Nicholas Padilla
Nicholas Padilla (born December 24, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2022 with the Chicago Cubs. He plays for the Puerto Rico national baseball team. Career
Padilla attended Cardinal Spellman High School in the Bronx, New York, and Grayson College. Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays in the 13th round of the 2015 MLB draft. He made his professional debut in 2016, starting 8 games for the rookie-level Gulf Coast Rays. In 2017. Padilla spent the year with the Low-A Hudson Valley Renegades, pitching to a 3-2 record and 2.38 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 34.0 innings of work across 11 games (7 starts). He spent the 2018 season split between Hudson Valley and the Single-A Bowling Green Hot Rods, registering a 4-7 record and 4.04 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 69.0 innings pitched. In 2019, Padilla spent the year with Bowling Green, logging a 7-2 record and 3.48 ERA with 76 strikeouts and 2 saves in 62.0 innings pitched. He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Chicago Cubs
On December 10, 2020, the Chicago Cubs selected Padilla in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft. He spent the 2021 season with the High-A South Bend Cubs, struggling to a 16.20 ERA in 2 appearances and missing the majority of the year due to injury. He spent time with three Cubs affiliates prior to his promotion in 2022, posting excellent results with South Bend, the Double-A Tennessee Smokies, and the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. On August 23, 2022, Padilla was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted up to the majors for the first time. He made his major league debut that day against the St. Louis Cardinals, allowing a run in 1.2 innings pitched while recording his first career strikeout against eventual National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt. On September 6, Padilla was designated for assignment by the Cubs. Chicago White Sox
On September 9, 2022, Padilla was claimed off waivers by the Chicago White Sox. He made seven appearances for the Triple-A Charlotte Knights to close out the year, posting a 3.00 ERA with six strikeouts in six innings pitched. Padilla was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte to begin the 2023 season. International career
Padilla played for the Puerto Rico national baseball team at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. See also
Rule 5 draft results

References

External links

1996 births
Living people
Baseball players from the Bronx
American sportspeople of Puerto Rican descent
Major League Baseball pitchers
Charlotte Knights players
Chicago Cubs players
Chicago White Sox players
Grayson Vikings baseball players
Gulf Coast Rays players
Hudson Valley Renegades players
Bowling Green Hot Rods players
Indios de Mayagüez players
South Bend Cubs players
Tennessee Smokies players
Iowa Cubs players
Cardinal Spellman High School (New York City) alumni
2023 World Baseball Classic players