Griffin Alexander Canning (born May 11, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He played college baseball at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He made his MLB debut with the Los Angeles Angels in 2019.

Griffin Canning
Canning with the Los Angeles Angels in 2024
Free agent
Pitcher
Born: (1996-05-11) May 11, 1996 (age 28)
Mission Viejo, California, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
April 30, 2019, for the Los Angeles Angels
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Win–loss record25–34
Earned run average4.78
Strikeouts483
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Amateur career

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Canning attended Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. He played for the school's baseball team as a pitcher. As a senior, he had an 11–3 win–loss record with a 1.51 earned run average (ERA) and 123 strikeouts, and was named the Orange County Register Pitcher of the Year.[1][2] In his final game, he led Santa Margarita to victory in the 2014 California Interscholastic Federation SS Division I Championship, recording 11 strikeouts and allowing only two hits.[3] Canning was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 38th round of the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft, but did not sign and played college baseball at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for the Bruins.[4]

Canning made 15 appearances with 11 starts as a freshman at UCLA in 2015. He was 7–1 with a 2.97 ERA and 66 strikeouts. As a sophomore, he became UCLA's number one starter.[5] He made 15 starts, going 5–8 with a 3.70 ERA and 95 strikeouts.[6][7] Canning returned as UCLA's ace in 2017.[8] In 17 starts, he went 7–4 with a 2.34 ERA and 140 strikeouts.

Professional career

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Los Angeles Angels

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Minor leagues

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The Los Angeles Angels selected Canning with the 47th pick in the second round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.[9] He signed with the Angels for a $1,459,200 signing bonus,[10] but did not pitch in 2017. He made his professional debut in 2018 with the Inland Empire 66ers of the High–A California League,[11] and after pitching 8+23 scoreless innings, he was promoted to the Mobile BayBears of the Double–A Southern League. He was promoted to the Salt Lake Bees of the Triple–A Pacific Coast League in June. In 25 starts between the three teams, Canning went 4–3 with a 3.65 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.[12] Canning returned to Salt Lake to begin the 2019 season up until his major league promotion.[13]

Major leagues

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Canning in 2019

On April 30, 2019, the Angels promoted Canning to the major leagues and he made his debut that night, against the Toronto Blue Jays, recording six strikeouts over 4+13 innings pitched.[14] After multiple trips to the injured list with elbow inflammation, the Angels announced on August 22, that they would shut down Canning for the rest of the season, cutting his rookie season short. He went 5–6 with a 4.58 ERA and 96 strikeouts.[15]

In 2020, Canning went 2–3 with a 3.99 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 11 starts. He was tied for the AL lead among pitchers with three defensive runs saved and made just one error out of 16 chances. Canning went on to win his first Gold Glove Award that season.[16]

In 2021, Canning went 5–4 with a 5.60 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 13 starts.[17] On July 3, 2021, Canning was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake.[18] On August 10, 2021, the Angels announced that Canning would miss the rest of the season with a low back stress fracture.[19]

Canning was placed on the 60-day injured list to begin the 2022 season. In August, he was shut down after experiencing multiple setbacks in his recovery, and did not make a professional appearance on the year.[20] On January 13, 2023, Canning signed a one-year, $850,000 contract with the Angels, avoiding salary arbitration.[21]

Canning made 32 appearances (31 starts) for the Angels in 2024, compiling a 6–13 record and 5.19 ERA with 130 strikeouts across 171+23 innings pitched.

On October 31, 2024, Canning was traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Jorge Soler.[22][23] However, on November 22, the Braves non–tendered Canning, making him a free agent.[24]

Personal

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Canning grew up an Angels fan.[25]

References

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  1. ^ Morales, Antonio (June 13, 2014). "Canning is Register's pitcher of the year". Orange County Register. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  2. ^ Morales, Antonio (July 9, 2014). "The Bold Eagle". Orange County Register. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  3. ^ Sondheimer, Eric (June 6, 2014). "Baseball: Griffin Canning leads Santa Margarita to Division 1 title". LA Times. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  4. ^ Lara-Cinisomo, Vince (February 25, 2015). "Tuesday Roundup: UCLA's Canning Can Do - BaseballAmerica.com". Baseball America. Archived from the original on February 26, 2015.
  5. ^ Cahill, Teddy (March 5, 2016). "Canning Continuing Line Of Stellar Bruins Righthanders". Baseball America. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  6. ^ "Santa Margarita High grad named to Golden Spikes Award watch list". ocregister.com. February 16, 2017. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  7. ^ Thuc Nhi Nguyen (February 15, 2017). "UCLA baseball team — what you need to know". Dailynews.com. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  8. ^ Fitt, Aaron (April 19, 2017). "Golden Spikes Spotlight: Griffin Canning". USA Baseball. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  9. ^ Thuc Nhi Nguyen (June 11, 2017). "MLB Draft: UCLA's Griffin Canning primed with patience, persistence". Daily News. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  10. ^ Guardado, Maria (January 20, 2016). "Angels sign Draft pick Griffin Canning of UCLA". MLB.com. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  11. ^ Gilberto, Gerard (April 6, 2018). "66ers' Canning lights-out in pro debut". MiLB.com. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  12. ^ "Griffin Canning Stats, Highlights, Bio". MiLB.com Stats. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  13. ^ Coles, Joe (April 4, 2019). "Griffin Canning, Jaime Barria headline talented Bees pitching staff". Deseret News. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  14. ^ "Toronto Blue Jays at Los Angeles Angels Box Score, April 30, 2019". Baseball Reference. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
  15. ^ "Griffin Canning medical update". MLB.com. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  16. ^ Bollinger, Rhett (November 3, 2020). "Canning snags 1st career Gold Glove". Los Angeles Angels. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  17. ^ Fletcher, Jeff (August 10, 2021). "Angels shut down Griffin Canning with lower back stress fracture". Orange County Register. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  18. ^ Anthony Franco (July 3, 2021). "Angels Option Griffin Canning, Designate Scott Schebler". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  19. ^ Desai, Evan (August 10, 2021). "LA Angels: Struggling starting pitcher takes another hit, out for season". Halo Hangout. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  20. ^ "Angels' Griffin Canning: Won't pitch this season". CBS Sports. RotoWire. August 4, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  21. ^ Heyman, Jon [@JonHeyman] (January 13, 2023). "Griffin Canning settles at 850k" (Tweet). Retrieved September 11, 2024 – via Twitter.
  22. ^ Bowman, Mark (October 31, 2024). "Atlanta trades Soler to Angels, gets right-hander Canning in return". MLB.com. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  23. ^ Passan, Jeff (October 31, 2024). "Angels land slugger Jorge Soler from Braves for RHP Griffin Canning". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
  24. ^ "Laureano, Canning among 5 let go at non-tender deadline". mlb.com. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  25. ^ Cotillo, Chris (June 12, 2017). "MLB Draft Q&A: Angels' Griffin Canning". MLB Daily Dish. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
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