2023 MLB Closer For All 30 Teams

Chicago Cubs closer Brandon Hughes has made eight saves in his rookie year as an MLB player. 

The team does not have effective alternatives to Hughes. Rowan Wick and Brad Boxberger seem the most capable ones. Moreover, Brandon has acted as their primary closer in the 2022 season. 

Hughes made his MLB debut for the Chicago Cubs on 17 May 2022 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He also had an impressive match, creating a modern-era record for performing five or more outs in an MLB debut. All of his outs were from strikeouts too. 

In the 2022 season, Brandon played 68 games, made 68 strikeouts, allowed 22 Runs from 42 Hits, and had an ERA rating of 3.12. 

Born in Royal Oak, Michigan, the 27-year-old played college baseball for Michigan State University. He received the Kirk Gibson Offensive Player of the Year in his 2017 junior season. Brandon then decided to try out for MLB, getting drafted by the Cubs in 2017 in the 16th round. 

Detroit Tigers closer Alex Lange made his MLB debut for the team on 10 April 2021.

He has played two seasons in the MLB with 107 appearances and has contributed to 121 strikeouts and a 3.82 ERA. He has allowed 48 Runs from 84 Hits. 

However, the Tigers will be concerned regarding his 2022 season performance: with 15 wild pitches and 4.4 Walks Per Nine Innings.

Born in Riverside, California, Alex got drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the first round in 2017. He played for Minor League teams like Eugene Emeralds and Myrtle Beach Pelicans. In July 2019, the Detroit Tigers signed him. 

Alex graduated from Louisiana State University and played baseball for the college. He played from 2014 to 2017 and got named the 2017 Second-Team All-American and the 2015 SEC Freshman of the Year.

Lange had a great career at LSU, creating historical records with them. He finished his collegiate career with the college's second-highest strikeouts of 406. 

Miami Marlins closer Dylan Floro made his MLB debut on 7 July 2016. 

As of 2023, Dylan has made 249 strikeouts in his seven-year-long career. He has also contributed 25 saves and has an ERA rating of 3.15.

In his 2022 season for Marlins, he played 56 games, made 48 strikeouts, ten saves, and had a 3.02 ERA. Moreover, Floro has had 3.1 Walks Per Nine Innings and 2 Wild Pitches in his two-year Miami career. 

Dylan was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2009 but chose to play college baseball for California State University, Fullerton. He had a great year in 2010, being the Big West Conference Freshman Pitcher of the Year and named Collegiate Baseball's Freshman All-American. 

In 2012, Dylan got selected by the Rays again as the 13th-rounder. He played for MiLB teams like the Bowling Green Hot Rods. He then moved to various MLB teams and finally signed with the Miami Marlins in February 2021. 

Oakland Athletics closer Trevor May is one of the best MLB closers in 2023. He made his MLB debut on 9 August 2014. 

Trevor had a 5.04 ERA record and made 30 Strikeouts in the 2022 season as a New York Mets pitcher. He played 26 games and allowed 14 runs from 27 hits. Moreover, in 2022, Trevor also showcased 3.2 Walks per innings but had no wild pitches. 

In his eight-year-long career, May has made 480 strikeouts and a 4.35 ERA from 309 appearances. In February 2022, Oakland signed him with a one-year contract. 

Born in Longview, Washington, Trevor was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 4th round in 2008. Baseball America stated that he was the No. 1 prospect for the Phillies. After his draft, he played in the MiLB with Clearwater Threshers. 

Trevor played college baseball for the University of Washington. He did his schooling at Kelso High School.

2023 MLB closer for team Phillies Craig Kimbrel made his MLB Debut on 7 May 2010. 

Craig has made an impressive 394 saves and 1,098 strikeouts in his thirteen-year-long career. He has played with many MLB teams, starting from his draft to the Atlanta Braves in 2010. He is known for his 'Spider Arm' pitching style. 

In January 2023, Kimbrel signed with the Philadelphia Phillies for a one-year contract. He came from his short career at Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2022 season. 

For the Dodgers in 2022, he played 63 games and showed an ERA of 3.75. He also contributed to 72 strikeouts and allowed 31 runs. However, he also made 4.2 Walks per Nine innings and seven wide pitches.

Born in Alabama's Hunstville, Kimbrel played his collegiate career at Wallace State Community College. He played as a closer in college too. In the 2007 season, Craig had a fiery college performance, having a 1.99 ERA only, and assisted in an 8-0 win record.

MLB 2023 Los Angeles Dodgers closer Daniel Hudson made his MLB debut on 4 September 2009. 

