Connor Brogdon Bio
Connor Michael Brogdon is an American professional baseball pitcher born on January 29, 1995, in Clovis, California. He currently plays in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Guardians organization. A former draft pick of the Philadelphia Phillies, Brogdon has also spent time with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Angels during a career that began in 2017.
Brogdon came up through the college ranks at Fresno City College and Lewis–Clark State College, where he was part of the 2017 NAIA World Series championship team. He made his Major League debut with the Phillies in 2020 and has continued to work as a relief pitcher, relying on a fastball, changeup, and cut-slider to navigate opposing lineups.
Early Life and Background
Connor Michael Brogdon was born on January 29, 1995, in Clovis, California, and grew up in the surrounding Central Valley region. He attended Liberty High School in nearby Madera, where he played alongside San Francisco Giants prospect J.J. Santa Cruz. His high school performances drew the attention of Major League Baseball scouts before he had finished his teenage years.
During his senior year of high school, Brogdon was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 40th round of the 2013 MLB draft. Although being drafted was a significant milestone, he chose not to sign with the Braves and instead pursued a college education. He originally signed a National Letter of Intent to play for Fresno State but opted instead to begin his college career at Fresno City College.
Across two seasons at Fresno City College, Brogdon posted a 9–0 win–loss record with a 1.85 earned run average (ERA) and was named the Central Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year. He then transferred to Lewis–Clark State College, where he served as a starting pitcher. In his first season he went 6–0 with a 2.81 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 11 starts, and the following year he recorded an 8–1 mark while leading the team in innings pitched and helping the Warriors win the 2017 NAIA World Series championship.
Path to Professional Baseball
Following his NAIA championship season, Brogdon was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 10th round, 293rd overall, of the 2017 MLB draft. He was the highest Lewis–Clark State draft pick since Beau Mills was taken in the first round. Brogdon signed with the Phillies for a $5,000 signing bonus and quickly made his professional debut with the Low-A Williamsport Crosscutters on June 26, 2017, pitching 1+1⁄3 innings against the Auburn Doubledays.
Originally slated as a starting pitcher, Brogdon was shifted to the bullpen in Williamsport to open space in the rotation for teammates Spencer Howard and Connor Seabold. He responded by going 3–1 with a 2.34 ERA across 16 appearances and 34+2⁄3 innings. The Phillies assigned him to the Single-A Lakewood BlueClaws the next year, where he went 5–3 with a 2.47 ERA overall and a 1.42 ERA as a reliever, earning a spot on the club’s preliminary Opening Day roster.
Connor Brogdon Career
Early Career (2017–2019)
Brogdon’s first three professional seasons moved him steadily through the Phillies’ farm system. He opened 2019 with the High-A Clearwater Threshers, reached Double-A Reading after only 10 appearances, and was promoted again to the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs after 15 more games. Across all three affiliates that year, he combined for a 6–2 record and a 2.61 ERA in 51 appearances, cementing his reputation as a reliable late-inning arm.
His fastball velocity climbed during his time in the minors, reaching the mid-90 mph range at Reading. It was also with Reading that he refined his changeup into a dependable second offering, capable of touching 83 mph. The emergence of that changeup helped set the stage for his eventual transition to the Major Leagues.
Philadelphia Phillies (2020–2024)
After the 2020 minor league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Phillies invited Brogdon to an alternate training site in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He was officially added to the Major League roster on August 11, 2020, and made his debut two days later against the Baltimore Orioles. His first Major League pitch was hit for a solo home run by Pedro Severino, and he gave up a second home run before being pulled, but he settled in by September, striking out 14 across 8+2⁄3 scoreless innings and earning his first career win on September 18 against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The 2021 season opened with Brogdon earning the win in the Phillies’ April 1 victory over the Atlanta Braves after throwing a scoreless 10th inning. He went untouchable until April 20, when home runs by Alex Dickerson and Wilmer Flores of the San Francisco Giants knocked him out of a game Philadelphia ultimately lost 10–6. He finished 2021 with a 3.97 ERA in 11+1⁄3 innings and entered 2022 with a defined role in the Phillies’ bullpen.
