Matt Sauer Bio
Matthew David Sauer is an American professional baseball pitcher who currently plays for the KT Wiz of the KBO League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball for the Kansas City Royals and the Los Angeles Dodgers. A former second-round draft pick, Sauer made his major league debut in 2024 after several years in the minor leagues.
Born on January 21, 1999, Sauer grew up in California and developed into one of the top high school pitching prospects in the country. He has since built a professional career that has carried him through multiple organizations in the United States and now into professional baseball in South Korea.
Early Life and Background
Matthew David Sauer was born on January 21, 1999, and grew up in the Santa Maria area of California. He attended Righetti High School, where he developed into a highly regarded pitching prospect. His parents, David and Tami Sauer, raised him in a supportive household, and his mother was born on Kadena Air Base in Okinawa.
At Righetti High School, Sauer emerged as a dominant senior, going 9–1 with a 0.98 earned run average and recording 142 strikeouts. That performance established him as one of the top amateur arms in his draft class. Following his high school career, he committed to the University of Arizona to play college baseball, but his professional path began before he ever stepped on campus.
Path to Baseball
Sauer’s standout senior season at Righetti High School drew national attention and placed him firmly on the radar of major league scouting departments. His combination of size, strikeout ability, and command made him an attractive prospect. Rather than honor his commitment to Arizona, he entered the 2017 Major League Baseball draft, where the New York Yankees selected him in the second round with the 54th overall pick.
Sauer signed with the Yankees on June 24, 2017, and was assigned to the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Yankees, where he spent the entirety of his first professional season. The move to professional baseball marked the beginning of a long developmental journey through the minor leagues that would eventually lead him to the major leagues.
Matt Sauer Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
Sauer began his professional career in 2017 with the Gulf Coast League Yankees, posting a 0–2 record with a 5.40 ERA in limited innings as he adjusted to professional competition. The following year, he advanced to the Low-A Staten Island Yankees, where he went 3–6 with a 3.90 ERA across 13 starts and 67 innings pitched. Those early assignments provided Sauer with valuable experience and helped him refine his approach on the mound.
His development was not without setbacks. In 2019, Sauer pitched only 8⅔ innings for the Single-A Charleston RiverDogs due to injury, and in 2020 he did not appear in any minor league games after the season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite those interruptions, he remained a notable prospect within the Yankees organization.
New York Yankees (2021–2023)
Sauer returned to full health in 2021, splitting the year between the Single-A Tampa Tarpons and the High-A Hudson Valley Renegades. Across 23 appearances, including 21 starts, he went 5–6 with a 4.69 ERA and recorded 127 strikeouts over 111⅓ innings. The workload signaled a return to form and positioned him for a promotion the following season.
In 2022, Sauer opened the year with Hudson Valley before being promoted to the Double-A Somerset Patriots in August. On August 25, he struck out 17 batters in a single game, one of the most dominant single-game performances of his career. He finished the year with 22 starts, a 4.54 ERA, and 134 strikeouts in 109 innings. Sauer spent most of 2023 with Somerset, going 6–5 with a 3.41 ERA in 14 games, and later pitched for the Mesa Solar Sox of the Arizona Fall League.
Kansas City Royals (2024)
On December 6, 2023, the Kansas City Royals selected Sauer from the Yankees in the Rule 5 draft. He made Kansas City’s Opening Day roster in 2024 under manager Matt Quatraro, who identified him as a relief pitcher capable of handling multiple innings. Sauer made his Major League Baseball debut on March 31, 2024, against the Minnesota Twins, pitching a scoreless inning of relief.
He recorded his first major league strikeout on April 11, 2024, against Jon Singleton of the Houston Astros. In 14 appearances with the Royals, however, he struggled to a 7.71 ERA with nine strikeouts across 16⅓ innings. On May 20, he was designated for assignment following the promotion of Sam Long, and the Royals returned him to the Yankees organization on May 26.