Daniel has made 749 strikeouts in his 13-year career and has established a 3.81 ERA rating. He has also received the Silver Slugger Award and the 2019 World Series title with the Washington Nationals.

Last year for the LA Dodgers, Daniel played 25 games and contributed to 30 Strikeouts, and allowed 7 Runs from 17 Hits. On the other hand, he also displayed 4 Wide pitches and a 1.8 Walk per Nine Innings. 

The Chicago White Sox drafted Hudson in 2008 as a fifth-rounder. He showcased a good debut game against the Red Sox, pitching a scoreless relief for two innings. 

Born in Virginia's Lynchburg, the Dodgers pitcher played college baseball for Old Dominion University. He had 295 strike-outs (the second-highest in his college) and a 3.79 ERA at college. 

Arizona Diamondbacks closer Kevin Ginkel made his MLB debut on 5 August 2019.

Kevin has made 107 strikeouts and has an Earned run average of 4.32 as of 2023. With four seasons in the MLB, he has played 106 games and allowed 58 runs. 

In the 2022 season, Kevin made 30 strikeouts and allowed 14 runs from 27 hits. He also has an ERA of 3.38 from 30 appearances. However, he also had a BB/9 of 3.4 and 1 wide pitch last year. 

The San Francisco Giants drafted the San Diego native in 2014 as the 16th-rounder. However, he chose not to pursue an MLB career at the time and continued his school career. In 2016, he got selected by the Diamondbacks in the 2016 draft and played for MiLB teams like Hillsboro Hops for three seasons.

Los Angeles Angels closer Carlos Estevez had his MLB debut on 23 April 2016. 

Estevez has made 312 strikeouts in his career till 2023. He also recorded a 4.59 ERA and allowed 167 runs from 321 games played over six MLB seasons.

Last year for the Colorado Rockies, Carlos made 54 strikeouts and allowed 27 runs from 44 hits. He made 62 appearances and had an ERA of 3.47. Estevez also showcased 3.6 Walks per Nine Innings and 6 wild pitches. 

A Dominican Republic-born player from Santa Domingo, Carlos signed with the Dodgers for a two-year contract in December 2022. Ironically, he had made his MLB debut for the Rockies against the Dodgers.

Chicago White Sox closer Kendall Graveman made his MLB debut on 5 September 2014. 

Kendall has had a 4.04 ERA and 428 strikeouts till his 2023 career. He also has allowed 285 runs from 599 hits in his 212 games. 

Moreover, in the 2022 season, Kendall performed 66 Strikeouts and had an ERA number of 3.18. He also displayed three wide pitches and a BB/9 of 3.6 from his 65 White Sox games.

Drafted in 2013 by the Toronto Blue Jays, he played for Minor league teams like Lansing Lugnuts and New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Eventually, he made his debut against the Red Sox. However, his time for the Jays was short and switched several clubs before coming to White Sox in 2022. 

Kendall was also a part of the USA roster for the 2023 WB, where the team bagged the silver medal. An Alabama native, Graveman played his collegiate career at Mississippi State University. 

2023 MLB Texas Rangers closer Jose Leclerc made his MLB debut on 6 July 2016.

Jose has made 317 strikeouts, 36 saves, and a 3.12 ERA in his six-year pitching career. He has allowed 93 runs from 145 hits.

Last year for the Rangers, Leclerc made 54 strikeouts and 7 saves from 39 games. Jose's earned runs average was 2.83 in 2022. Nevertheless, he also had 2 wild pitches and 4 Walks per nine innings. 

As a free agent, Jose signed with the Rangers in November 2010. He played in the Minor League teams for six seasons. At that time, he juggled his career between various Rangers affiliates like DSL Rangers and Hickory Crawdads. 

The Dominican Republic player missed his 2021 season due to Ulnar collateral reconstruction surgery. He returned to the active roster in June 2022. 

Washington Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan made his MLB debut on 25 June 2020. 

Kyle has made 22 saves, a 3.43 ERA, and 165 strikeouts in his MLB career. He allowed 77 runs from 139 hits in his 3 season career. 

In the 2022 season, Kyle played 66 games and made 70 strikeouts and 11 saves. He also made a 3.51 ERA for the Nationals. Moreover, he showcased a BB/9 of 3 but made no wild pitch. 

Finnegan got selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 2013 draft. He played for several MiLB teams like Vermont Lake Monsters and Midland RockHounds. On 8 December 2019, Kyle signed with Washington and finally made his debut against the NY Yankees. 

The Detroit Native, Kyle played college baseball for Texas State University from 2011 to 2012. Before that, he attended Kingwood High School and played in its HABCA All-Star Game.

