Michael Tonkin Bio
Michael Harvey Tonkin, born on November 19, 1989, in Glendale, California, is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. Over the course of his career, he has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, and New York Yankees, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. Tonkin made his MLB debut in 2013 with the Twins and has built a career as a reliable relief pitcher, appearing in multiple organizations across the United States, Japan, and Mexico.
Early Life and Background
Michael Harvey Tonkin was born on November 19, 1989, in Glendale, California. He grew up in the Southern California region and attended Palmdale High School in Palmdale, where he developed his skills as a pitcher. The Minnesota Twins selected Tonkin in the 30th round, 906th overall, of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft, giving him his first professional opportunity straight out of high school.
Following the draft, Tonkin began his professional career in the Twins’ minor league system, starting with the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Twins. Over the next several years, he worked his way through the organization’s farm system, gaining valuable experience and refining his pitching craft in preparation for a future call-up to the major leagues.
Path to Baseball
Tonkin’s path to professional baseball began with the 2008 MLB draft, when the Minnesota Twins selected him in the 30th round. He made his professional debut with the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Twins, recording a 3.27 earned run average (ERA) in six games. The following year, he returned to the team, posting a 3–4 record and 3.62 ERA in 11 appearances.
In 2010, Tonkin split the year between the rookie-level Elizabethton Twins and the Class-A Beloit Snappers, pitching to a 4–6 record and 3.40 ERA in 23 appearances between the two teams. He returned to Beloit in 2011, where he posted a 4–3 record and 3.87 ERA with 69 strikeouts in 76⅔ innings. In 2012, Tonkin split the season between Beloit and the High-A Fort Myers Miracle, logging a cumulative 4–1 record and 2.08 ERA in 44 appearances. On November 20, 2012, the Twins added Tonkin to their 40-man roster, signaling that a major league opportunity was on the horizon.
Michael Tonkin Career
Early Career (2008–2012)
Tonkin began his professional career in 2008 with the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Twins, where he posted a 3.27 ERA in six games. The following season, he returned to the same team, improving his record to 3–4 with a 3.62 ERA in 11 appearances. His steady progress through the minor leagues earned him opportunities at higher levels of the Twins’ system.
By 2010, Tonkin was splitting time between the rookie-level Elizabethton Twins and the Class-A Beloit Snappers, combining for a 4–6 record and 3.40 ERA in 23 appearances. In 2011, he returned to Beloit and produced a 4–3 record with a 3.87 ERA, striking out 69 batters in 76⅔ innings. His strong 2012 campaign, during which he posted a 4–1 record and 2.08 ERA across Beloit and Fort Myers, ultimately led to his addition to the Twins’ 40-man roster in November of that year.
Minnesota Twins Debut (2013–2017)
On July 11, 2013, the Twins promoted Tonkin to the major leagues for the first time, and he made his MLB debut that day against the Tampa Bay Rays, pitching 1⅓ innings of scoreless ball. He finished his rookie season with a 0.79 ERA in nine appearances with Minnesota. Tonkin was optioned to the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings in 2014 and shuttled between the minors and majors before finishing the year with a 4.74 ERA in 24 big league games.
In 2015, Tonkin pitched to a 3.47 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 23⅓ innings for the Twins. The following year, he appeared in 65 games out of the bullpen, going 3–2 with a 5.02 ERA. On May 6, 2017, Tonkin was designated for assignment, though he was outrighted to Rochester on May 13 and returned to the majors in September, finishing the year with a 5.14 ERA in 16 games.
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (2018)
On November 9, 2017, Tonkin’s contract was sold to the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball. In 2018, he pitched in 53 games for the Fighters, recording a 4–4 record and 3.71 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 51 innings of work. After the season, he became a free agent, bringing his brief but productive stint in Japan to a close.
Minor League Stops and Independent Ball (2019–2021)
On January 8, 2019, Tonkin signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers organization, though he was released on March 21. He quickly signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers on March 22, registering a 3–0 record and 4.26 ERA in 14 games with the Triple-A San Antonio Missions before being released on June 10. On June 18, 2019, Tonkin signed with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, where he posted a 3–2 record and 0.34 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 26⅔ innings over 21 games.
On August 18, 2019, Tonkin’s contract was purchased by the Arizona Diamondbacks, and he was assigned to the Triple-A Reno Aces, where he finished the year with a 7.71 ERA in five games. He did not play in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and was released by Arizona on May 22, 2020. On March 31, 2021, Tonkin again signed with the Long Island Ducks, earning nine saves and posting a league-leading 0.53 ERA over 17 innings. On July 13, 2021, his contract was purchased by the Toros de Tijuana of the Mexican League.
