Brandon Leibrandt

Brandon Leibrandt
Leibrandt with the New Jersey Blasters in 2020
Free agent
Pitcher
Born: (1992-12-13) December 13, 1992 Alpharetta, Georgia, U.S.
Bats: Left Throws: Left
MLB debut
August 23, 2020, for the Miami Marlins
MLB statistics (through 2024 season)
Win–loss record	0–0
Earned run average	5.28
Strikeouts	8
Teams
Miami Marlins (2020) Cincinnati Reds (2024)

Brandon Charles Leibrandt (born December 13, 1992) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in MLB for the Miami Marlins and Cincinnati Reds. Leibrandt is the son of former MLB pitcher Charlie Leibrandt.

Career

Amateur career

Leibrandt attended Marist School in Brookhaven, Georgia. As a pitcher on the school's baseball team, he had a 13–0 win–loss record with an 0.71 earned run average (ERA) in 79 innings pitched with 120 strikeouts and 11 walks as a senior. Leibrandt was named Baseball America High School third team All-American in 2011 and ESPN Rise first team.

Leibrandt enrolled at FSU to play college baseball for the Florida State Seminoles. As a freshman in 2012, he was 8–3 with a 2.82 ERA in 19 starts (tied for third-most in the country), and as a sophomore he finished with a 10–4 record and a 3.44 ERA. In 2013, Leibrandt played collegiate summer baseball with the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League. As a junior he was 4–1 with a 1.83 ERA, before he was injured and had his season cut short. The Philadelphia Phillies selected Leibrandt in the sixth round of the 2014 MLB Draft.

Philadelphia Phillies

Leibrandt signed and spent 2014 with the GCL Phillies and Williamsport Crosscutters, pitching to a combined 3–5 record and 2.82 ERA with 67 strikeouts and an 0.97 WHIP in 60.2 innings. In 2015, he played for the Clearwater Threshers where he compiled a 7–3 record, 3.11 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 17 starts. He was a Florida State League Mid-Season All Star, and an MiLB Phillies Organization All Star. In 2016, he returned to Clearwater, but pitched in only six games due to injury. He spent 2017 with both the Reading Fightin Phils and Lehigh Valley IronPigs, posting a combined 11–5 record and 3.62 ERA in 25 total starts between the two clubs.

Leibrandt returned to Lehigh Valley in 2018, going 4–1 with a 1.42 ERA and an 0.87 WHIP in 20 games (six starts), and struck out 32 batters in 50.2 innings. He last pitched on June 30, and underwent Tommy John surgery, missing the remainder of the 2018 season and the 2019 season.

The Phillies released Leibrandt on May 29, 2020.

Somerset Patriots

On June 3, 2020, Leibrandt signed with the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. With the 2020 Atlantic League cancelled by the COVID-19 Pandemic, Leibrandt was assigned to the New Jersey Blasters as part of the SOMERSET Professional Baseball Series, a twelve game series organized by the Patriots for the 2020 season.

Miami Marlins

On August 10, 2020, the Miami Marlins selected Leibrandt's contract from Somerset. Leibrandt was promoted to the major leagues on August 18. He made his major league debut on August 23 against the Washington Nationals. On the season, Leibrandt appeared in five big league games, notching a 2.00 ERA with three strikeouts in 9 innings pitched. He was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to the Triple–A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp on October 29, and became a free agent on November 2.

On April 5, 2021, Leibrandt re-signed with the Marlins on a minor league contract. Leibrandt split the season between Jacksonville and the Double–A Pensacola Blue Wahoos, posting a cumulative 5.68 ERA with 74 strikeouts in 88+2⁄3 innings of work across 21 games. He elected free agency following the season on November 7.

Chicago Cubs

On February 28, 2022, Leibrandt signed with the Wild Health Genomes of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. However, he was released by the team on March 7 prior to the ALPB season.

On March 16, 2022, Leibrandt signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs. Leibrandt split time between the Double–A Tennessee Smokies and Triple–A Iowa Cubs, pitching to a cumulative 4–4 record and 4.67 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 69+1⁄3 innings of work across 21 games (8 starts). He was released by the Cubs organization on August 5.

High Point Rockers

On April 28, 2023, Leibrandt signed with the High Point Rockers of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He made 3 starts for the Rockers, posting a 5.40 ERA with 9 strikeouts in 11+2⁄3 innings pitched. Leibrandt was released by the team on May 14. On July 31, Leibrandt re–signed with the Rockers. He totaled a 3.26 ERA with 53 strikeouts across 12 starts for the club in 2023.

On April 19, 2024, Leibrandt re–signed with the Rockers. In 4 starts for the club, Leibrandt compiled an 0.93 ERA with 24 strikeouts across 19+1⁄3 innings pitched.

Cincinnati Reds

On May 24, 2024, Leibrandt's contract was purchased by the Cincinnati Reds organization. In 15 starts for the Triple–A Louisville Bats, he registered a 3–4 record and 4.46 ERA with 63 strikeouts across 72+2⁄3 innings of work. On August 29, the Reds selected Leibrandt's contract, adding him to their active roster. He made his Reds debut that same day, pitching 2+1⁄3 innings of scoreless relief in a Reds win. Leibrandt was designated for assignment by Cincinnati on October 28. He cleared waivers and elected free agency on October 30.

See also

• List of second-generation Major League Baseball players

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet