Former Willmar Stinger Gus Varland Debuts with the Brewers
Published on March 31, 2023 under Northwoods League (Northwoods) News Release
Rochester, Minn. - Former Wiillmar Stinger Gus Varland made his Major League debut for the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, March 30, 2023. Varland is the 313th former Northwoods League player to reach the Major League level.
Varland, who played collegiately at Concordia University (St. Paul, MN), played for the Stingers in 2017. He was drafted in the 14th round of the 2018 MLB draft.
In 2017 with the Stingers Varland appeared in 13 games and was 6-1 with a 1.42 ERA. He struck out 49 batters in 50.2 innings.
Varland began his professional career in 2018 with the Beloit Snappers of the Lo-A Midwest League. In five games he was 0-0 with a 0.93 ERA. He pitched in 19.1 innings and struck out 28 while walking three. After those five appearances he was sent to the Vermont Lake Monsters of the Short-Season A New York
Penn League. He appeared in seven games with Vermont and was 0-1 with a 1.02 ERA. He struck out 22 batters in 17.2 innings. He then finished the season with one appearance with the Athletics Rookie Level team in the Arizona League.
Varland moved up for the 2019 season to the Stockton Ports of the Hi-A California League. He pitched in
five games for the Ports and was 2-1 with a 2.39 ERA. He struck out 27 batters in 26.1 innings and walked only eight.
In February of 2021, the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Varland and infielder Sheldon Neuse from the Athletics in exchange for left-handed pitcher Adam Kolarek and minor league outfielder Cody Thomas.
In 2021 Varland spent the full season with the Tulsa Drillers of the AA Central League. He pitched in 16 games and was 1-4 with a 5.71 ERA. He struck out 22 batters in 34.2 innings.
Varland spent the 2022 season back in Tulsa. In 41 games he was 4-4 with a 6.11 ERA. He struck out an amazing career-high 85 batters in 70.2 innings and had two saves.
Following the 2022 season Varland was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the Rule 5 Draft. The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball (MLB) player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other organizations would be willing to have them play in the major leagues.
After a Spring that saw him strike out 17 batters in 8.2 innings the Brewers added Varland to their Opening Day roster. In his Major League debut against the Chicago Cubs, Varland entered the game in relief and struck out former Rochester Honker Miles Mastrobuoni for his first Major League strikeout. He would go on to pitch one inning allowing two hits, a walk, and no runs.
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