Former Blue Jays currently playing in the Korean Baseball Organization

Glenn Sparkman

A Rule 5 pick of the Blue Jays back in 2016, reliever Glenn Sparkman broke his thumb in Spring Training heading into the 2017 season and started the year on the injured list. He joined the Blue Jays in late June and made just two appearances, allowing seven earned runs through one inning of work. He would be DFA’d and returned to the Kansas City Royals shortly after.

He spent the next three seasons split between the Royals bullpen and in AAA, pitching to a 5.67 ERA through 50 appearances. The Royals released him following the 2020 campaign and he signed a MiLB deal with the Minnesota Twins for the 2021 campaign, starting the year in AAA before being released in mid-May and finishing the season in Japan with the Orix Buffaloes.

This past offseason, Sparkman signed a deal with the Lotte Giants in the KBO and has spent all year in the rotation, posting a 5.31 ERA through 19 appearances. While he is striking out opponents at a high rate (9.5 K/9), he is struggling with his command issuing free passes at a 4.6 BB/9 and has allowed 50 earned runs through 84.2 innings of work. Sparkman was waived by the Giants in late July, with the club bringing in MLB veteran Dan Straily in his place.