Durham, N.C. — The American Association announced on Friday that the contract of St. Paul Saints RHP Mike Zouzalik has been purchased by the Baltimore Orioles’ organization.
An instrumental piece of the back end of the Saints bullpen and the 2015 American Association Rookie of the Year, Zouzalik posted a 4-1 record with a 2.06 ERA, the lowest of any Saints pitcher this season, and registered three saves in 39 relief appearances. In 48.0 innings pitched, he struck out 49 and opponents hit a miniscule .140 against him.
Zouzalik did not allow a run in his last five appearances and previously did not allow a run while giving up just one hit in six straight appearances from August 8-August 20 over 9.2 innings pitched. The 25-year-old logged scoreless outings in 32 of his 39 appearances in 2015 and posted perfect outings in relief, allowing neither runs nor hits, in 22 of his 39 trips to the mound.
Zouzalik was acquired by the Saints during the 2014-15 offseason in a trade with Wichita after winning a league championship with the Wingnuts in 2014. The Austin, Texas, native posted a 4-0 record with a 3.06 ERA in 47 appearances for a Wichita team that set a then-American Association record with 73 wins in a season, surpassed by both St. Paul and the Sioux City Explorers this season with their 74- and 75-win marks, respectively.
Prior to the American Association, Zouzalik spent two seasons in the Texas Rangers’ organization after playing collegiately at Texas-Pan American.
