Tom Cosgrove Bio
Thomas Cosgrove, known professionally as Tom Cosgrove, is an American professional baseball pitcher. Born on June 14, 1996, in Staten Island, New York, Cosgrove has built his career as a left-handed relief pitcher across Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs.
Cosgrove was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 2017 MLB Draft and made his major league debut in 2023. Standing as a Staten Island native who rose through the minor league system, he has appeared in MLB games across multiple organizations. Most recently, he signed a minor league contract with the Houston Astros.
Early Life and Background
Thomas Cosgrove was born on June 14, 1996, in Staten Island, New York, USA. He grew up in the same New York City borough that has produced numerous professional baseball players over the decades. His early years in Staten Island laid the foundation for a future in the sport.
Cosgrove attended Monsignor Farrell High School, a well-known Catholic preparatory school on Staten Island that has produced several professional athletes. During his high school years, he developed his pitching skills and gained attention from college baseball programs. After graduating, he continued his baseball career at the collegiate level.
Following high school, Cosgrove enrolled at Manhattan College, where he played college baseball for the Manhattan Jaspers. During the summer of 2016, he played collegiate summer baseball in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League, splitting his time between the Wareham Gatemen and the Chatham Anglers. This experience against top amateur competition helped prepare him for professional baseball.
Path to Baseball
Cosgrove’s path to professional baseball began in earnest when the San Diego Padres selected him in the 12th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft, with the 348th overall selection. Coming out of Manhattan College, his draft position reflected the Padres’ belief in his potential as a left-handed pitcher.
His development continued through the Padres’ minor league system, where he progressed through multiple levels including rookie ball, Low-A, Single-A, High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A. Each step presented new challenges and opportunities to refine his pitching craft. The minor league journey required patience and consistent performance before reaching the major leagues.
A key moment in Cosgrove’s rise came on November 15, 2022, when the Padres added him to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. This roster protection demonstrated the organization’s confidence in his abilities and signaled his impending arrival in the major leagues.
Tom Cosgrove Career
Early Career (2017–2020)
Cosgrove spent his first professional season in 2017 with the rookie-level Arizona League Padres and the Low-A Tri-City Dust Devils. In 13 games, including 6 starts, he logged a 1–4 record with a 3.22 ERA and 41 strikeouts across 44 and 2/3 innings pitched. The experience provided his first taste of professional baseball.
In 2018, Cosgrove advanced to the Single-A Fort Wayne TinCaps, where he appeared in 24 contests with 21 starts. He posted a 3–6 record with a 3.71 ERA and an impressive 122 strikeouts over 116 and 1/3 innings of work. He split the 2019 season between the AZL Padres and the High-A Lake Elsinore Storm, making only 9 appearances, all starts. Cosgrove did not play in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
San Diego Padres Breakthrough (2021–2024)
Cosgrove returned to action in 2021 with the Double-A San Antonio Missions, posting a 2.36 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 26 and 2/3 innings across 22 appearances. In 2022, he split the season between San Antonio and the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas, registering a career-high 8–2 record and 3.72 ERA with 82 strikeouts in 55 and 2/3 innings across 48 appearances. His strong performance that year led to his 40-man roster protection.
Cosgrove was optioned to Triple-A El Paso to begin the 2023 season. On April 26, 2023, he was promoted to the major leagues for the first time. He made 54 appearances for San Diego during his rookie campaign, compiling a 1–2 record with a 1.75 ERA, 44 strikeouts, and one save across 51 and 1/3 innings pitched. His sub-2.00 ERA marked him as an effective relief option.
Cosgrove made 18 appearances for the Padres in 2024 but struggled to a 0–1 record with an 11.66 ERA and 15 strikeouts over 14 and 2/3 innings of work. He was optioned back to Triple-A El Paso to begin the 2025 season. In four appearances for the Chihuahuas, he posted a 1–0 record with a 7.36 ERA. Cosgrove was designated for assignment by the Padres on April 6, 2025.
Chicago Cubs Era (2025)
On April 10, 2025, Cosgrove was traded to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for cash considerations. He was subsequently optioned to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. In two appearances for Chicago at the major league level, he recorded a 2.25 ERA with three strikeouts across four innings of work.
Cosgrove was designated for assignment by the Cubs on August 31, 2025. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Iowa on September 3, 2025. Following the conclusion of the season, Cosgrove elected free agency on November 6, 2025.
Driving Style and Strengths
As a left-handed relief pitcher, Cosgrove has demonstrated the ability to generate strikeouts at multiple minor league levels, including a 122-strikeout season in 2018. His strongest stretch came in 2023, when he posted a 1.75 ERA across 54 appearances for the Padres, suggesting effectiveness in high-leverage relief situations when his command was sharp.
Notable Events and Milestones
Cosgrove’s most notable career milestone came on April 26, 2023, when he made his MLB debut with the San Diego Padres after years of minor league development. His strong 2023 rookie campaign, featuring a 1.75 ERA and one save, established him as a credible major league relief option.
Tom Cosgrove Career Wins
Tom Cosgrove’s professional career has featured steady progression through the minor leagues, with his major league appearances concentrated in relief roles. Through the 2025 season, his MLB statistical line includes a 1–3 win-loss record, a 3.86 ERA, and 62 strikeouts. His career has been defined more by consistency and relief work than by accumulated victories.
MLB Highlights
Cosgrove made his MLB debut with the San Diego Padres on April 26, 2023. His most productive major league season came in 2023, when he posted a 1.75 ERA across 54 appearances with one save. He has since appeared briefly for the Chicago Cubs in 2025.
Tom Cosgrove Family
Personal Life
Tom Cosgrove was raised in Staten Island, New York, where he attended Monsignor Farrell High School before continuing his baseball career at Manhattan College. Publicly available verified information about his immediate family and personal relationships is limited.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season proved to be a transitional year for Tom Cosgrove. He began the year in the San Diego Padres organization but was designated for assignment on April 6, 2025, after a brief stretch with the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas. The Padres traded him to the Chicago Cubs on April 10, 2025, in exchange for cash considerations, and he was optioned to Triple-A Iowa.
At the major league level with the Cubs, Cosgrove made two appearances and posted a 2.25 ERA with three strikeouts across four innings. His time in Chicago was limited, as the Cubs designated him for assignment on August 31, 2025. He cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Iowa on September 3, 2025, before electing free agency on November 6, 2025.
Following the season, Cosgrove signed a minor league contract with the Houston Astros on January 29, 2026. Looking ahead, the 2025 season represented both challenges and opportunities, and his new agreement with the Astros organization signals the next chapter in his professional baseball career.