Kansas City Royals closer Scott Barlow had his MLB debut on 30 April 2018. 

Scott has made 43 saves, 314 strikeouts, and has an ERA of 3.1 till the 2023 season. He has played 239 games in his five-season career and allowed 97 runs from 220 hits.

Last year for the Royals, Barlow played 69 matches, contributed to 24 saves and 77 strikeouts, and had an ERA of 2.18. Then, he also made five wild pitches and had 2.7 walks per nine innings. 

Born in New London, Connecticut, the 30-year-old pitcher played had been drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2011. He opted to go straight into the league without attending California State University, Fresno. 

From 2011 - 2017, Scott played in the Minor League for Dodgers affiliates like  AZL Dodgers and Great Lakes Loons. However, he signed with the Royals in December 2017 and made his debut against the Boston Red Sox.

Seattle Mariners closer Andres Munoz made his official MLB debut on 12 July 2019. 

Munoz has made 127 strikeouts in his career till 2023. He has also made 5 saves and a 2.84 ERA from 87 MLB appearances. In the 2022 season, Andres contributed to 4 saves and 96 strikeouts from 64 matches. He also displayed an ERA rating of 2.49. 

Andrez played only one game in the 2021 season due to Tommy John surgery. However, he shows a great recovery, as he had a good pitching performance in 2022. 

San Diego Padres signed the Mexico native Andrez as a free agent in 2015. He played for various MilB teams like Arizona Padres until his promotion to the MLB in 2019. On his debut day, he participated against the Atlanta Braves and pitched one inning. 

Minnesota Twins closer Jhoan Duran made his MLB debut on 8 April 2022. 

Duran has made 89 strikeouts, a 1.86 ERA and 8 saves in his career. He also allowed 15 runs from 50 hits in his 57 games. Jhoan also has made 6 wild pitches and 2.1 Walks per nine innings. 

With only one season in the MLB, he has been prolific as a pitcher and will seek to add more spectacular performances in the 2023 season.

Born in the Dominican Republic, Jhoan was signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks in December 2014 as a free agent. He played for various Minor League teams like Hillsboro Hops and Arizona League Diamondbacks.

Ultimately, in July 2018, Duran was traded to the Minnesota Twins, where he has a 2-4 win-loss record. 

Cincinnati Reds closer Alexis Diaz had his MLB debut on 8 April 2022. Alexis is from Humazcao, Puerto Rico. 

Alexis Diaz brother Edwin Diaz is a closer for the New York Mets and is regarded as the best in the game. After tearing his patellar tendon in his right knee, Edwin is expected to miss out on the 2023 MLB season. 

Alexis has made 83 strikeouts and 10 saves in his MLB career as of 2023. He also has allowed 18 runs from 28 hits. Furthermore, he has a record of 7 wins and 3 losses as a pitcher. 

Drafted in 2015 by the Reds, Alexis played for various MiLB teams like Greeneville Reds and Dayton Dragons, before his promotion to the upper league. He made a scoreless inning on his official debut against the Atlanta Braves. 

Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar had his MLB debut on 1 September 2019.   

Davis has made 165 strikeouts, 22 saves, and a 2.98 ERA in his entire MLB career. He has also allowed 48 runs from 103 hits in his four-year-long career. 

Last year in the 2022 season, David played 45 games and made 19 saves, his career high in a single year. Before that, he had only made 3 saves in the 2021 season. Moreover, he has made 69 strikeouts and had an ERA of 2.61. 

Alongside his great saves, Bednar also made 2 wild pitches and had 2.8 Walks per nine innings. 

The San Diego Padres selected Bednar in 2016 and played him in the Minor league with Tri-City Dust Devils and Lake Elsinore Storm. Three years later, he made it to the bigger league, debuting against the San Francisco Giants. He helped in making a scoreless inning in his first game. 

San Francisco Giants closer Camilo Doval made his MLB debut on 18 April 2021.

Camilo has made 117 strikeouts, 30 saves, and a 2.66 ERA in his career. Moreover, he has also allowed 37 runs from 73 hits. Doval also has a career track of 11 wins and 6 losses as a pitcher. 

Last year, Doval made 68 appearances and showcased 80 strikeouts, 27 saves, and a 2.53 ERA. Camilo also 4 wild pitches and 4.0 Walks per nine innings, which the coaches will seek to decrease.

Camilo is from Yamasa, Dominican Republic, and signed with the Giants as a free agent in 2015. After his arrival, Doval played for various Giants affiliate teams like DSL Giants and  AZL Giants. At his debut, he helped in making two strikeouts against Miami Marlins. 

Colorado Rockies closer Daniel Bard had his MLB debut on 13 May 2009. 

