John King Bio
John Edward King (born September 14, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals, working primarily as a left-handed relief pitcher. King began his professional career after being drafted by the Texas Rangers in 2017 and reached the major leagues in 2020. Across his MLB tenure he has shown resilience through injuries, including Tommy John surgery and thoracic outlet syndrome, while developing into a dependable bullpen arm.
Early Life and Background
John Edward King was born on September 14, 1994, in Sugar Land, Texas. He grew up in the same Houston-area suburb where he would later attend high school, surrounded by a strong regional baseball culture that produced numerous professional players. As a young athlete in Texas, King was drawn to the sport early and developed his skills through local youth and school competition.
King attended William P. Clements High School in Sugar Land, Texas, where he played for the school baseball team. After graduating, he continued his playing career at Angelina College in Lufkin, Texas, spending the 2014 and 2015 seasons with the program. He then transferred to the University of Houston, where he played for the Cougars during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. During his senior year at Houston, King tore the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his left elbow but continued to pitch through the injury, a decision that would shape the early portion of his professional career.
Path to Baseball
King’s college performance at the University of Houston was enough to draw the attention of Major League Baseball scouts, even as he battled the left elbow injury. In the 2017 MLB Draft, the Texas Rangers selected him in the 10th round with the 314th overall pick. He signed with the organization for a $10,000 signing bonus, choosing to begin his professional career rather than return to college.
The path to the majors was not immediate. Shortly after signing, King underwent Tommy John surgery on July 5, 2017, a procedure that repairs the damaged UCL in the elbow. He spent most of the 2018 season rehabilitating, appearing in only one game for the AZL Rangers of the Rookie-level Arizona League and three games for the Spokane Indians of the Low-A Northwest League that September. In 2019, he was assigned to the Hickory Crawdads of the Single-A South Atlantic League, where he posted a 1–2 record with a 3.42 ERA over 26+1⁄3 innings, before earning a midseason promotion to the Down East Wood Ducks of the High-A Carolina League, where he went 2–4 with a 2.03 ERA over 71 innings.
John King Career
Early Career (2020–2021)
On September 4, 2020, the Texas Rangers selected King’s contract to the major league roster, and he made his MLB debut that same day against the Seattle Mariners. In the shortened 2020 season, he appeared in limited action, pitching 10+1⁄3 innings and going 1–0 with a 6.10 ERA and 9 strikeouts. The following year, in 2021, King became a more regular member of the Texas bullpen, posting a 7–5 record with a 3.52 ERA and 40 strikeouts over 46 innings.
His 2021 season was cut short by health issues. King was placed on the injured list in July and underwent surgery in September 2021 for thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition that affects nerves and blood vessels near the collarbone. Despite the setback, his performance in 2021 established him as a useful left-handed relief option in the Rangers’ bullpen.
Texas Rangers Breakthrough (2020–2023)
After his debut, King spent parts of three seasons with the Texas Rangers. In 2022, he split the year between Texas and the Triple-A Round Rock Express of the Pacific Coast League. With the Rangers, he went 1–4 with a 4.03 ERA and 30 strikeouts over 50+1⁄3 innings, while in Triple-A he posted a 2–1 record with a 7.27 ERA over 17+1⁄3 innings. He began the 2023 season optioned to Round Rock before being recalled.
His most memorable Rangers moment came on July 30, 2023, when Texas traded King, Tekoah Roby, and Thomas Saggese to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery and reliever Chris Stratton. The deal reflected King’s growing value as a controllable left-handed reliever.
St. Louis Cardinals Era (2023–2025)
After joining the Cardinals midseason, King made an immediate impact in 20 relief appearances, recording a 1.45 ERA with 10 strikeouts across 18+2⁄3 innings. The strong finish to 2023 established him as a reliable late-inning option in the St. Louis bullpen. He was optioned to the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds to begin the 2024 season but returned to the majors to make 56 relief appearances, compiling a 3–3 record and 2.85 ERA with 38 strikeouts over 60 innings.
In 2025, King pitched in 51 games for the Cardinals, registering a 2–1 record and a 4.66 ERA with 28 strikeouts across 48+1⁄3 innings. On November 21, 2025, the Cardinals non-tendered him, making him a free agent and ending his time with the organization.
Notable Events and Milestones
King’s most significant career milestone came on September 4, 2020, when he made his major league debut with the Texas Rangers against the Seattle Mariners. Other notable moments include his 2021 season in which he recorded 7 wins out of the Texas bullpen, and his strong 1.45 ERA across 20 appearances after being traded to St. Louis in 2023. His career has also been defined by perseverance through Tommy John surgery in 2017 and thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in 2021.
John King Career Wins
John Edward King has compiled a number of wins as a left-handed relief pitcher across his MLB career with the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals. His wins have come primarily out of the bullpen, with his most productive stretch coming during the 2021 season with Texas.
MLB Highlights
King recorded 7 wins during the 2021 season with the Texas Rangers, when he went 7–5 with a 3.52 ERA over 46 innings. He added 1 win in his debut season of 2020 and another in 2022, giving him a combined win total of 9 during his time in the Rangers’ organization. With the St. Louis Cardinals, he went 3–3 in 2024 and 2–1 in 2025, adding 5 more decisions to his major league record.
Minor League Performances
In the minor leagues, King pitched for the Spokane Indians, Hickory Crawdads, Down East Wood Ducks, Round Rock Express, and Memphis Redbirds. He was particularly effective with Down East in 2019, going 2–4 with a strong 2.03 ERA over 71 innings, a performance that helped set the stage for his MLB debut the following year.
John King Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about John Edward King’s immediate family is limited. He was raised in Sugar Land, Texas, and attended local schools before pursuing a college baseball path at Angelina College and the University of Houston. There is no widely documented family lineage in professional baseball.
Personal Life
Details about John Edward King’s personal life, including marital status and family, are not publicly available in verified sources. He has focused much of his public profile on his professional baseball career.
2025 Season Performance
John Edward King spent the 2025 season with the St. Louis Cardinals bullpen, appearing in 51 games as a left-handed reliever. He posted a 2–1 record with a 4.66 ERA and 28 strikeouts across 48+1⁄3 innings pitched, working primarily in middle and late relief situations for manager Oliver Marmol’s staff.
His role within the Cardinals bullpen remained consistent with prior years, providing matchup-based left-handed options against opposing hitters. While his ERA rose compared to his strong 2024 season, King continued to be a regular presence out of the bullpen through the final month of the campaign.
On November 21, 2025, the Cardinals non-tendered King, allowing him to reach free agency. As a free agent, his outlook for the next season will depend on offseason negotiations, potential minor league deals, and spring training invitations, as he looks to extend his MLB career into 2026.