Tyler Matzek Bio
Tyler Alexander Matzek, born on October 19, 1990, is an American professional baseball pitcher. He is currently a free agent after playing in Major League Baseball for the Colorado Rockies, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, and briefly within the St. Louis Cardinals organization. Matzek first reached the majors in 2014 with the Rockies, struggled through several years in the minor leagues and independent baseball, and re-emerged as a key relief pitcher for the Braves. He was a member of the 2021 World Series championship team in Atlanta.
A left-handed pitcher known for his strikeout ability, Matzek has built a career marked by persistence through injury and control problems. His professional journey has carried him across several organizations and a short stay in independent baseball before he returned to the majors as a reliable relief arm. Across his MLB career through the 2025 season, he has compiled a 16–21 win–loss record with a 3.73 earned run average and 279 strikeouts.
Early Life and Background
Tyler Alexander Matzek grew up in Mission Viejo, California, where he attended Capistrano Valley High School. At Capistrano Valley, he played alongside Kyle Hendricks, who would also go on to pitch in the major leagues. During his senior season, Matzek struck out 102 batters in 86 and two-thirds innings while posting a 0.97 earned run average. He led his team to the California Interscholastic Federation championship and earned CIF Orange County Player of the Year honors.
That high school success placed Matzek on the national scouting map, and the Colorado Rockies selected him in the first round, 11th overall, of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft. The signing bonus reportedly reached $3.9 million when he agreed to join the organization in August 2009. He chose to begin his professional career with the Rockies rather than attend college, marking the formal start of his path toward the major leagues.
Path to Major League Baseball
Following the 2009 draft, Matzek spent the rest of that year without pitching professionally and began his development in the Rockies’ farm system. Before the 2010 season, Baseball America ranked him as the 23rd-best prospect in baseball. He opened his first full season with the Single-A Asheville Tourists, going 5-1 with a 2.92 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 89 and a third innings, though he also issued 62 walks. The following year, he split time between High-A Modesto and Asheville, working to regain consistency after a difficult start.
After additional seasons in Modesto, the Double-A Tulsa Drillers, and the Arizona Fall League, Matzek was added to the Rockies’ 40-man roster in November 2013. He began 2014 with the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox and earned a promotion to the majors in June 2014. That move completed his climb through the minors and set the stage for his major league debut.
Tyler Matzek Career
Early Career (2014-2015)
Matzek made his MLB debut on June 11, 2014, replacing Eddie Butler in the Rockies rotation. In that first outing against the Atlanta Braves, he gave up two runs on five hits over seven innings while striking out seven and walking none, earning the win in an 8-2 victory. He also recorded his first major league hit, an infield single off Julio Teherán. On September 5, 2014, Matzek threw his first career complete-game shutout against the San Diego Padres, allowing three hits in a 3-0 win. He finished his rookie season with a 6-11 record in 19 starts.
His second season proved more difficult, as control issues led to a midseason demotion to Triple-A, where he spent the remainder of 2015. In 2016, Matzek battled injuries and struggled between High-A Modesto and Double-A Hartford before being removed from the 40-man roster and electing free agency. Brief minor league deals with the Chicago White Sox and Seattle Mariners followed in 2017 and 2018, but he did not appear in the majors during that span.
Atlanta Braves Breakthrough (2019-2021)
Matzek signed with the Texas AirHogs of the independent American Association in 2018 and returned for a second stint in 2019 after a brief look with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Atlanta Braves purchased his contract in August 2019, and after just one appearance in Double-A Mississippi, he was promoted to Triple-A Gwinnett. By the 2020 season, Matzek had made the Braves’ Opening Day roster, marking his first major league appearance since 2015. That year, he went 4-3 with a 2.79 ERA across 21 relief appearances, striking out 43 batters in 29 innings.
In 2021, Matzek became one of Atlanta’s most trusted relievers, appearing in 69 games and posting a 2.57 ERA with 77 strikeouts in 63 innings. In Game 6 of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, he entered with the bases loaded and no outs, then struck out the side and added another perfect inning to seal the Braves’ pennant. He went on to pitch in relief during Game 6 of the 2021 World Series, which Atlanta won to claim the title.
Later Stints with Atlanta and Beyond (2022-2025)
Matzek opened 2022 with 13 relief appearances for the Braves before a shoulder injury sent him to the injured list in mid-May. After returning in July, he earned his first career save on August 9 against the Boston Red Sox. Later that postseason, he was left off the National League Division Series roster due to elbow discomfort, and on October 12, 2022, the Braves announced he would undergo Tommy John surgery. Atlanta signed him to a two-year, $3.1 million extension that November.
He missed the entire 2023 season while recovering and struggled to a 9.90 ERA in 11 appearances early in 2024 before a left elbow injury put him back on the injured list. The Braves traded him to the San Francisco Giants in late July 2024, and after a short rehab stint in Triple-A Sacramento, he was released. He returned to Atlanta’s organization in late August 2024 before electing free agency that November. In February 2025, Matzek signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees, reached the majors in April, and posted a 4.26 ERA in seven appearances before being designated for assignment in mid-May. He signed a minor league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals in June 2025 and elected free agency again at season’s end.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of Matzek’s career, his Game 6 performance in the 2021 National League Championship Series stands out, as he navigated a bases-loaded, no-out jam against the Dodgers to clinch Atlanta’s first pennant since 1999. He followed that with a World Series ring that same fall and recorded his first career save in August 2022. He has also persevered through Tommy John surgery and multiple IL stints to remain active in professional baseball.
Tyler Matzek Career Highlights
Matzek’s career win totals are spread across several seasons, with his first major league victory coming in his June 2014 debut against the Braves. He added a complete-game shutout against the Padres later that September. In relief, he collected his first MLB save on August 9, 2022, against the Boston Red Sox, and contributed key postseason wins during Atlanta’s 2021 championship run.
Atlanta Braves Highlights
During his most productive stretch with Atlanta from 2020 through 2022, Matzek posted ERAs under 3.00 in each of the 2020 and 2021 regular seasons. His Game 6 masterpiece in the 2021 NLCS is widely regarded as one of the most important relief performances in Braves postseason history, and his World Series appearance that year capped a remarkable comeback story.
Tyler Matzek Family
Personal Life
Tyler Matzek is married to his wife, Lauren, whom he met in high school. In 2017, Lauren underwent cancer treatment, a period during which she encouraged Matzek to keep pursuing his professional baseball career despite the well-documented control issues that had affected him. His younger brother, Kyle, has been credited as a supportive catching partner during that difficult stretch. Through former big leaguer Michael McKenry, Matzek met Jason Kuhn, a former college player and Navy SEAL who later helped train him.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season began with Matzek signing a minor league deal with the New York Yankees in February, and he opened the year at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He was added to the Yankees’ active roster on April 22 and made seven appearances, posting a 4.26 ERA with seven strikeouts over six and a third innings before being designated for assignment on May 16. He elected free agency rather than accept an outright assignment.
On June 3, 2025, Matzek signed a minor league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. He was released on June 15 but re-signed to a new minor league deal four days later on June 19. Matzek did not appear in a game for the Cardinals organization and elected free agency once again following the season on November 6. With his free-agent status confirmed at year’s end, his outlook for the next signing window centers on whether a club views him as a healthy bullpen option for the upcoming campaign.