New York Yankees Second Stint and Los Angeles Dodgers (2024–2025)
After returning to the Yankees, Sauer was assigned to the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. In 27 appearances split between Scranton and Double-A Somerset, he posted a 3–2 record with a 6.12 ERA and 30 strikeouts across 32⅓ innings. He elected free agency on November 4, 2024.
On December 16, 2024, Sauer signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was added to the 40-man roster and called up to the majors on March 18, 2025, though he did not appear in the Tokyo Series and was optioned to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets. He made his Dodgers debut on April 7, 2025, against the Washington Nationals, recorded his first career win on April 29 against the Miami Marlins, and earned his first career save on May 7 against the same team. Across 10 appearances with Los Angeles, he allowed 23 runs in 29⅔ innings with 24 strikeouts for a 6.37 ERA. The Dodgers designated him for assignment on September 6, released him on September 10, re-signed him to a minor league deal on September 18, and released him again on November 4.
KT Wiz (2025–Present)
On November 7, 2025, Sauer signed a one-year, $950,000 contract with the KT Wiz of the KBO League. The deal marked a new chapter in his career, moving him from the American minor leagues to professional baseball in South Korea. With the KT Wiz, Sauer joined a growing list of American pitchers who have continued their careers in the KBO.
Driving Style and Strengths
Sauer has been used primarily as a multi-inning relief pitcher at the major league level, a role that highlights his ability to handle extended outings. His strikeout ability, showcased in minor league stints that included a 17-strikeout game in 2022, has remained a defining feature of his game. His best moments have come when he has paired that swing-and-miss stuff with consistent command.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of Sauer’s most memorable performances came on August 25, 2022, when he struck out 17 batters for the Double-A Somerset Patriots. He also recorded his first major league strikeout on April 11, 2024, his first career MLB win on April 29, 2025, and his first career save on May 7, 2025. His Rule 5 selection by the Royals in December 2023 and his subsequent major league debut in March 2024 stand as key milestones in his career.
Matt Sauer Career Wins
Sauer’s career win totals reflect the journeyman nature of his professional path, with most of his victories coming in the minor leagues. He has notched a confirmed first MLB win with the Dodgers in 2025, along with his first career save in the same season.
Minor League Highlights
Across his minor league career, Sauer collected notable wins in the Low-A, High-A, and Double-A levels, including a 6–5 record with Somerset in 2023. He also recorded his first major league win on April 29, 2025, against the Miami Marlins while pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers, a milestone that capped years of development in the minors.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his professional totals, Sauer posted a 9–1 record as a senior at Righetti High School, which helped launch his professional career. He also pitched for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League after the 2023 season, gaining additional experience against high-level competition.
Matt Sauer Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Sauer’s parents are David and Tami Sauer. His mother, Tami, was born on Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, a connection that reflects the family’s ties to the United States military community. The support of his family has been a consistent presence throughout his baseball journey, from his high school years in Santa Maria to his professional career in the United States and abroad.
Personal Life
Sauer met his future wife, Reagan, in middle school, and the two also attended the same high school, Righetti. He is a Christian, and he has credited the strength of his faith to former minor league roommates Gary Whitlock and Glenn Otto. The couple has remained a steady part of his life as he has moved between organizations and now begins a new chapter with the KT Wiz.
2025 Season Performance
Sauer’s 2025 season began with a major league opportunity in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. He was added to the Dodgers’ 40-man roster in March and made his debut on April 7 against the Washington Nationals. Over the course of the season, he recorded his first career MLB win and first career save, both against the Miami Marlins, before being designated for assignment in early September.
After his release from the Dodgers in November 2025, Sauer quickly found a new home, signing a one-year, $950,000 contract with the KT Wiz of the KBO League on November 7. The move gives him a chance to log significant innings in South Korea and rebuild his resume in a competitive international league. Heading into the 2026 KBO season, Sauer will look to translate his strikeout-heavy arsenal into consistent results in a new baseball environment.