Matt Sauer Bio
Matthew David Sauer is an American professional baseball pitcher for the KT Wiz of the KBO League. Sauer began his professional career after the New York Yankees selected him in the second round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft and reached the major leagues with the Kansas City Royals in 2024 before appearing for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2025.
Early Life and Background
Matthew David Sauer attended Righetti High School in Santa Maria, California. As a senior he posted a 9–1 record with a 0.98 earned run average and 142 strikeouts, a performance that established him as a high school prospect and led to his commitment to the University of Arizona to play college baseball.
Sauer grew up the son of David and Tami Sauer. He met his future wife Reagan in middle school and both attended the same high school. He has cited his Christian faith and the influence of former minor league roommates during his development as a professional.
Path to Baseball
Sauer entered professional baseball when the New York Yankees selected him with the 54th overall pick in the 2017 Major League Baseball draft. He signed with the Yankees the same month and began his pro career in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League as a member of the organization’s developmental system.
Over his early minor league career Sauer progressed through Low–A and Single–A assignments, gaining innings and building a strikeout profile that drew attention. Injuries limited his 2019 season workload and the canceled 2020 minor league season interrupted competitive play, but Sauer returned to take on a heavier role in 2021 and beyond.
Matt Sauer Career
Early Career (2017–2021)
Sauer signed with the New York Yankees after the 2017 draft and spent his first professional season with the Gulf Coast League Yankees, logging limited innings as a rookie. In 2018 he pitched for the Low–A Staten Island Yankees, where he made multiple starts and recorded a solid earned run average over the season.
In 2019 Sauer reached Single–A with the Charleston RiverDogs but was limited to a small number of innings because of injury. The 2020 season was canceled for minor leaguers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Sauer returned in 2021 to split time between the Tampa Tarpons and the Hudson Valley Renegades, where he worked as a starter and accumulated significant strikeout totals.
New York Yankees Organization Breakthrough (2022–2023)
Sauer began 2022 with the Hudson Valley Renegades before a promotion to the Double–A Somerset Patriots in August. During that season he posted extended outings and notable strikeout performances, including a 17-strikeout game on August 25, and finished the year with double-digit starts and more than 130 strikeouts across his appearances.
In 2023 he again spent time with Somerset while making a brief appearance for Hudson Valley and the Florida Complex League Yankees. Sauer recorded a winning record and a sub-3.50 ERA in his primary assignment for the year and added fall league innings with the Mesa Solar Sox following the season.
Kansas City Royals Breakthrough (2024)
On December 6, 2023, the Kansas City Royals selected Sauer from the Yankees in the Rule 5 draft. Sauer made Kansas City’s Opening Day roster in 2024 as a multi-inning relief option and made his major league debut on March 31, 2024, pitching a scoreless inning of relief against the Minnesota Twins.
Sauer recorded his first major league strikeout on April 11, 2024, and appeared in 14 games for the Royals that season. The Royals designated Sauer for assignment in May 2024, and he returned to the New York Yankees organization later that month, where he was assigned to Triple–A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for the remainder of the season.
Los Angeles Dodgers Era (2025)
Sauer signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in December 2024 and was added to the 40-man roster and called up to the major leagues in March 2025. He made his Dodgers debut on April 7, 2025, and recorded his first major league win on April 29, 2025, followed by his first career save on May 7, 2025; both milestones came against the Miami Marlins.
During the 2025 season Sauer split time between the Dodgers and their Triple–A affiliate in Oklahoma City, making starts and relief appearances in both environments. The Dodgers designated him for assignment in September 2025, and he underwent roster transactions with the organization through that offseason.
KT Wiz Era (2026–Present)
On November 7, 2025, Sauer signed a one-year, $950,000 contract with the KT Wiz of the KBO League. He joined the KT Wiz for the 2026 season and through May 17, 2026, had compiled KBO statistics that include a 2–2 record, a 4.62 earned run average, and 44 strikeouts.
Driving Style and Strengths
Sauer’s profile emphasizes strikeouts and multi-inning relief potential. Throughout his minor league progression and into his major league work he has shown the ability to miss bats and to handle starter-like workloads in the minors, traits that translate to his role flexibility at the professional level.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key moments in Sauer’s career include his 17-strikeout outing at Double–A in 2022, his major league debut for the Kansas City Royals on March 31, 2024, and his first MLB win and save with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2025. His selection in the 2017 draft and Rule 5 draft selection in 2023 mark major turning points in his professional path.
Matt Sauer Career Wins
Sauer’s major league record through the 2025 season stands at 2–1 with 33 strikeouts and a 6.85 earned run average in MLB play. In the KBO through mid-May 2026 he recorded a 2–2 record with 44 strikeouts and a 4.62 earned run average, reflecting his continued work as a professional pitcher across both leagues.
Major League Baseball Highlights
Sauer’s MLB highlights include his debut appearance on March 31, 2024, and his statistical contributions across the 2024 and 2025 seasons with the Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Dodgers. His first MLB strikeout came on April 11, 2024, and his first MLB win and first career save occurred in April and May of 2025 respectively.
KBO Highlights
After signing with the KT Wiz in November 2025 Sauer began KBO play in 2026 and quickly added innings and strikeouts to his ledger. The early KBO numbers through May 17, 2026, show Sauer adjusting to the new league while contributing both starts and relief appearances.
Other Wins & Perfromances
In the minors Sauer produced multiple seasons with high strikeout totals, including a 2021 season that yielded more than 120 strikeouts across Single–A and High–A levels and a productive 2022 campaign that led to a Double–A promotion.
Matt Sauer Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Sauer is the son of David and Tami Sauer; his mother was born on Kadena Air Base in Okinawa. His family supported his amateur career through high school and his progression to professional baseball.
Personal Life
Sauer met his wife Reagan in middle school, and they later attended the same high school. He has spoken publicly about his Christian faith and the role of teammates and roommates in his personal and professional development.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season saw Sauer with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, where he was added to the 40-man roster and made several major league appearances. He recorded his first major league win and save during the year, worked both in the majors and in Triple–A Oklahoma City, and experienced several roster moves including designation for assignment in September.
Sauer’s 2025 campaign reflected the volatility of a pitcher on the fringe of a major league bullpen and rotation. He demonstrated the ability to contribute in both relief and starting roles in Triple–A while showing flashes of effectiveness in the majors, and he entered free agency and international opportunity at the end of the season.