Carlos Carrasco Bio
Carlos Luis Carrasco, nicknamed “Cookie,” is a Venezuelan-American professional baseball pitcher currently in the Atlanta Braves organization. Born on March 21, 1987, in Barquisimeto, Lara, Venezuela, he has built a long Major League Baseball (MLB) career since 2009. Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 224 pounds, Carrasco throws and bats right-handed and is recognized for his resilience through injury and illness.
Over the years, Carrasco has played for the Cleveland Indians and Guardians, the New York Mets, the New York Yankees, and now the Braves organization. He earned the 2019 American League (AL) Comeback Player of the Year Award and the Roberto Clemente Award for his work on and off the field. He is also a leukemia survivor.
Early Life and Background
Carlos Luis Carrasco was born in 1987 in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, and grew up in a baseball-loving country where the sport is part of everyday life. By the age of 10, he was already playing organized baseball, originally as a third baseman before transitioning to the pitcher position. As a child, he also learned to throw left-handed in addition to his natural right-handed delivery, although he does not consider himself ambidextrous.
At 16, Carrasco was discovered by a baseball scout in Venezuela. He threw a showcase for Sal Agostinelli, the international scouting director for the Philadelphia Phillies, registering a 91 mph fastball that impressed the organization. His combination of size, arm strength, and poise set him apart from other young players in his region and put him on the path to a professional career.
Path to Professional Baseball
Carrasco signed with the Philadelphia Phillies as an undrafted free agent on November 25, 2003, beginning his climb through the minor leagues. In 2006, he spent the full season with the Single-A Lakewood BlueClaws and posted a 2.26 earned run average (ERA) over 159 and one-third innings, an outstanding mark for a teenager. He split 2007 between Single-A Clearwater and Double-A Reading and threw his first no-hitter on August 21, 2007.
Entering the 2007 season, Carrasco was ranked as the top prospect in the Phillies organization and the 41st-best prospect in all of baseball. He was named to the World roster of the 2006, 2007, and 2008 All-Star Futures Games, where top young prospects from across the world compete. By 2008, he was still rated the top prospect in the Phillies system, noted for having the organization’s best fastball and changeup.
Carlos Carrasco Career
Early Career with Cleveland Indians (2009–2014)
On July 29, 2009, the Phillies traded Carlos Luis Carrasco, along with Jason Donald, Lou Marson, and Jason Knapp, to the Cleveland Indians for Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco. Carrasco made his major league debut on September 1, 2009, and went 0–4 with an 8.87 ERA in five starts. In 2011, he posted an 8–9 record with a 4.62 ERA before undergoing Tommy John surgery in September, which caused him to miss all of 2012.
Carrasco returned in 2013 but struggled with command and consistency. In 2014, however, he turned a corner, appearing in 40 games with 14 starts and going 8–7 with a 2.55 ERA while striking out 140 batters in 134 innings. That breakout season foreshadowed the pitcher he would become in his prime.
Cleveland Indians Breakthrough (2015–2020)
On April 7, 2015, Carrasco signed a four-year extension worth $22 million with club options for 2019 and 2020. Despite being struck in the face by a line drive on April 14, he bounced back to go 14–12 with a 3.63 ERA and 216 strikeouts in 183 and two-thirds innings. On July 1, 2015, he took a no-hitter into the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays before surrendering a two-out single to Joey Butler.
In 2017, Carrasco went 18–6 with a 3.29 ERA and 226 strikeouts in 200 innings, leading the AL in wins. On July 7, 2017, he pitched an immaculate inning against the Detroit Tigers, striking out the side on nine pitches, becoming only the second Indians pitcher to accomplish the feat. He signed another four-year extension in December 2018 covering the 2022 season with a 2023 option.
In June 2019, Carrasco was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia, sidelining him for most of the summer. He returned in September and was later named the 2019 AL Comeback Player of the Year, capping one of the most inspiring comebacks in recent MLB history. In 2020, he went 3–4 with a 2.91 ERA in 12 games.