Bard has had 428 strikeouts, 65 saves, and a 3.64 ERA till his 2022 season. Drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 2006, Daniel spent his time as a pitcher for MiLB teams like  Portland Sea Dogs and Greenville Drive.

However, he made his big league debut against the Los Angeles Angels and made two scoreless innings. In the 2022 season, Bard made a 1.79 ERA, 34 saves, and 69 strikeouts. Nevertheless, he also showcased 3 wild pitches and 3.7 Walks per nine innings. 

Born in Houston, Texas, Bard graduated from the University of North Carolina. He played college baseball there and had a 3.88 ERA. He became the ACC Freshman of the Year and Baseball America's All-Freshman second team during his collegiate years.

MLB 2023 closer for team New York Yankees Clay Holmes made his MLB debut on 27 March 1993. 

As of the 2022 season, Clay has made 221 strikeouts, 4.13 ERA, and 20 saves. He also allowed 110 runs in 175 hits.

In the 2022 season, Clay performed well, making 20 saves, ERA of 2.54, and hitting 65 strikeouts from 62 MLB games. He also threw one wild pitch and made 2.8 Walks per nine innings. 

He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2011 and opted to play for the baseball league instead of attending Auburn University. Holmes played in the MiLB for several affiliate teams, like the Indianapolis Indians. 

The All-Star player finally saw his MLB dream fulfilled when he played against Cincinnati Reds and contributed two strikeouts. 

Baltimore Orioles closer Felix Bautista made his MLB debut on 10 April 2022.

Felix has made 88 strikeouts, 15 saves, and a 2.19 ERA in his MLB career. He was a rookie for the 2022 season and performed great with a 4-4 win-loss record. 

Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, the Orioles closer allowed the hitters to make 18 runs from 38 hits. He also made 2 wild pitches and 3.2 walks per nine innings. 

In 2012, Miami Marlins drafted Bautista and placed him in their minor league's Dominican Summer Marlins roster. Then, he signed with the Orioles in August 2016. He got involved with MiLB teams like the Gulf Coast League Orioles. 

Felix finally debuted in the MLB against Tampa Bay Rays and contributed one strikeout. 

Toronto Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano made his MLB debut on 12 June 2019. 

Jordan has recorded 61 saves, 200 strikeouts, and a 2.58 ERA till his 2022 MLB career. He has played four seasons and allowed 52 runs from 110 hits. Last year for the Blue Jays, Romano showcased a 73-strikeout performance from 63 games.

Selected by Toronto in the 2014 draft, Jordan played in the Minor League for four years. He was involved with various MiLB clubs like Bluefield Blue Jays.

An Ontario native, Romano graduated from Connors State College and participated in the NJCAA World Series. He transferred to Oral Roberts University and acted as the team's closer.

Boston Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen had his MLB debut on 24 July 2010. 

Kenley has made 1,107 strikeouts, 391 saves, and a 2.46 Earned run average till his 2022 career. He also has allowed only 225 runs from 495 hits. 

In the 2022 season for the Braves, Jansen contributed to 85 strikeouts and a career-high save of 41 from 65 matches. He also displayed 1 wild pitch and a 3.1 BB/9 record. 

Born in Curacao, Kenley signed with the LA Dodgers in 2004. There, he played in the MiLB for Gulf Coast Dodgers and  Chattanooga Lookouts. He debuted against NY Mets and contributed to one scoreless inning. 

Houston Astros closer Ryan Pressly made his MLB debut on 4 April 2013. 

The All-Star player has made 561 strikeouts, 77 saves, and a 3.2 ERA in his baseball career. Drafted by the Red Sox in 2007, Ryan played in the MiLB, where started as a relief pitcher. 

Dallas native Ryan did not get to play in the MLB as a Red Sox and subsequently signed with the Minnesota Twins. He made his official debut against Detroit Tigers helping in a scoreless inning. 

In Astros' 2022 season, Pressly played 50 games and made 33 saves and 65 strikeouts. He also had 2.4 walks per nine innings and no wild pitches. 

Milwaukee Brewers closer Devin Williams made his MLB debut on 7 August 2019. 

Williams has contributed 250 strikeouts, 18 saves, and a 2.03 ERA in his baseball career. Drafted by the Brewers in 2013, he chose to play for them in the minor leagues, and not pursue graduation from the University of Missouri.

After 6 years, Williams got promoted and played his first MLB match against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

A Missouri native, Devin made 15 saves, 96 strikeouts, and a 1.93 ERA from 65 games in the 2022 season for the Brewers. However, Devin also made 5 wild pitches and had 4.5 walks per nine innings. 

Atlanta Braves closer Raisel Iglesias made his MLB debut on 12 April 2015.

Raisel has made 660 strikeouts, and 157 saves, and has an ERA of 3.00 in his baseball career. Moreover, has a career record of 27 wins and 43 losses as a pitcher. 

The Cuban native was signed by the Reds in June 2014 and after a year, he started to play in the MLB with his first match against the St. Louis Cardinals.

In August 2022, LA Angels traded Raisel to Atlanta Braves, where he will play in the 2033 season. Last year in Braves, Iglesias contributed 17 saves, 30 strikeouts, and a 2.47 ERA. Moreover, Raisel also made no wild pitch but had walks per nine innings of 1.7. 

St Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley made his MLB debut on 16 April 2019. 

Ryan has made 183 strikeouts, 21 saves, and has an ERA of 2.91 in his MLB career. He has established 18 wins and 6 losses records throughout his Cardinals seasons. 

in the 2022 season, Ryan had an ERA of 1.25, and made 19 saves alongside 94 strikeouts. He also allowed only 11 runs from 28 hits. On the other hand, he threw 1 wild pitch and had 2.8 walks per nine innings. 

Helsley studied at Northeastern State University and played baseball for its college program. However, when he was a sophomore, Ryan got selected by the Cardinals in the 2015 draft. He then played for MiLB teams like Johnson City Cardinals before taking the bigger stage.

San Diego Padres closer Josh Hader is one of the best closers in MLB 2023. Hader had his MLB debut on 10 June 2017. 

Josh has contributed to 132 saves and 563 strikeouts alongside an ERA of 2.71. He has established an equal amount of win-loss record with 18-18. 

For the Padres' 2022 season, Hader contributed to 36 saves and 22 strikeouts and achieved an ERA of 7.31. In 19 appearances, Josh allowed 14 runs to be made from 17 hits. However, the coaches will be concerned about his 5.1 walks per nine innings and 3 wild pitches. 

A Maryland native, Josh studied at Old Mill High School. In 2012, the Baltimore Orioles drafted him, which made him forgo his community college aspirations. 

For the Orioles, Hader played in its affiliate teams like Gulf Coast Orioles for a year before transferring to Houston Astros. However, he only made his first official MLB game as a Milwaukee Brewer. 

New York Mets closer David Robertson is the top contender to replace closer Edwin Diaz. He made his MLB debut on 29 June 2008. 

Diaz made 118 strikeouts and 32 saves in 2022. Per The Athletic, Diaz could miss the entire 2023 season due to the knee injury he sustained in the 2023 WBC. 

Robertson contributed 157 saves, 977 strikeouts, and an ERA of 2.89 in his 14-year-long career. He has also established a win-loss record of 57-36. In the 2022 season for the Phillies, David created 20 saves, an ERA of 2.4, and 30 strikeouts. 

A veteran pitcher born in Alabama, Robertson played college baseball for the Alabam Crimson Tide. He was drafted in 2006 by the New York Yankees as a sophomore. However, he only saw the MLB stage in 2008 by pitching against the New York Mets.

In December 2022, David signed a one-year contract with the NY Mets. 

Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase made his MLB debut on 4 August 2019 against the Detroit Tigers.

Clase has contributed to 172 strikeouts, and 67 saves, and has an ERA of 1.47 in his MLB career. He also has a 9-12 win-loss record as a pitcher. 

In the 2022 season for the Guardians, Emmanuel received All-star praise due to his great performance as he made 77 strikeouts, 42 saves, and a 1.36 ERA. In the meantime, he also showcased 4 wild pitches and had 1.2 walks per nine innings. 

Born in the Dominican Republic, the San Diego Padres signed Emmanuel in 2015. He played for its Minor league teams like AZL Padres, before getting traded to Texas Rangers. In December 2019, the Rangers traded him to Guardians where Clase recently made a five-year contract in 2022. 

Tampa Bay Rays Closer Pete Fairbanks made his MLB debut on 9 June 2019. 

Fairbanks has contributed 161 strikeouts, and 15 saves, and has had an ERA of 3.46 in his career. He also has established a win-loss record of 11-12 as a pitcher. 

In the 2022 season, Pete played 24 games and made 8 saves, an ERA of 1.13, and created 38 strikeouts. Fairbanks also showcased 1.1 walks per nine innings and no wild pitch. 

The Texas Rangers drafted Pete in 2015, after his attendance at the University of Missouri. He spent his MiLB time for Spokane Indians and  Hickory Crawdads. Pete made his official debut in the MLB against Oakland Athletics and helped in three strikeouts.