Adam Ottavino Bio
Adam Robert Ottavino (born November 22, 1985) is an American professional baseball player and pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals, Colorado Rockies, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and New York Mets. Listed at 6 feet 5 inches and 246 pounds, Ottavino throws right-handed and is a switch hitter.
Early Life and Background
Adam Robert Ottavino was born in Manhattan, New York, and moved to Brooklyn when he was three years old. He attended P.S. 39 The Henry Bristow School and I.S. 240 Andries Hudde before graduating from the Berkeley Carroll School in Park Slope in 2003. Ottavino played in a summer developmental league in Brooklyn and was selected by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 30th round of the 2003 MLB draft but opted not to sign.
Ottavino enrolled at Northeastern University, where he became the Northeastern Huskies’ all-time leader in strikeouts and set the single-season school record for strikeouts. He was named the America East Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2005 and spent a summer with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League while in college, building his profile as a prospect ahead of the major-league draft.
Path to Baseball
Selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round, 30th overall, of the 2006 MLB draft, Ottavino began his professional career in the Cardinals’ minor-league system. He pitched across Class A, Double-A and Triple-A levels with stops that included the Swing of the Quad Cities, Springfield Cardinals and the Memphis Redbirds as he developed his arm and refined his mechanics.
Ottavino reached the major leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2010 after moving through Memphis and other stops in the Cardinals’ system. The Cardinals placed him on and off their 40-man roster during his early years as he worked between the minors and the majors while teams evaluated his role as a starter and reliever.
Adam Ottavino Career
Early Career (2010–2011)
Ottavino made his major-league debut for the St. Louis Cardinals on May 29, 2010, appearing in five games for the club that season, including three starts. He spent the surrounding seasons pitching at Triple-A Memphis while the Cardinals managed his roster status and development, and the club re-added him to the 40-man roster following the 2011 season.
After the 2011 season Ottavino was claimed off waivers by the Colorado Rockies, a move that would shift his role toward full-time relief work. The change in organization set the stage for his emergence as a high-leverage reliever in the National League.
Colorado Rockies Breakthrough (2012–2018)
The Colorado Rockies claimed Ottavino off waivers on April 3, 2012, and assigned him initially to Triple-A before promoting him to the majors later that season. With the Rockies he was developed into a relief pitcher and evolved into a reliable late-inning option across multiple seasons.
Ottavino adopted uniform number 0 in 2013 and produced several strong relief seasons in Colorado. He was named the Rockies’ closer early in the 2015 season before a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament required Tommy John surgery and ended his 2015 campaign. After returning from surgery, Ottavino signed a three-year contract with the Rockies and in 2016 completed 37 consecutive scoreless appearances, a Rockies franchise record. In 2018 he posted a 6–4 record with a 2.34 ERA and shared the major-league lead in holds with 34.
New York Yankees Era (2019–2020)
On January 24, 2019, the New York Yankees signed Ottavino to a three-year contract. He made history in New York by becoming the first Yankee to wear uniform number 0, the final single-digit number not retired by the franchise. During the 2019 season Ottavino appeared in 73 games, compiling a 6–5 record with a 1.90 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings.
In the shortened 2020 season Ottavino recorded 24 relief appearances with a 5.89 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings. His tenure with the Yankees showcased his ability to produce high strikeout totals and to serve as a trusted late-inning option when healthy.
Boston Red Sox (2021)
On January 25, 2021, the Yankees traded Ottavino to the Boston Red Sox. He made 69 relief appearances for Boston that regular season, posting a 7–3 record with 11 saves and a 4.21 ERA while striking out 71 batters in 62 innings. Ottavino made five postseason relief appearances as the Red Sox advanced to the American League Championship Series that year and elected free agency after the season.
New York Mets (2022–2024)
Ottavino signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the New York Mets on March 14, 2022. In 2022 he appeared in 66 regular-season games, going 6–3 with three saves and a 2.06 ERA while striking out 79 batters in 65 2/3 innings. He made one postseason appearance in the 2022 Wild Card Series.
Ottavino re-signed with the Mets on December 20, 2022, to a two-year contract that included an opt-out after the 2023 season. He opted out on November 6, 2023, and then re-signed with the Mets on January 30, 2024, to a one-year deal. In 2023 he posted a 3.21 ERA across 66 games with 62 strikeouts, and in 2024 he appeared in 60 games with a 4.34 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 56 innings. After the 2024 postseason the Mets removed him from the NLCS roster and Ottavino became a free agent following the season.
New York Yankees (Second Stint, 2025)
In early 2025 Ottavino’s contract and roster status changed multiple times. He signed a minor-league contract with the Boston Red Sox on February 18, 2025, and was released on March 23 after triggering an opt-out. Ottavino then signed a major-league contract with the New York Yankees on April 1, 2025, and experienced a series of roster moves including designations for assignment and periods of free agency in April 2025 before electing free agency once more on April 10.
Driving Style and Strengths
Ottavino is a right-handed reliever noted for his strikeout ability and for producing high-leverage outs in late innings. His size—listed at 6 feet 5 inches—and repeatable delivery have supported sustained strikeout totals across his career, and his work as a multi-inning reliever has given managers a flexible option in bullpen planning.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones in Ottavino’s career include his selection in the first round of the 2006 MLB draft, his conversion to a high-leverage reliever with the Colorado Rockies, undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2015, setting a Rockies record with 37 consecutive scoreless appearances in 2016, and sharing the major-league lead in holds in 2018. He also became the first New York Yankee to wear uniform number 0 upon joining the Yankees in 2019.
Adam Ottavino Career Wins
Across his major-league career Ottavino compiled a 41–43 win–loss record with an earned run average of 3.48 and 862 strikeouts, reflecting his role primarily as a relief pitcher rather than as a starter. His value has often been measured by strikeouts, holds and late-inning effectiveness rather than traditional starting pitching totals.
Major League Highlights
Ottavino produced standout relief seasons with the Rockies, notably in 2013 and 2014 as he established himself in the bullpen, and in 2018 when he posted a 2.34 ERA and tied for the major-league lead in holds. His 2019 season with the New York Yankees featured a 1.90 ERA and high strikeout totals over 73 appearances, marking a peak year for his work as a late-inning reliever.
Other Wins & Perfromances
Prior to his professional career, Ottavino set strikeout records at Northeastern University and earned the America East Conference Pitcher of the Year award in 2005. His college performance and summer play in the Cape Cod League helped establish him as a first-round draft pick and a top prospect for the Cardinals.
Adam Ottavino Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Ottavino grew up in Brooklyn after being born in Manhattan and developed in local youth leagues and high school programs in the Park Slope area. His early New York City roots and summer-league connections contributed to his development alongside other future major-league players from the region.
Personal Life
Ottavino is married to his wife Brette and has three children, a son and two daughters. During his time with New York clubs he has lived in Brooklyn neighborhoods including Park Slope and Dyker Heights.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season saw Ottavino navigate a series of short-term contracts and roster moves. He signed a minor-league deal with the Boston Red Sox in February 2025 and was released after an opt-out in March, then signed with the New York Yankees in April 2025 and experienced multiple designations for assignment before electing free agency again on April 10, 2025.
Following those roster moves Ottavino entered free agency. His 2025 activity reflects a veteran reliever working to extend a major-league career after many seasons of high-leverage work and sustained strikeout production.