| Cam Booser | |
| Team: | Boston Red Sox |
| Number: | 71 |
| Position: | Pitcher |
| Birth Date: | 4 May 1992 |
| Birth Place: | Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Bats: | Left |
| Throws: | Left |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | April 19 |
| Debutyear: | 2024 |
| Debutteam: | Boston Red Sox |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Statyear: | August 11, 2024 |
| Stat1label: | Win–loss record |
| Stat1value: | 2–2 |
| Stat2label: | Earned run average |
| Stat2value: | 3.00 |
| Stat3label: | Strikeouts |
| Stat3value: | 42 |
| Teams: |
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Cameron Joseph Booser (born May 4, 1992) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2024 at age 31.
Booser attended Fife High School in Fife, Washington, and played for the school's baseball team as a pitcher and first baseman. He was named his league's most valuable player in 2009.[1] Booser broke his femur during his sophomore year of high school while playing football, requiring knee surgery. He also broke a vertebra when he was a senior while lifting weights. Booser enrolled at Oregon State University to play college baseball for the Oregon State Beavers. Booser had Tommy John surgery during his freshman year of college and transferred to Central Arizona College.[2]
The Minnesota Twins signed Booser as an undrafted free agent in 2013.[3] He made his professional debut that same year with the GCL Twins of the Gulf Coast League. In 2014, Booser pitched for the Elizabethton Twins of the Rookie-level Appalachian League. In 19 relief appearances he pitched to a 1–5 win-loss record in innings pitched.[4] Booser spent the 2015 season with the Single-A Cedar Rapids Kernels. He had surgery in August 2015 to correct a labrum tear. In December 2015, his sacrum was broken when he was hit by a car.[5]
In 2017, Booser was suspended 50 games after testing positive for cannabis.[6] [7] After making three minor-league appearances in the 2017 season, Booser retired.[8] Booser returned to the Seattle area to work as a carpenter. Missing baseball, he began to give pitching lessons in 2020, and found that he could throw a fastball at .
Booser came out of retirement in 2021 to pitch in independent league baseball for the Chicago Dogs of the American Association of Professional Baseball. He pitched to a 1.93 earned run average (ERA) in innings pitched.
Booser signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks in February 2022 and pitched for the Amarillo Sod Poodles of the Double-A Texas League.[9] He was released in July. With the Sod Poodles, Booser pitched to a 1–1 record and 6.48 ERA in 19 relief appearances.
On August 8, 2022, Booser signed with the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, then was traded to the Lancaster Barnstormers the next day.[10]
In February 2023, Booser signed with the Boston Red Sox and pitched for the Worcester Red Sox of the Triple-A International League.[11] In 2024, the Red Sox invited him to spring training as a non-roster player.[12] On April 19, 2024, Booser was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[13] He made his major-league debut that evening, pitching the ninth inning of the Red Sox 8–1 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates.[14] [15] On June 24, Booser was optioned to Triple-A Worcester.[16]
On July 5, Booser was recalled to Boston after reliever Chris Martin was placed on the injured list.[17]