 2023 and recorded a 3.69 ERA in 32 relief appearances before a stress fracture in his right scapula ended his season. He signed another minor league deal with the Cubs in January 2024 and posted a 1.85 ERA at Triple-A Iowa before being released. He rejoined the San Diego Padres in July 2024, made one brief appearance in the majors, and worked primarily as a starter in the minor leagues.
Edwards signed with the Los Angeles Angels organization in March 2025 and was added to the active roster in April, only to be designated for assignment later that month. He then joined the Tigres de Quintana Roo of the Mexican League, where he went 5–2 with a 3.38 ERA in 14 starts across 74 and two-thirds innings, and in July 2025 he signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers. He returned to the majors in September and made two scoreless appearances before electing free agency in October.
New York Mets (2025-Present)
On December 8, 2025, Edwards signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets and was assigned to the Triple-A Syracuse Mets. He opened the year 1–2 with a 5.29 ERA across four starts at Syracuse, and on April 24, 2026, the Mets selected his contract, adding him to the active roster. In two appearances with New York he posted a 1.50 ERA with 11 strikeouts over six innings before being designated for assignment on April 30 and electing free agency on May 3.
Driving Style and Strengths
Edwards is a power-armed relief pitcher whose fastball plays up because of his long, wiry frame and high release point. Throughout his career he has leaned on a sharp breaking ball to miss bats, and in recent seasons he has added a change-up to handle left-handed hitters more comfortably. His slender build, listed at 6 feet 3 inches and 170 pounds, has stayed remarkably consistent across his career, and he has credited his conditioning with helping him bounce back from injuries and quick turnarounds between appearances.
Notable Events and Milestones
Edwards’ most enduring on-field moment came during the 2016 World Series, when he helped the Cubs end a 108-year championship drought and made history as the first African-American pitcher to appear in a World Series game for the franchise. He has also recorded milestones such as his first major league save in 2016 and his first scoreless appearances back in the majors with the Rangers in 2025, underscoring his persistence across multiple organizations.
Carl Edwards Jr. Career Wins
Although Edwards is best known as a relief pitcher rather than a traditional wins-and-losses starter, he has collected key victories and high-leverage outs at every stop of his career. His most celebrated win came as a member of the 2016 Chicago Cubs, when he helped deliver a World Series title to Chicago for the first time in more than a century. He has also contributed winning performances in Triple-A with teams such as the Tigres de Quintana Roo, the Round Rock Express, and the Iowa Cubs.
MLB Highlights
In the major leagues, Edwards has notched memorable wins and clean appearances at the back end of bullpens for the Cubs, Mariners, Nationals, Angels, Rangers, and Mets. His scoreless two-inning stint with the Rangers in September 2025 and his 1.50 ERA across six innings with the Mets in April 2026 stand out as recent examples of his ability to step into high-pressure situations and deliver outs.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the major leagues, Edwards has enjoyed strong stretches as both a reliever and a starter. His 5–2 record and 3.38 ERA in 14 starts for the Tigres de Quintana Roo in 2025 and his 2-1 record with the Round Rock Express in 2025 show that he has remained effective even as his role has shifted. Earlier in his career, his combined 13 wins between the Arizona League Rangers, Spokane Indians, and Hickory Crawdads established him as one of the more polished arms in the Rangers system before his trade to Chicago.
Carl Edwards Jr. Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Carl Fleming Edwards Jr. grew up in Prosperity, South Carolina, where he developed his love for baseball and built friendships that carried him into his professional career. The passing of his high school friend Will Bedenbaugh was a defining moment in his early life, and he has often spoken about the impact it had on his decision to pursue professional baseball rather than attend Charleston Southern University.
Edwards has carried nicknames throughout his career, including “C.J.,” which manager Joe Maddon used during their time together with the Cubs, and the more famous “The String Bean Slinger,” which he has featured on the back of his jersey during the annual Players Weekend. He has been open about embracing the nickname as a tribute to his lean build and strong arm.
Personal Life
Edwards married Anquinette Smith in 2021. The couple welcomed their first child in August 2015 and their second child in July 2018, and Edwards has frequently credited his family for providing stability through the ups and downs of a career spent moving between organizations. He is known among teammates for his quiet personality and for keeping his personal life largely private, even as he has spoken warmly about his wife and children in interviews.
2025 Season Performance
Edwards opened 2025 by signing a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels in March and reaching the major league roster in April. His time with the Angels was short, as he allowed three runs on four hits in three innings across two appearances before being designated for assignment on April 26. He cleared waivers shortly thereafter and elected free agency on April 30.
Looking for consistent innings, Edwards joined the Tigres de Quintana Roo of the Mexican League on May 5, 2025, and shifted into a starting role. He thrived in that environment, going 5–2 with a 3.38 ERA and 60 strikeouts across 74 and two-thirds innings in 14 starts, numbers that revived his stock as a big-league arm. In July he returned to familiar ground, signing a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers, the organization that had originally drafted him in 2011.
At the Triple-A level with the Round Rock Express, Edwards went 2–1 with a 5.31 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 39 innings, and the Rangers brought him back to the majors on September 7. He made two scoreless appearances, striking out four across three innings, before being designated for assignment on September 19. He cleared waivers, was outrighted to Round Rock, and elected free agency on October 6. His 2025 work with Quintana Roo, Round Rock, and Texas showed that he still had the ability to get hitters out in a variety of roles.