Quick Facts
Biography
Nicholas Raymond Bierbrodt (born May 16, 1978) is a former American professional baseball pitcher. He spent four seasons from 2001 to 2004 in Major League Baseball with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers.
Career
He was a first round pick for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1996. He had compiled a minor league record of 28-28 from 1996-2001, when in 2001 he got the call up to the D'backs rotation. He made 5 starts for the D'backs before being traded to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for Albie Lopez and Mike DiFelice. Between Arizona and Tampa Bay, Bierbrodt finished with a record of 5-6 with a 5.55 ERA in 16 starts.
Bierbrodt was shot three times in the arm and chest in a taxi cab in Charleston, South Carolina in June 2002. Due to this, he missed the whole 2002 season recovering.
In 2003, Bierbrodt made the Opening Day roster. His return to the Majors was short lived, as in 13 games for the Devil Rays, he had a 9.14 ERA and was later claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Indians.
In 2004, he signed as a free agent with the Rangers, appearing in 4 starts for them that year. The rangers were his last team, as Bierbrodt hasn't pitched in the Majors since 2004. In 2005, Bierbrodt signed with the Somerset Patriots, a independent league team. He would remain with the Patriots for two years before signing with the Bridgeport Bluefish.
After playing for the Brother Elephants of the Chinese Professional Baseball League in 2007, he returned to the United States the next year, joining the Long Beach Armada of the independent Golden Baseball League.
In 2010, Bierbrodt signed a minor league deal with the Colorado Rockies.
In 2011, the Baltimore Orioles signed Bierbrodt to a minor league deal. He spent 2011 in the Orioles farm system before retiring.