| Robert Gasser | |
| Team: | Milwaukee Brewers |
| Number: | 54 |
| Position: | Pitcher |
| Birth Date: | 31 May 1999 |
| Birth Place: | El Dorado Hills, California, U.S. |
| Bats: | Left |
| Throws: | Left |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | May 10 |
| Debutyear: | 2024 |
| Debutteam: | Milwaukee Brewers |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Statyear: | June 1, 2024 |
| Stat1label: | Win–loss record |
| Stat1value: | 2–0 |
| Stat2label: | Earned run average |
| Stat2value: | 2.57 |
| Stat3label: | Strikeouts |
| Stat3value: | 16 |
| Teams: |
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Robert Riordan Gasser (born May 31, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2024.
Gasser grew up in El Dorado Hills, California, and attended Oak Ridge High School.[1] Gasser enrolled at the University of New Mexico and began his college baseball career with the New Mexico Lobos. As a freshman, he had a 7.05 ERA over 52 innings pitched.[2] Gasser transferred to San Joaquin Delta College after his freshman year. In his only season with the Mustangs, he went 14-0 with a 2.38 ERA and 139 strikeouts in 102 innings pitched over 18 appearances with 17 starts.[3] Gasser transferred to the University of Houston to play for the Houston Cougars for his remaining collegiate eligibility. In 2021, Gasser went 6-6 with a 2.63 ERA and 105 strikeouts in innings pitched and was named first team All-American Athletic Conference.[4]
The San Diego Padres selected Gasser with the 71st overall pick in the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.[5] He was assigned to the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League Padres to start his professional career, where he made one appearance before being promoted to the Lake Elsinore Storm of Low-A West.[6]
On August 1, 2022, the Padres traded Gasser, Dinelson Lamet, Taylor Rogers, and Esteury Ruiz to the Milwaukee Brewers for Josh Hader.[7] The Brewers assigned him to the Biloxi Shuckers of the Double-A Southern League.[8] In 2023, playing for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds, Gasser won the International League Pitcher of the Year Award after leading the league with 166 strikeouts and posting a second-best 2.85 ERA.[9]
Gasser began the 2024 season back with Triple–A Nashville, compiling a 5.25 ERA with 17 strikeouts across three starts. On May 10, 2024, Gasser was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[10] He made his first MLB start the same day and didn't give up a run across six innings, allowing just two hits, no walks, and striking out four. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel called the performance "a Brewers major-league debut for the ages."[11] He continued to have one of the best beginnings to a pitching career in franchise history, becoming the third Brewer since 1984 (along with Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta) to record an ERA below 2.00 in his first four career starts.[12] On June 20, it was announced that Gasser would require season–ending surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow.[13]
Actor Vin Diesel is a close friend of Gasser's father Jim, and often attended Gasser's high school games.[14]