Kyle Manzardo

Kyle Manzardo's Biography

Kyle Thomas Manzardo, a celebrated American professional baseball first baseman, was born on July 18, 2000. Currently plying his trade for the Cleveland Guardians in Major League Baseball (MLB), Manzardo’s career took off in 2024 when he made his MLB debut.

Manzardo spent his childhood in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, where he fostered his interest in sports while attending Lake City High School. He pursued both baseball and basketball during his high school years. In his senior year, Manzardo distinguished himself with a .594 batting average and was awarded the title of the Inland Empire League’s most valuable player after achieving an impressive .471 batting average as a junior.

He furthered his education at Washington State University, and during his tenure, he represented the Washington State Cougars for three seasons. Manzardo left a striking impression as a freshman, leading the university team with 31 runs batted in (RBIs) while maintaining an average of .272. When the season came to a close, Manzardo spent his summer playing collegiate baseball for the Portland Pickles, a team part of the West Coast League.

In his second season as a college player, Manzardo had an exceptional run with a batting average of .435 across 16 games. Unfortunately, his momentum was interrupted as the season was prematurely ended due to the coronavirus pandemic. Nonetheless, Manzardo made the most of his break and spent the summer playing for the Willmar Stingers of the Northwoods League.

During his final season as a junior, Manzardo’s performance surpassed all expectations. He batted at an average of .365, scoring 11 home runs and making 60 RBIs. His outstanding performance ensured him the recognition of a first team All-American by Collegiate Baseball.

Recognizing his exceptional abilities and potential, the Tampa Bay Rays chose Manzardo in the second round of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft. Manzardo wasted no time in making his mark, and after signing on, he played with the Rookie-level Florida Complex League Rays. His debut took the league by storm as he achieved an impressive score of .349/.440/.605, backed by two home runs, eight RBIs, and five doubles in just 13 games.

In 2022, Manzardo started the season with the High-A Bowling Green Hot Rods, a minor league baseball team. He made a significant impression with a .329/.436/.636 slash line, 17 home runs in 63 games, and subsequently received a promotion to play for Montgomery Biscuits in the Double-A Southern League.

In a major career move, on July 31, 2023, the Rays traded Manzardo to the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for starting pitcher Aaron Civale. Following the trade, Manzardo was assigned to Columbus Clippers, a triple-A affiliate of the Guardians.

May 6, 2024, brought Manzardo a new career milestone when he was added to the 40-man roster and received his inaugural promotion to the major leagues. However, a month later, on June 18, Manzardo was sent back to the Clippers.

On September 1, 2024, Manzardo was once again chosen to join the Guardians’ active roster. He made this return count by hitting his first and second career home runs on the same day against Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher, Mitch Keller.