Zachary Harrison Wheeler Bio
Zachary Harrison Wheeler is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played for the New York Mets. Born on May 30, 1990, in Smyrna, Georgia, Wheeler has established himself as one of the top pitchers in the league, notably recognized as a three-time All-Star. Not only did he achieve remarkable stats, but he also secured a Gold Glove Award in 2023, showcasing his defensive prowess on the mound.
Early Life and Background
Zachary Harrison Wheeler was born on May 30, 1990, in Smyrna, Georgia, and was raised in Dallas, Georgia, by Barry and Elaine Wheeler. Wheeler’s father played amateur baseball for 15 years, while his mother continued playing competitive softball even after having children, going so far as to placing a playpen in the dugout during weekend tournaments. Zack was the youngest of three brothers, all of whom grew up playing baseball. His oldest brother, Jacob, stopped playing sports in high school after undergoing a series of surgeries for supraventricular tachycardia, while his middle brother, Adam, was a minor league pitcher in the New York Yankees farm system until he suffered a torn glenoid labrum. The Wheeler family moved to Dallas, Georgia, when Zack was 13 years old. Rather than attending Campbell High School like his brothers, Wheeler attended East Paulding High School, where he played baseball and basketball. As a junior in 2008, Wheeler posted an 8–3 win–loss record, with a 1.31 earned run average (ERA) and 127 strikeouts in 64+1⁄3 innings pitched, and was named the Georgia High School Association 4A Region Pitcher of the Year. The following season, he set a school record with 149 strikeouts in 76 innings, in addition to posting a 9–0 record and 0.54 ERA, and was named the Gatorade Georgia Player of the Year. During the second round of the 2009 Class 5A state playoffs, Wheeler pitched his first no-hitter against Mill Creek High School. In 2015, East Paulding retired Wheeler’s No. 45 jersey.
Path to Baseball
The San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball selected Wheeler in the first round, sixth overall, of the 2009 MLB Draft. At the time, he had committed to playing college baseball at Kennesaw State. On August 17, 2009, however, Wheeler chose to sign with the Giants, a deal that included a $3.3 million signing bonus. Wheeler was assigned to the Single-A Augusta GreenJackets of the South Atlantic League to start the 2010 season. He was placed on the disabled list early in the year with a fingernail injury on the middle finger of his throwing hand. After six weeks without play, Wheeler was sent to San Francisco to see the team’s hand specialist. He later returned to the GreenJackets, making several relief appearances before re-entering the starting rotation. In 21 games with Augusta, including 13 starts, Wheeler posted a 3–3 record and a 3.99 ERA, with 70 strikeouts in 58+2⁄3 innings. He also made an appearance at the 2010 All-Star Futures Game in Anaheim, California. Prior to the 2011 season, Baseball America named Wheeler the number two prospect in the Giants organization, and declared that he had the “best fastball” in the farm system. He was assigned to the High-A San Jose Giants, with whom he went 7–5 with a 3.99 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 16 starts and 88 innings pitched. He also appeared in the 2011 California League All-Star Game. On July 28, 2011, the Giants traded Wheeler to the New York Mets in exchange for veteran outfielder Carlos Beltrán and cash. He spent the remainder of the season with the Single-A St. Lucie Mets, where he went 2–2 with a 2.00 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 27 innings across six starts.
Zachary Harrison Wheeler Career
Early Career (2013–2014)
Wheeler made his major league debut on June 18, 2013, pitching six shutout innings in the second game of a doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves. Wheeler recorded seven strikeouts and gave up four hits in the 6–1 victory. Two months later, on August 15, Wheeler struck out a career-high 12 batters in a 4–1 win over the San Diego Padres. In doing so, he became the youngest Mets pitcher to record at least 12 strikeouts in a game since Doc Gooden in 1986. The Mets shut Wheeler down for the season on September 21, after he experienced shoulder stiffness in his final start. Wheeler finished his rookie season with a 7–5 record, a 3.42 ERA, and 84 strikeouts in 100 innings across 17 starts. With the news that Matt Harvey would miss the 2014 season to recover from Tommy John surgery, some sports journalists expected Wheeler to become the Mets’ ace. His pitching was inconsistent in the first two months of the season, with pitch command problems leading to a large number of walks, and with a poor record against left-handed batters. On June 19, 2014, Wheeler pitched a complete-game shutout against the Miami Marlins, facing only 28 batters and allowing just three hits. Although the Mets’ 2014 season was considered largely disappointing, being mathematically eliminated from postseason contention by September 20, Wheeler’s performance was considered to be a bright spot. He posted an 11–11 record that season, with a 3.54 ERA and 187 strikeouts in 185+1⁄3 innings of work across 32 starts.
Breakthrough (2015–2019)
On March 16, 2015, the Mets announced that Wheeler had torn the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, an injury that was diagnosed after he began experiencing discomfort during spring training. Shortly after the announcement, sources reported that Wheeler had torn a tendon in the same elbow during the previous season, and that he had undergone platelet-rich plasma therapy to hasten the healing process. Wheeler underwent Tommy John surgery for the torn ligament on March 25. After seeing Matt Harvey’s successful return to the mound following an 18-month rehabilitation process from the same surgery, the Mets expressed a desire to stretch out Wheeler’s rehabilitation process, with a targeted return to the rotation in July 2016. Wheeler suffered a series of setbacks in his return from Tommy John surgery. In early April 2016, he underwent a second surgery to remove an undissolved stitch in his elbow, and the Mets pushed his expected return to after the MLB All-Star break. Finally, in mid-August, Wheeler was shut down after being diagnosed with a strained flexor tendon, which required another platelet-rich plasma injection. Wheeler signed a one-year, $800,000 contract with the Mets on January 11, 2017, avoiding arbitration. He made his first major league start in over two years on April 8, allowing five runs and six hits in only four innings against the Miami Marlins. In 17 starts, Wheeler posted a 3–7 record with a 5.21 ERA for the 2017 season. Although Wheeler entered the 2018 season healthy, the Mets’ offseason signing of All-Star Jason Vargas led to speculation that Wheeler would be moved out of the starting rotation and into the bullpen. His pitching was particularly dominant after the All-Star break, where he led MLB in WHIP with 0.81 and had the second-lowest ERA with 1.32. He went 12–7 for the year, with a 3.31 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP in 29 starts. As he was set to become a free agent at the end of the 2019 season, there were rumors that the Mets would attempt to trade Wheeler before the July 31 deadline, but they instead elected to retain him.
Notable Works and Milestones
Wheeler has been recognized as a three-time All-Star, earning selections in 2021, 2024, and 2025. He also received the All-MLB First Team honor in 2024 and was the National League strikeout leader in 2021. In 2023, he won the Gold Glove Award, highlighting his defensive skills on the mound.
Zachary Harrison Wheeler Award Nominations
Throughout his career, Zachary Harrison Wheeler has received several nominations, including for the prestigious Cy Young Award, showcasing his talent and impact in Major League Baseball.
Zachary Harrison Wheeler Awards Won
Zachary Harrison Wheeler has won multiple awards, including three All-Star selections and the Gold Glove Award, affirming his status as one of the top pitchers in the league.
Zachary Harrison Wheeler Family
Zachary Harrison Wheeler is married to Dominique Wheeler, and they have four children together, including a son born in 2020 and three daughters. They reside in Dallas, Georgia during the offseason.
Personal Life
Wheeler has a close friendship with retired Atlanta Braves player Chipper Jones. The two were introduced when Jones’ agents recruited Wheeler out of high school.
