Bo Schultz

BO SCHULTZ, RIGHT HANDED PITCHER
Born: September 25, 1985
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 230
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Signed: NDFA, 2008 (Athletics)
How Acquired: Minor League Free Agent
College: Northwestern University
Agent: McNamara Baseball Group

WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE

Schultz went undrafted out of college, but signed with the A’s.  At the time, he threw sidearm, but in 2012 he moved his arm slot up to three-quarters and added velocity.  His velocity also has been much better out of the bullpen.  In his stints in the majors, his fastball has sat around 96 mph.  He also throws a slider or cutter, and occasionally a change.  He’s a groundball pitcher who doesn’t strike out many hitters.  He’s had some trouble with gopher balls since reaching the upper minors.  As a major leaguer, he hasn’t had a platoon split.  The Pirates signed Schultz as a minor league free agent for 2018.

2008
R:  4-3-0, 5.24 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 44.2 IP, 5.0 BB/9, 6.0 K/9

The A’s used Schultz both as a starter and a reliever in his debut.  He wasn’t especially effective.

2009
A-:  2-3-0, 2.66 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 44.0 IP, 3.9 BB/9, 9.8 K/9

Pitching in relief in short season ball, Schultz was much more successful, with a high K rate.  He was extremely tough on right-handed hitters, holding them to a .385 OPS.

2010
A:  6-1-0, 2.87 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 75.1 IP, 4.1 BB/9, 7.8 K/9

The A’s moved Schultz up to full season ball and he again got good results, although with a lower K rate.

2011
A+:  0-0-1, 14.85 ERA, 2.40 WHIP, 6.2 IP, 6.8 BB/9, 5.4 K/9
IND:  4-3-1, 4.13 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 72.0 IP, 3.0 BB/9, 6.8 K/9

Schultz opened the season in high A, but after he struggled through seven games, Oakland released him.  He caught on with Grand Prairie of the independent American Association and pitched mostly in relief there.

2012
A+:  4-2-11, 4.50 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 34.0 IP, 2.6 BB/9, 9.5 K/9
AA:  2-3-0, 2.11 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 21.1 IP, 3.0 BB/9, 5.5 K/9

In March, Schultz signed with the Diamondbacks and they sent him to the California League.  He struggled early there, but pitched extremely well starting in June and Arizona moved him up to AA in July.  He was effective there, although with a low K rate.

2013
AA:  5-4-1, 2.86 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 85.0 IP, 3.1 BB/9, 5.5 K/9
AAA:  0-2-0, 5.49 ERA, 1.83 WHIP, 19.2 IP, 3.2 BB/9, 10.5 K/9

Arizona started Schultz off in the bullpen in AA, then moved him up to AAA after a few outings.  He struggled after the promotion and went back to AA to pitch as a starter.  He was much more effective after that, although again with a low K rate.  After the season, Baseball America rated Schultz the D’backs’ 29th best prospect and Arizona added him to its 40-man roster.

2014
AAA:  10-8-0, 6.18 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, 135.1 IP, 3.1 BB/9, 5.5 K/9
MLB:  0-1-0, 7.88 ERA, 1.75 WHIP, 8.0 IP, 1.1 BB/9, 5.6 K/9

Schultz opened the season with Arizona to pitch in a game in Australia, then went to AAA to pitch as a starter.  He got into three more games in the majors in July and August.  In AAA, Schultz got hit hard and didn’t miss many bats, with opponents batting .311 against him.  After the season, Toronto claimed Schultz off waivers from Arizona.

2015
AAA:  2-1-7, 1.69 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 21.1 IP, 3.0 BB/9, 7.6 K/9
MLB:  0-1-1, 3.56 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 43.0 IP, 2.9 BB/9, 6.5 K/9

The Jays sent Schultz to AAA to open the season.  He pitched very well there, although still with a low K rate.  Toronto called him up in early June and he spent the rest of the season in the majors.  His xFIP was 4.21, so he may not have been quite as effective as his ERA suggests.

2016
A+:  0-0-0, 10.13 ERA, 2.63 WHIP, 2.2 IP, 10.1 BB/9, 10.1 K/9
AA:  0-0-0, 10.80 ERA, 2.40 WHIP, 1.2 IP, 10.8 BB/9, 16.2 K/9
AAA:  3-2-2, 3.74 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 33.2 IP, 1.9 BB/9, 5.6 K/9
MLB:  0-1-0, 5.51 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 16.1 IP, 1.7 BB/9, 5.5 K/9

Schultz missed most of first two months due to hip surgery.  Eventually, he spent much of the season shuttling back and forth between AAA and the majors.  He generally was effective; his xFIP with the Jays (3.90) was a lot better than his ERA.

2017
INJURED

Schultz had Tommy John surgery in March and missed the entire season.  Toronto outrighted him in the fall and he became a free agent.

2018
A+:  0-0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.56 WHIP, 10.2 IP, 3.4 BB/9, 8.4 K/9
AAA:  0-1-3, 2.00 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 27.0 IP, 3.3 BB/9, 7.3 K/9

Schultz was well along in his recovery in spring training and saw some exhibition action.  He started the season at Bradenton and moved up to Indianapolis after eight games.  He got good results there without dominating.  In July, though, he went on the disabled list with a forearm strain and didn’t return.

Schultz will be a free agent after the season.

CONTRACT INFORMATION
2018: Minor league contract
PLAYER INFORMATION
Signing Bonus: N/A
MiLB Debut: 2008
MLB Debut: 3/23/2014
MiLB FA Eligible: 2018
MLB FA Eligible: N/A
Rule 5 Eligible: Eligible
Added to 40-Man: 11/20/2013 (since removed)
Options Remaining: 0 (USED:  2014, 2015, 2016)
MLB Service Time: 2.085
TRANSACTIONS
June 22, 2008: Signed by the Oakland Athletics as a non-drafted free agent.
April 26, 2011:
Released by the Oakland Athletics.
March 8, 2012:
Signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks as a minor league free agent.
November 20, 2013: Contract purchased by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
October 7, 2014: Claimed off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks by the Toronto Blue Jays.
November 1, 2017: Outrighted to AAA by the Toronto Blue Jays.
November 6, 2017: Became a free agent.
January 5, 2018: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates.