{{short description|American baseball player (born 1992)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox baseball biography |image= |image_size= |caption=Vasto making his Major League debut with the Rockies |name=Jerry Vasto |team= |number= |position=Pitcher |bats=Left |throws=Left |birth_date={{birth date and age|1992|2|12}} |birth_place=Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, U.S. |debutleague = MLB |debutdate = June 10 |debutyear = 2018 |debutteam = Colorado Rockies |finalleague = MLB |finaldate = September 16 |finalyear = 2018 |finalteam = Kansas City Royals |statleague = MLB | stat1label = Win–loss record | stat1value = 0–1 | stat2label = Earned run average | stat2value = 8.31 | stat3label = Strikeouts | stat3value = 4 |teams = * Colorado Rockies ({{mlby|2018}}) * Kansas City Royals ({{mlby|2018}}) }}
'''Gerard Joseph Vasto''' (born February 12, 1992) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies and Kansas City Royals.
== Early career== A native of Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, Vasto attended Henry Hudson Regional High School where he played baseball. After graduating, Vasto played collegiate baseball at Felician University, the only college to offer him a scholarship.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/jerry-vasto-earns-first-big-league-callup/c-280646120|title=Vasto earns first callup; Oberg to DL|website=MLB.com }}</ref>
==Career== ===Colorado Rockies=== Vasto was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 24th round of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft,<ref>[http://www.ahherald.com/newsbrief/monmouth-news/17695-atlantic-highlands-man-selected-in-mlb-first-year-player-draft "Atlantic Highlands Man Selected in MLB First-Year Player Draft"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142748/http://www.ahherald.com/newsbrief/monmouth-news/17695-atlantic-highlands-man-selected-in-mlb-first-year-player-draft |date=2018-06-12 }}, ''Atlantic Highlands Herald'', June 9, 2014. Accessed June 10, 2018. "Felician left-handed pitcher Jerry Vasto (Atlantic Highlands, N.J./Henry Hudson Regional) was chosen in the 24th Round (No. 713 overall) by the Colorado Rockies."</ref> and he signed. He made his professional debut that same year with the Tri-City Dust Devils, pitching one scoreless inning and compiling one strikeout. In 2015, he made 46 relief appearances for the Asheville Tourists where he was 2-4 with a 2.93 earned run average, and held opponents to a .199 average. This season also helped him earn his first Minor League All Star Appearance. In 2016, he was called up to play with the Modesto Nuts and Hartford Yard Goats. In 56 relief appearance, Jerry compiled a combined 4-4 record with 70 strikeouts and a 2.26 earned run average and earned his second Minor League All Star appearance. Jerry was invited to participate in the Arizona Fall League for the 2016 season, where he struggled and had an earned run average of 8.31 in 8 2/3 innings pitched. Vasto was called up and spent 2017 with the Albuquerque Isotopes, where at one point in the season he had major success and ranked #30 in the Rockies top prospects list. However, due to injuries and major second half struggles, his stats declined and he pitched to a 3-3 record, a 6.88 earned run average, and a 1.68 walks plus hits divided by innings pitched in 53.2 relief innings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=657786#/career/R/pitching/2018/ALL|title=Jerry Vasto Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball|publisher=MiLB.com|access-date=June 24, 2018}}</ref> He began 2018 with the Albuquerque Isotopes, where he improved tremendously and compiled a 3.16 earned run average with 44 strikeouts in 37 relief appearances.
====Major league career==== Vasto was called up to the majors for the first time on June 10, 2018,<ref name="denverpost">{{cite web|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2018/06/10/rockies-recall-left-hander-jerry-vasto/|website=denverpost.com|title=Rockies recall left-hander Jerry Vasto, place Scott Oberg on the disabled list|date=10 June 2018|access-date=2018-06-10}}</ref> and he made his major league debut that same day against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Jerry recorded his first major league strikeout against the Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Jon Jay, but overall struggled in his debut as he allowed 3 hits, 3 earned runs, and a walk in only 2/3 innings pitched. He was optioned back to Albuquerque on June 14. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/rockies-jerry-vasto-optioned-to-triple-a/|title = Rockies' Jerry Vasto: Optioned to Triple-A}}</ref>
=== Kansas City Royals===
On August 31, 2018, Vasto was traded to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for catcher Drew Butera.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2018/08/31/rockies-acquire-drew-butera-royals/|title = Rockies acquire journeyman catcher Drew Butera from Royals for Jerry Vasto|date = 31 August 2018}}</ref> Jerry made one appearance with the Omaha Storm Chasers before getting called up on September 4. He made his debut that same night and recorded his first Royals strikeout against Cleveland Indians outfielder Brandon Guyer. Jerry finished his 2018 Royals season with three strikeouts and a 2.45 earned run average in 3 2/3 innings pitched. Vasto finished his first major league season with four strikeouts and an 8.31 earned run average in 4 1/3 innings pitched.
===Chicago Cubs=== On October 31, 2018, Vasto was claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/10/cubs-exercise-option-jose-quintana-claim-jerry-vasto-waivers-royals.html|title=Cubs Exercise Jose Quintana's Option, Claim Jerry Vasto From Royals|work=MLB Trade Rumors|first=Steve|last=Adams|date=October 31, 2018|access-date=October 31, 2018}}</ref> On November 20, Vasto removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. Vasto missed the entire 2019 season due to an injury, and did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled|access-date=2023-05-03|website=mlb.com|language=en}}</ref> He became a free agent on November 2, 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Full List of 2020-2021 MiLB Free Agents|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/full-list-of-2020-2021-milb-free-agents/|access-date=August 22, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|language=en}}</ref>
On November 16, 2020, Vasto re-signed with the Cubs on a minor league contract. On March 29, 2021, Vasto was released by the Cubs.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{baseballstats|brm=vasto-000jer}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vasto, Jerry}} Category:1992 births Category:Living people Category:Henry Hudson Regional High School alumni Category:People from Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey Category:Baseball players from Monmouth County, New Jersey Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:Colorado Rockies players Category:Kansas City Royals players Category:Tri-City Dust Devils players Category:Asheville Tourists players Category:Modesto Nuts players Category:Hartford Yard Goats players Category:Salt River Rafters players Category:Albuquerque Isotopes players Category:21st-century American sportsmen Category:Omaha Storm Chasers players