Former San Francisco Giants first-round draft pick and Minnesota Twins starter Boof Bonser hasn’t had contact with major league teams about pitching in 2015. The journeyman pitcher is hoping for a call after spending the last four years bouncing around the minors, recovering from Tommy John surgery and even playing overseas.
I spoke with Bonser recently, and the Florida native said he’s had “no luck” and “will see” what happens next in his quest to reignite his major league career, which was derailed by Tommy John surgery in 2011 after an elbow injury in his first start of the year for the Buffalo Bisons, the Mets’ triple-A farm team. Bonser added he is “hoping” teams would be checking in soon, but didn’t seem too enthusiastic.
“I haven’t talked to one team,” said Bonser. “Hopefully we will see.”
He last pitched in the major leagues during the 2010 season with the Athletics and Red Sox. He went 1-0, with a 6.12 ERA in 15 games between the two clubs. Since his last appearance in 2010, Bonser pitched in the minor league systems of the Mets, Giants and Indians, before heading overseas to the Chinese Professional Baseball League, where he played with Taiwan’s Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions in 2013 and 2014. In August of this year, he signed with the Bridgeport Bluefish in the independent Atlantic League, where he went 2-0, with a 2.16 ERA in 12 games, none of which were starts.
Boof Bonser, 33, is most known for pitching with the Twins from 2006-2008. He started game two of the 2006 ALDS against the Athletics. He went six innings, giving up two earned runs and got a no-decision in an eventual 5-2 loss to Oakland. He has a career record of 19-25, with a 5.18 ERA in 111 major league games, 60 of which were starts. Bonser did not mention wanting to retire and is hoping to continue his career.