Atlanta Braves (2022–2023)
On January 11, 2022, Tonkin signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves, where he made 47 relief appearances for the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers, logging a 3.17 ERA with 73 strikeouts and 16 saves in 48⅓ innings. On November 10, his contract was selected to the 40-man roster. Pitching in relief of Kyle Wright on April 11, 2023, Tonkin earned his first major league victory since 2016. On June 15, he threw 3⅓ innings in relief of AJ Smith-Shawver, earning his first career save. He was non-tendered and became a free agent on November 17.
New York Mets and New York Yankees (2024)
On December 6, 2023, Tonkin signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the New York Mets. In three games for the Mets, he posted an 0–2 record and 4.50 ERA with three strikeouts in four innings. On April 5, 2024, he was designated for assignment. On April 9, the Mets traded him to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for cash considerations, but he was designated for assignment again on April 13. On April 17, he returned to the Mets after being claimed off waivers, making two appearances before being designated for assignment on April 22.
On April 25, 2024, the New York Yankees claimed Tonkin off waivers. He earned his second career save on June 10. In 39 relief outings for the Yankees, he compiled a 3.38 ERA with 57 strikeouts and two saves over 56 innings. Tonkin was designated for assignment by the Yankees on August 25. On August 27, the Minnesota Twins claimed him off waivers, and in 13 total appearances for Minnesota on the year, he recorded a 3.86 ERA with 22 strikeouts across 16⅓ innings.
Minnesota Twins Return (2024–2025)
Tonkin began the 2025 season on the 60-day injured list due to a mild rotator cuff strain. On June 13, 2025, he was activated from the injured list and subsequently removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to the Triple-A St. Paul Saints. On July 28, the Twins added Tonkin to their active roster. In 21 appearances for Minnesota, he posted a 2–1 record and 4.88 ERA with 19 strikeouts over 24 innings. On November 6, Tonkin was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to St. Paul; he subsequently rejected the assignment and elected free agency.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the most significant moments of Tonkin’s career came on June 15, 2023, when he earned his first career save while pitching in relief for the Atlanta Braves. He also recorded his first major league victory since 2016 earlier that season on April 11, 2023. During his time with the New York Yankees in 2024, Tonkin earned his second career save on June 10, adding another milestone to a journey that has taken him through several major league organizations and into international baseball.
Michael Tonkin Career Wins
Michael Harvey Tonkin has accumulated a 16–11 win–loss record with a 4.23 ERA and 328 strikeouts across his MLB career through the 2025 season, according to verified statistics. In Nippon Professional Baseball, he recorded a 4–4 record with a 3.71 ERA and 33 strikeouts during the 2018 season with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. His career has been marked by long stretches in the minor leagues and independent ball, punctuated by appearances in the major leagues with several different organizations.
MLB Highlights
Tonkin’s first major league victory since 2016 came on April 11, 2023, when he pitched in relief of Kyle Wright for the Atlanta Braves. He went on to earn his first career save later that season on June 15. With the New York Yankees in 2024, he earned his second career save on June 10 and compiled a strong 3.38 ERA in 39 relief appearances, demonstrating his effectiveness as a late-inning reliever.
Other Wins and Performances
In Nippon Professional Baseball, Tonkin recorded a 4–4 record with a 3.71 ERA for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in 2018. During his time in the independent Atlantic League with the Long Island Ducks in 2019, he posted a 3–2 record and a 0.34 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 26⅔ innings, and in 2021 he led the league with a 0.53 ERA over 17 innings while serving as a closer.
Michael Tonkin Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Michael Harvey Tonkin married Becky Feeney at the end of the 2015 season. The couple’s first daughter was born in 2019. Tonkin’s brother-in-law is former MLB outfielder Jason Kubel, connecting the pitcher to a broader baseball family.
Tonkin grew up in Southern California, attending Palmdale High School in Palmdale, where he began developing the pitching skills that would eventually carry him into a professional career spanning more than a decade across multiple organizations and countries.
2025 Season Performance
Michael Harvey Tonkin began the 2025 season on the 60-day injured list with the Minnesota Twins due to a mild rotator cuff strain. After recovering, he was activated on June 13, 2025, and removed from the 40-man roster before being sent outright to the Triple-A St. Paul Saints. He returned to the active roster on July 28, where he provided bullpen depth for the Twins down the stretch.
In 21 appearances for Minnesota in 2025, Tonkin posted a 2–1 record and 4.88 ERA with 19 strikeouts across 24 innings of work. On November 6, the Twins removed him from the 40-man roster and sent him outright to St. Paul. Tonkin subsequently rejected the assignment and elected free agency, ending his time with the organization and entering the offseason as a free agent.