Jacob Timothy Bird Bio
Jacob Timothy Bird is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He debuted in MLB for the Colorado Rockies in 2022. Bird played college baseball for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Bruins and led the Pac-12 Conference in earned run average in 2018. The Rockies selected him in the fifth round of the 2018 MLB draft.
Early Life and Background
Jacob Bird was born on December 4, 1995, in Newhall, California, and raised in Valencia, California. He identifies as Jewish, with his paternal grandmother being Jewish and his mother being Catholic. Bird has one older brother and two younger brothers. At a young age, he expressed his ambition to play in the major leagues, signing his friends’ yearbooks with a note to save his autograph for the future. Bird attended West Ranch High School in Stevenson Ranch, California, where he pitched and played outfield for the baseball team, as well as participating in basketball. During his senior year, he achieved a remarkable 1.55 earned run average (ERA) with 72 strikeouts and 11 walks over 58 innings. He was recognized as an All-Foothill League selection in 2014 and committed to play college baseball for the UCLA Bruins during his senior year.
Path to Baseball
After going unselected in the 2014 Major League Baseball draft, Bird enrolled at UCLA, majoring in economics. He played collegiate summer baseball with the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2016, finishing with a 3–2 record and a 2.77 ERA as a starter. As a junior, he maintained a 5–5 record with a 2.75 ERA. Bird’s pitching repertoire included a heavy sinker that reached 94 mph, a hard slider, a changeup, and a curveball. In his senior year at UCLA in 2018, Bird achieved a 7–4 record, starting 16 games and leading the Pac-12 Conference with a 2.18 ERA. He struck out 61 batters over 111 and two-thirds innings and was named to the All-Pac-12 team, the Pac-12 All-Academic first team, and the Academic All-America third team. Following this successful season, he was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the fifth round of the 2018 MLB draft.
Jacob Timothy Bird Career
Early Career (2018–2021)
Jacob Bird signed with the Colorado Rockies for a signing bonus of $50,000. He made his professional debut in 2018 with the Grand Junction Rockies of the Rookie-level Pioneer League, where he posted a 4–1 record with a 3.38 ERA and 30 strikeouts over 26 and two-thirds innings pitched in relief. In 2019, he played with the Single-A Asheville Tourists and was named a South Atlantic League All-Star, finishing the season with a 7–2 record, two saves, and an ERA of 3.62. Bird did not pitch competitively in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, using the time to learn about pitching analytics and body movement, which helped increase his fastball velocity. He returned to the field in 2021, starting the season with the Hartford Yard Goats of the Double-A Northeast and later being promoted to the Albuquerque Isotopes of the Triple-A West. He finished the 2021 season with a combined record of 6–1 and a 3.38 ERA over 39 appearances.
Breakthrough (2022–2025)
Jacob Bird made his MLB debut on June 16, 2022, after the Rockies selected his contract. He pitched one scoreless inning in relief against the Cleveland Guardians and earned his first MLB win on July 3, 2022, against the Arizona Diamondbacks. In his rookie season, he finished with a record of 2–4 and a 4.91 ERA over 47 and two-thirds innings pitched in 38 games. In 2023, Bird became Colorado’s most-used reliever, posting a 3–3 record with a 4.33 ERA in 89 and one-third innings. He was involved in a notable incident during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies, leading to a bench-clearing brawl. In 2024, he earned his first MLB save but faced challenges with injuries that limited his performance. On July 31, 2025, Bird was traded to the New York Yankees in exchange for Roc Riggio and Ben Shields. However, he struggled in his initial outings with the Yankees, leading to a demotion to the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
Notable Works and Milestones
Jacob Bird’s signature work includes his impressive performance during his time with the Colorado Rockies, where he became a key reliever. His achievements include being named an All-Star in the minor leagues and leading the Pac-12 Conference in earned run average during his college career.
Jacob Timothy Bird Award Nominations
Throughout his career, Jacob Bird has received various nominations and accolades, particularly during his college years, where he was recognized for his academic and athletic achievements.
Jacob Timothy Bird Awards Won
Jacob Bird has not yet received any major awards in his professional career but has been recognized for his performance in college baseball.
Jacob Timothy Bird Family
Jacob Bird has three brothers, and his father also attended UCLA.
Personal Life
In 2020, Jacob Bird began playing an electronic keyboard that his mother had brought home from school. After pitching in home games, he plays the keyboard to decompress. He was roommates with battery-mate Brian Serven when he was promoted to the majors with the Rockies in 2022.
