Jacob Lopez Bio
Jacob Lopez (born March 11, 1998) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the Athletics. A left-handed pitcher who rose through the minor league system over several seasons, Lopez reached the majors in 2023 with the Tampa Bay Rays before being traded to Oakland. He has been used primarily as a relief pitcher at the big-league level while continuing to develop his craft on the mound.
Early Life and Background
Jacob Lopez grew up in the Santa Clarita area of Southern California, where he developed an early passion for baseball. He attended Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, playing for the school team and drawing the attention of college and professional scouts with his performances on the mound. His time at Saugus helped establish the foundation for his future as a pitcher, giving him the experience of competing in a structured high school program.
After completing high school, Lopez continued his baseball career at College of the Canyons, a community college also located in Santa Clarita. Playing at the collegiate level allowed him to refine his pitching mechanics and face stronger hitters on a regular basis. The combination of high school and college baseball in his hometown helped shape his development as a left-handed pitcher before he entered the professional ranks.
Path to Professional Baseball
Lopez’s path to professional baseball began in the 2018 Major League Baseball draft, when the San Francisco Giants selected him in the 26th round with the 766th overall pick. He made his professional debut that summer with the rookie-level Arizona League Giants, where he posted a 1.42 ERA across nine appearances, an early sign of his potential as a pitcher. The Giants assigned him to Low-A Salem-Keizer to begin the 2019 season, where he started nine games and recorded a 3.02 ERA with 39 strikeouts in 41 2/3 innings.
On July 31, 2019, the Giants traded Lopez to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for first baseman Joe McCarthy, beginning a new chapter in his development. Assigned to the Low-A Hudson Valley Renegades, he made three starts down the stretch and went 2-0 with a 2.40 ERA and 18 strikeouts. The trade to Tampa Bay, an organization known for its strong pitching development, proved to be a turning point in his professional career.
Jacob Lopez Career
Early Career (2018-2020)
Lopez spent his first professional seasons working his way through the lower levels of the minor leagues. His time with the Arizona League Giants and Salem-Keizer Volcanoes gave him valuable experience adjusting to professional hitters. The 2020 season, however, presented an unexpected challenge, as the minor league season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping Lopez off the mound for the entire year.
Tampa Bay Rays Development (2019-2024)
After joining the Rays organization in mid-2019, Lopez continued to progress through the minor league system. He began the 2021 season with the High-A Bowling Green Hot Rods, making 14 appearances, including 10 starts, and registering a 3-1 record with a 2.30 ERA and 88 strikeouts across 54 2/3 innings. His strong performance that year showed his growing ability to miss bats, but his season ended early when he suffered an elbow injury in late August that required Tommy John surgery, causing him to miss all of 2022.
Lopez returned healthy in 2023 and began the year with the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits before earning a promotion to the Triple-A Durham Bulls after eight games. Across 18 starts for Durham, he went 4-5 with a 2.72 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 79 1/3 innings. On August 14, 2023, the Rays promoted him to the major leagues for the first time. He made his MLB debut that day in relief against the Giants, recording a save in the appearance. In four games with Tampa Bay that season, Lopez logged a 4.38 ERA with eight strikeouts over 12 1/3 innings.
Lopez was optioned to Triple-A Durham to begin the 2024 season. He made four appearances for the Rays that year, posting a 5.23 ERA with eight strikeouts across 10 1/3 innings pitched. Despite the limited big-league workload, his time in the Rays system helped him develop the relief profile that has defined his MLB career so far.
Athletics Era (2024-Present)
On December 14, 2024, the Rays traded Lopez and pitcher Jeffrey Springs to the Athletics in exchange for Joe Boyle, Will Simpson, Jacob Watters, and a Competitive Balance Round A draft pick in the 2025 MLB draft. The trade gave Lopez a fresh opportunity with a new organization looking to add young arms to its pitching staff. He was optioned to the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators to begin the 2025 season.
After three minor league appearances with Las Vegas, Lopez was called up and made his Athletics debut on April 18. His arrival in Oakland marked the beginning of a new chapter in his major league career, as he looked to secure a more consistent role in the team’s bullpen. The move to the Athletics gave him a clearer path to regular big-league opportunities going forward.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Lopez’s career came on August 14, 2023, when he made his MLB debut with the Tampa Bay Rays and recorded a save against the San Francisco Giants, the same organization that had originally drafted him. His return to the majors following Tommy John surgery also stands as a significant milestone, reflecting his resilience and long road back to the highest level. Being part of the December 2024 trade that sent him and Jeffrey Springs to the Athletics added another major turning point in his young career.
Jacob Lopez Career Highlights
Across his time in the minor leagues, Lopez has built a reputation as a strikeout-oriented left-handed pitcher. He has recorded impressive strikeout totals at multiple levels, including 88 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings with High-A Bowling Green in 2021 and 87 strikeouts in 79 1/3 innings with Triple-A Durham in 2023. His major league appearances have so far come in relief, with his first MLB save coming in his debut appearance for the Rays in August 2023.
Minor League Highlights
Lopez’s professional résumé includes a 1.42 ERA across nine appearances with the Arizona League Giants in 2018, a 3.02 ERA in nine starts with Salem-Keizer in 2019, and a 2-0 record with a 2.40 ERA in three starts for Hudson Valley later that same season. His 2021 campaign with Bowling Green and his 2023 work with Montgomery and Durham stand out as his most consistent full seasons in the minors, with strong strikeout numbers in both years.
Jacob Lopez Family
Family Background and Baseball Roots
Lopez grew up in the Santa Clarita area of California, a region with a strong baseball culture. His decision to attend both Saugus High School and College of the Canyons, two schools in his hometown, allowed him to pursue his career while remaining close to his family and community during his early development years.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season represents Lopez’s first full year as a member of the Athletics organization after being acquired in the December 2024 trade. He began the year with the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators, where he made three appearances before receiving his call-up to Oakland. His debut with the Athletics on April 18 marked the start of what the team hopes will be a longer big-league stint than he had with Tampa Bay.
As a left-handed relief option, Lopez fits into a bullpen role where his strikeout ability can play a significant role in tight late-inning situations. His minor league track record suggests he has the swing-and-miss stuff to handle big-league hitters, and the Athletics will likely look to use him in matchup-driven situations. Continued health and consistency on the mound will be key factors in determining how big a role he carves out in Oakland this season.