Aaron Ashby

Aaron Ashby
Ashby with the Milwaukee Brewers during the 2026 World Series
Milwaukee Brewers – No. 26
Pitcher
Born: (1998-05-24) May 24, 1998 (age 28)
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Left
MLB debut
June 30, 2021, for the Milwaukee Brewers
MLB statistics
(through 2026 season)
Win–loss record24–19
Earned run average3.48
Strikeouts390
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Aaron Phillip Ashby (born May 24, 1998) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Brewers chose Ashby in the fourth round of the 2018 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2021.

In 2026, Ashby was a core piece of the Brewers' first ever World Series championship, putting together one of the most exceptional runs of relief pitching in baseball history: allowing zero runs in nine appearances across 18 innings, an MLB postseason record.

Career

Ashby attended Park Hill High School in Kansas City, Missouri, graduating in 2016. He enrolled at Crowder College, a public community college, where he played college baseball. The Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB) selected Ashby in the 25th round, with the 764th overall selection, of the 2017 MLB draft. He did not sign with the Rangers and returned to Crowder.

The Milwaukee Brewers selected Ashby in the fourth round, with the 125th overall selection, of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft. He made his professional debut with the rookie-level Helena Brewers, and also played for the Single-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, posting a 2–3 record with one save and a 3.59 ERA with 66 strikeouts over 13 games. In 2019, Ashby split the season between Wisconsin and the High-A Carolina Mudcats, logging a 5–10 record and 3.50 ERA and 135 strikeouts in 24 appearances between the two affiliates.

Ashby did not play in a game in 2020, when the minor league season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He was assigned to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds to begin the 2021 season. Ashby was shifted to the bullpen in June, and recorded a 4–1 record and 4.50 ERA in 12 games for the team.

The Brewers promoted Ashby to the major leagues on June 30, 2021. Ashby made his MLB debut that day as the starting pitcher against the Chicago Cubs. In his debut, he went 2⁄3 of an inning and allowed seven runs, four earned. At the end of his rookie campaign, Ashby made 13 appearances (four starts), and logged a 3–2 record with one save and a 4.55 ERA with 39 strikeouts across 31+2⁄3 innings pitched.

On July 23, 2022, the Brewers and Ashby agreed on a five-year contract extension that keeps him under contract through the 2027 season, with club options for 2028 and 2029. He made 27 appearances (19 starts) for Milwaukee in 2022, registering a 2–10 record with one save and a 4.44 ERA with 126 strikeouts over 107+1⁄3 innings pitched in which he had 7 wild pitches (9th in the league).

On February 16, 2023, it was announced that Ashby would miss "a couple of months" with left shoulder inflammation. On April 5, manager Craig Counsell announced that Ashby required arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder and would likely miss the entire 2023 season. In 2023, pitching for the Nashville Sounds, Biloxi Shuckers, and Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, he was 0-3 with a 15.43 ERA in 7 games.

The Brewers optioned Ashby to Triple–A Nashville to begin the 2024 season, where he was 4-7 with an 8.04 ERA (the highest in the International League) in 25 games, as in 84 innings with 17 wild pitches (leading the league) as he gave up 95 hits and 73 walks (third-most in the league, with a league-leading 7.8 walks/9 innings), and struck out 92 batters, with a WHIP of 2.00 (the highest in the league). He was called back up to the Brewers in August and pitched well in a bullpen role, as he was 1-2 with a 2.86 ERA in 14 games in which he pitched 28+1⁄3 innings, striking out 33 batters.

Going into the 2025 season's spring training, Ashby was in contention for a spot in the Brewers' starting rotation. Then he suffered a strained oblique that prevented him from throwing for about two weeks.

In a breakout 2025 campaign, Ashby in 43 games had among the most innings pitched out of the Brewers bullpen (66+2⁄3) with a 2.16 ERA—accumulating 1.1 Wins Above Replacement according to Fangraphs, among the top 40 relievers in the MLB that season—as he helped his team finish with the best record in baseball.

2026 season

Ashby made 75 total appearances (including one start) for Milwaukee in 2026, compiling a 13–3 record and 3.12 ERA with 116 strikeouts and four saves across 89+1⁄3 innings pitched.

