| Drew Rom | |
| Team: | St. Louis Cardinals |
| Number: | 38 |
| Position: | Pitcher |
| Birth Date: | 15 December 1999 |
| Birth Place: | Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| Bats: | Left |
| Throws: | Left |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | August 21 |
| Debutyear: | 2023 |
| Debutteam: | St. Louis Cardinals |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Statyear: | 2023 season |
| Stat1label: | Win–loss record |
| Stat1value: | 1–4 |
| Stat2label: | Earned run average |
| Stat2value: | 8.02 |
| Stat3label: | Strikeouts |
| Stat3value: | 32 |
| Teams: |
|
Drew Michael Rom (born December 15, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Baltimore Orioles selected him in the fourth round of the 2018 MLB draft.
Rom attended Highlands High School in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. In 2018, as a senior, he had a 9–6 win–loss record, a 2.27 earned run average (ERA), and 129 strikeouts for the baseball team and was named Kentucky's Mr. Baseball.[1] The Baltimore Orioles selected Rom in the fourth round, with the 115th overall pick, of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft.[2] He signed for $650,000, forgoing his commitment to play college baseball at the University of Michigan.[3] [4]
After signing, Rom made his professional debut with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Orioles, posting a 1.76 ERA over innings.[5] In 2019, he played with the Delmarva Shorebirds of the Single-A South Atlantic League, earning All-Star honors while appearing in 21 games (making 15 starts) and pitching to a 6–3 record, a 2.93 ERA and 122 strikeouts over innings.[6] [7] He did not play a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[8]
Rom began the 2021 season with the Aberdeen IronBirds of the High-A East and was promoted to the Bowie Baysox of the Double-A Northeast in late July.[9] [10] Over 23 games (twenty starts) between the two clubs, Rom went 11–1 with a 3.18 ERA and 120 strikeouts over innings.[11] He returned to Bowie to begin the 2022 season.[12] After five starts, he was placed on the injured list, and was activated less than a month later.[13] In mid-August, he was promoted to the Norfolk Tides of the Triple-A International League.[14] Over 26 games (25 starts) between the two teams, he posted an 8–3 record with a 4.43 ERA and 144 strikeouts over 120 innings.[15]
On November 15, 2022, the Orioles selected Rom's contract and added him to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[16] Rom was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk to begin the 2023 season.[17] In six starts for the Tides, Rom registered a 4–1 record and 2.87 ERA with 32 strikeouts in innings pitched.
On May 9, 2023, Rom was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[18] Rom did not appear in a game for the Orioles during their series against the Tampa Bay Rays, and was optioned down to Triple-A Norfolk on May 11, becoming a phantom ballplayer.[19]
On August 1, 2023, the Orioles traded Rom, César Prieto, and Zack Showalter to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for pitcher Jack Flaherty.[20] In 8 starts for the Cardinals, he struggled to a 1–4 record and 8.02 ERA with 32 strikeouts across innings.
Rom began the 2024 season on the injured list due to a biceps injury.[21] He was transferred to the 60–day injured list on April 30, 2024.[22] On May 9, it was announced that Rom had undergone arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder.[23]