Luke Bard
Luke Francis Bard (born November 13, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels. Career. Amateur. Bard attended Charlotte Christian School in Charlotte, North Carolina and the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he played college baseball for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. In 2010 and 2011, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League. Minnesota Twins. The Minnesota Twins selected Bard in the first round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft. He  signed and made his professional debut that same year with the Gulf Coast League Twins before being reassigned to the Elizabethton Twins. In seven games between the two teams, he posted a 3.86 ERA. In 2013, he pitched for the GCL Twins, Elizabethton, and the Fort Myers Miracle, going 1-0 with a 3.65 ERA in 12.1 total innings pitched between the three teams. He missed 2014 and 2015 due to injury. Bard returned in 2016 and he spent the season with Fort Myers and the Chattanooga Lookouts, going 3-1 with a 3.74 ERA in 44 relief appearances. In  2017, he was 4-3 with a 2.76 ERA in 65.1 innings pitched between the Lookouts and Rochester Red Wings. Los Angeles Angels. The Angels selected Bard in the Rule 5 draft after the 2017 season. He made the Angels' Opening Day 25-man roster, and made his major league debut on March 31. After he was designated for assignment by the Angels, Bard was returned to the Twins on April 27. On February 16, 2019, Bard signed a minor-league deal with the Los Angeles Angels. He made the team out of spring training and had his contract purchased  before the season. He was sent down multiple times to the minors through the whole season, appearing in only 32 games for the Angels. Bard pitched in 5.1 innings for the Angels in 2020, registering a 6.75 ERA and 7 strikeouts. On March 29, 2021, Bard was placed on the 60-day injured list with a hip injury. On April 8, 2021, it was announced that Bard would undergo season-ending hip surgery. On October 23, 2021, Bard elected free agency. Tampa Bay Rays. On March 24, 2022, Bard signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays. Personal  life. Bard's older brother, Daniel, is a major league baseball player, currently with the Colorado Rockies. His cousin, John Andreoli, is also a professional baseball player for the San Diego Padres organization.