Brogdon’s 2022 season was his strongest in Philadelphia. He appeared in 47 games, going 2–2 with two saves, a 3.27 ERA, and 50 strikeouts across 44 innings. He struggled in 2023, however, posting a 4.03 ERA over 29 innings in 27 appearances. Heading into 2024, his roster spot was in jeopardy, and after he allowed a grand slam to Spencer Steer of the Cincinnati Reds, the Phillies designated him for assignment on April 2, 2024.
Los Angeles Dodgers (2024)
On April 6, 2024, the Phillies traded Brogdon to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for minor league infielder Benony Robles. He made only one appearance for the Dodgers before landing on the injured list with plantar fasciitis in his right foot on April 13, and he was transferred to the 60-day injured list on May 19. On November 14, Los Angeles removed him from the 40-man roster and outrighted him to the minors; Brogdon rejected the assignment and elected free agency the following day.
Los Angeles Angels (2025)
Brogdon signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Angels on December 23, 2024, and opened 2025 with the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees, where he struggled to a 12.89 ERA across 13 outings. The Angels selected his contract on May 6, 2025, and he eventually made 43 appearances for the club, going 3–2 with a 5.55 ERA and 49 strikeouts across 47 innings. He was designated for assignment in August, rejected an outright assignment, and later re-signed with the Angels before being removed from the 40-man roster in October and electing free agency once again.
Cleveland Guardians (2026–Present)
On December 3, 2025, the Cleveland Guardians signed Brogdon to a one-year, $900,000 contract. He opened 2026 in the Guardians’ bullpen and made 15 appearances, going 2–2 with a 5.28 ERA, 14 strikeouts, and one save across 15+1⁄3 innings. On May 8, 2026, Cleveland designated him for assignment following the promotion of Franco Alemán, and he was outrighted to the Triple-A Columbus Clippers after clearing waivers on May 14.
Driving Style and Strengths
Brogdon operates with a three-pitch mix that includes a four-seam fastball, a changeup, and a hybrid cutter-slider. His fastball averaged about 96 mph during his debut MLB season in 2020, and he has publicly targeted sustaining 97 mph velocity deeper into his outings. The changeup, developed at Reading, gives him a weapon against left-handed hitters, while the cut-slider, added in 2019, rounds out a repertoire built for late-inning relief work.
Notable Events and Milestones
Brogdon’s most memorable early moment came in his MLB debut on August 13, 2020, when he surrendered two home runs in his first inning of work against Baltimore. He quickly steadied himself, recording his first Major League win on September 18, 2020, against Toronto. His first victory of the 2021 season came in the Phillies’ opener against Atlanta, and his role on the 2017 NAIA World Series championship team at Lewis–Clark State remains the cornerstone of his amateur résumé.
Connor Brogdon Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Connor Michael Brogdon’s immediate family is limited. He was raised in California’s Central Valley and attended Liberty High School in Madera, where he played alongside future San Francisco Giants prospect J.J. Santa Cruz, but no further verifiable details about his parents or siblings are available.
Personal Life
Brogdon has kept his personal life largely private. No verifiable information regarding a spouse, partner, or children is publicly available in the reviewed sources.
2026 Season Performance
Connor Michael Brogdon entered the 2026 season as a member of the Cleveland Guardians after signing a one-year, $900,000 deal in December 2025. He opened the year working out of the Guardians’ bullpen, providing middle and late relief in a relief corps that was retooling around younger arms. His early-season results reflected the adjustments of a veteran adjusting to a new organization.
Through 15 appearances, Brogdon compiled a 2–2 record with a 5.28 ERA, 14 strikeouts, and one save across 15+1⁄3 innings pitched. His lone save underscored his continued ability to handle high-leverage situations when called upon. On May 8, however, Cleveland designated him for assignment to make room for the promotion of Franco Alemán, signaling a possible shift in the Guardians’ bullpen hierarchy.
After clearing waivers, Brogdon was outrighted to the Triple-A Columbus Clippers on May 14, 2026. The move gave him an opportunity to refine his three-pitch mix and rebuild momentum in the International League. His outlook for the remainder of the season will depend on how quickly he can recapture the strike-throwing consistency that defined his standout 2022 campaign in Philadelphia.
