Michael Wacha

Born July 1, 1991, in Iowa City, Iowa, Michael Joseph Wacha grew up as the second of four children. His family, including his parents Tom and Karen, his older brother Charlie, his younger brother Lucas, and his younger sister Brette, moved from Iowa to Texarkana, Texas when he was just three years old. Growing up, Wacha was an avid Chicago Cubs fan despite relocating into a different baseball state. His interest in baseball was deeply rooted in his family, with his father coaching him in an American Legion game when Wacha was spotted for the first time by his future college coach, Rob Childress and his Uncle, Dusty Rogers, having previously pitched in the Cincinnati Reds organization between 1984 and 1988.

In high school, Wacha was a multi-sport athlete, excelling in both baseball and basketball at Pleasant Grove High School. As a basketball player, he lettered three years in the forward position, resulting in a first-team all-district selection and led his school to the regional finals during his senior year. On the baseball mound, Wacha demonstrated early prowess. His junior year saw him lead his team, the Hawks, to the state finals with an impressive 16-3 win-loss record. As a senior, he managed to take the Hawks all the way to the state semi-finals with a 6-3 win-loss record. In recognition of his talent, Wacha was chosen as a two-time all-state selection, making it to the all-state first team and the all-state tournament team. Apart from excelling athletically, Wacha was also an academic standout, earning a spot in the National Honor Society and receiving first-team academic all-state honors in basketball.

After high school, Wacha enrolled at Texas A&M University, where he played three years of college baseball for the Texas A&M Aggies. Wacha’s physical stature, an impressive 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) height and 180 pounds (82 kg) weight add to his ability to powerfully throw his fastball at a velocity between 84 and 88 miles per hour (135 – 142 km/h). His college career started remarkably. In his freshman year, he made ten starts from a total of 25 appearances, delivering a 2.90 earned run average (ERA) and a 9-2 record. Wacha also registered 97 strikeouts and only 22 walks in over 105 innings pitched. His phenomenal performance during his freshman year earned him a spot as a freshman All-American by Louisville Slugger.

In his sophomore year, Wacha continued on his successful streak, posting a 9-4 record in 16 starts, with impressive figures of 123 strikeouts, only 20 walks, and a 2.29 ERA in over 129 innings pitched. These exceptional stats earned him a Third Team All-American spot and All-Big 12 Second Team selection. Notably, Wacha was also a part of the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, providing him the opportunity to enhance his skills in various high-profile tournaments such as the Big 12 Championship, the NCAA College Station Regional, and the College World Series.

The St. Louis Cardinals noticed Wacha’s college success, leading them to select him in the first round with the 19th overall selection in MLB’s 2012 draft. After agreeing to a $1.9 million signing fee, Wacha became part of the Cardinals organization on June 12, 2012. The scouting director of the Cardinals, Dan Kantrovitz predicted Wacha’s future role in the Cardinals team drawing inspiration from successful right-handers Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright.

Wacha’s minor league tenure was short but impactful. He started at the Gulf Coast League (Rookie League) Cardinals, moved up to the Palm Beach Cardinals in the Florida State League, and finally to the Springfield Cardinals in the Double-A Texas League before the 2012 season came to a close. In the 21 innings he pitched across the three levels, Wacha struck out 40 batters and allowed only eight hits, four walks, and two runs, achieving an impressive 0.86 ERA. His display of skill rising through the ranks of the minor leagues led the Cardinals to invite him to their Major League Spring training camp in 2013. He hugely impressed both the management and players, striking out 15 batters, allowing only one walk, and managing just one unearned run throughout the 11+2⁄3 innings.

Wacha began his tenure in the major leagues on May 30, 2013, when he was 4-0 with a 2.05 ERA in nine starts, playing for Memphis. His impressive first outing against the Kansas City Royals, where he gave up only two hits and one run, instantly got him high praise in the big league. After his first Major League win in June that year, he was, however, sent back to Memphis to create room for the returning Jake Westbrook on the roster. He would, however, be recalled mid-August and he remained part of the roster throughout the rest of the season.

His first postseason game was memorable as he only surrendered a single hit and two walks for Pittsburgh Pirates in over 7+1⁄3 innings of work. This cemented his position within the team and he was announced to start in game two of the National League Championship Series. He dominated the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 1-0 victory and massive credit for his performance also landed him in the World Series. His impeccably high level of play within the postseason took him to the World Series where he pitched six innings in a 4-2 Cardinals’ victory, putting himself in the history books as the 17th-youngest pitcher to win a World Series game.

However, even with such high success, Wacha’s 2014 season was filled with ups and downs due to a string of injuries. He ended up gaining a regular spot in the rotation after starting the season with a 2.79 ERA and a 5-5 win-loss record. Despite a dip in his season due to health, Wacha’s skills and mental strength make him one of MLB’s notable pitchers. Successfully pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals, the New York Mets, the Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, and now the Kansas City Royals, Michael Wacha’s journey in Major League Baseball is nothing short of remarkable.