New York Mets Era (2021–2023)
On January 7, 2021, the Indians traded Carrasco and Francisco Lindor to the New York Mets. He debuted for the Mets on July 30 after recovering from a torn hamstring and went 1–5 with a 6.04 ERA in 12 starts. Off-season surgery repaired a bone fragment in his elbow, and he returned stronger in 2022.
In 2022, Carrasco went 15–7 with a 3.97 ERA and 152 strikeouts across 152 innings, earning his 100th career win on July 30 with a 4–0 shutout of the Miami Marlins. The Mets exercised his $14 million option for 2023, but he struggled to a 3–8 record and a 6.80 ERA that year before becoming a free agent.
Cleveland Guardians, New York Yankees, and Atlanta Braves (2024–Present)
On February 1, 2024, Carrasco signed a minor league deal with the Cleveland Guardians and made their Opening Day roster. He went 3–10 with a 5.64 ERA in 21 starts before being designated for assignment in September 2024. On February 3, 2025, he signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees and made his Yankees debut on March 29, 2025.
On July 28, 2025, the Yankees traded Carrasco to the Atlanta Braves for cash considerations. After struggling in three starts, he was designated for assignment on August 14 and elected free agency two days later. He re-signed with Atlanta on a minor league deal on August 17, 2025, and on November 8, 2025, signed a new minor league contract to remain in the organization.
Driving Style and Strengths
Carrasco is known for his fastball, sharp changeup, and ability to generate swings and misses deep into games. His 6-foot-4 frame allows him to attack hitters with downhill plane, while his off-speed stuff keeps lineups off balance. Pairing power pitching with poise in big moments has defined his career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Carrasco threw his first professional no-hitter on August 21, 2007, in the minors. In 2015, he carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning against the Rays, and in 2017, he pitched an immaculate inning against the Tigers. His 100th career win came on July 30, 2022, against the Marlins, and his 2019 comeback from leukemia earned him the Roberto Clemente Award and the AL Comeback Player of the Year.
Carlos Carrasco Career Wins
Carrasco has reached several milestones across MLB, including his 100th career win in 2022 with the Mets. He led the American League in wins in 2017 with 18 victories and has recorded seasons with more than 200 strikeouts.
Major League Highlights
His most memorable win came on July 30, 2022, a 4–0 shutout against the Miami Marlins that marked his 100th career victory. In 2017, he won a career-high 18 games, and he recorded an immaculate inning that same season against the Detroit Tigers.
Other Wins and Performances
Carrasco threw his first career no-hitter at the minor league level on August 21, 2007, while in the Phillies system. He also earned wins in each of his major league stops, including Cleveland, New York, and Atlanta, demonstrating consistency across organizations.
Carlos Carrasco Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Carlos Luis Carrasco grew up in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, in a family that supported his baseball dreams from an early age. After being traded to Cleveland, he worked hard to learn English, and in August 2016, he became a United States citizen. He has shared stories about adjusting to life in the United States, including a spring training stretch where he ate Domino’s Pizza every day for 90 days because it was the only food he knew how to order.
Carrasco is heavily involved in charity, donating hundreds of thousands of dollars, time, and supplies to organizations in Venezuela, Colombia, the United States, and Africa. His work in his native country inspired his daughter Camila to begin cutting her hair for cancer patients in 2010.
Wife and Children
Carrasco is married to his wife, Karelis. Together, the couple has five children. Their family has remained a central part of his life throughout his MLB career.
2025 Season Performance
Carlos Luis Carrasco began 2025 in the New York Yankees organization, making the Opening Day roster after signing a minor league deal. He posted a 2–2 record with a 5.91 ERA in eight appearances and six starts before being designated for assignment in early May and outrighted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
After a brief return to the Yankees’ active roster in June, he was traded to the Atlanta Braves on July 28, 2025. He struggled in three starts with a 9.88 ERA before being designated for assignment, only to re-sign with Atlanta on a minor league deal on August 17.
On November 8, 2025, Carrasco re-signed with the Braves on a new minor league contract, signaling his intent to compete for a role heading into the next season. His veteran presence and track record of overcoming adversity suggest he remains focused on contributing to a contending clubhouse.