Ashby delivered one of the most dominant relief performances in MLB history during the postseason, helping the Brewers capture their first ever World Series title. Across 18 innings and nine appearances, he allowed zero runs, breaking the record previously set by Andrew Miller for the most consecutive scoreless relief innings in a single postseason. He also collected 20 strikeouts to lead the team, a WHIP of 0.444, and three saves. In three World Series appearances, Ashby allowed just one hit and no walks in 5-2/3 innings.

Personal life

Aaron is the nephew of former MLB pitcher Andy Ashby. He is married to Avery Ashby. They have a son. Ashby is a Christian.

While attending Park Hill High School, Ashby became friends with NBA champion and New York Knicks player Landry Shamet.

References

  1. ↑ "18 straight 0's: Ashby makes playoff history with record scoreless relief streak". MLB.com. Retrieved November 2, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Royals take Platte County's Mitchell in MLB Draft; Park Hill grad goes to Rangers". The Platte County Citizen. June 21, 2017. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  3. ↑ Payton, Levi (January 18, 2016). "Ashby follows uncle's footsteps to Crowder". Joplin Globe. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  4. ↑ Adler, David; Kelly, Matt; Randhawa, Manny; Thornburg, Chad (June 5, 2018). "Baseball legacies in MLB Draft". MLB.com. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 "Aaron Ashby Minor Leagues Statistics & History".
  6. ↑ Todd, Jeff (June 30, 2020). "2020 Minor League Season Canceled". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Brewers' Aaron Ashby: Receiving big-league promotion".
  8. ↑ Zencka, TC. "Brewers Designate Bobby Wahl For Assignment". mlbtraderumors.com.
  9. ↑ "Aaron Ashby Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Crew inks southpaw Ashby to 5-year deal". July 24, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Brewers' Aaron Ashby: Multi-month absence on tap". cbssports.com. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Brewers' Aaron Ashby: Headed for shoulder surgery". cbssports.com. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Brewers option Joey Wiemer, Aaron Ashby to Triple-A Nashville". brewcrewball.com. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  14. ↑ McDonald, Darragh (October 11, 2024). "Brewers Manager Discusses Rotation Options". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
  15. ↑ Rosiak, Todd (March 3, 2025). "Reds 5, Brewers 4: Milwaukee's injury-thinned pitching staff suffers another blow". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved March 5, 2025.
  16. ↑ Franco, Anthony (March 3, 2025). "Aaron Ashby Headed For Imaging On Oblique Strain". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
  17. ↑ Adams, Steve (March 7, 2025). "Aaron Ashby Shut Down For Two Weeks, Expects To Build Back Up As Starter". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Major League Leaders Relievers". Fangraphs. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  19. ↑ "Aaron Ashby 2026 pitching Stats Per Game". espn.com. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  20. ↑ "18 straight 0's: Ashby makes playoff history with record scoreless relief streak". MLB.com. Retrieved October 29, 2026.
  21. ↑ "One of the best postseason performances ever? Ashby just did it". MLB.com. Retrieved October 29, 2026.
  22. ↑ 2026 World Series, Game 5: Milwaukee Brewers at Tampa Bay Rays (Television broadcast). Fox Broadcasting Company. October 28, 2026. Retrieved October 29, 2026.
  23. ↑ Wussow, Dan (August 3, 2018). "Ashby makes strong first impression with Rattlers". The Post-Crescent. To assist him with the process of adjusting to life as a professional baseball player, Aaron says he has leaned on his uncle, Andy Ashby, a former MLB pitcher of 14 years.
  24. ↑ Rosiak, Todd; Hogg, Curt (July 23, 2022). "'I hope I outperform the contract': Aaron Ashby's extension will keep him with the Brewers through at least 2027". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved March 5, 2025.
  25. ↑ @aaronashbyy; (July 17, 2024). "Happiest of birthdays to my stunning bride ..." – via Instagram.
  26. ↑ "Aaron Ashby #26". Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  27. ↑ Mercer, Kevin. "Milwaukee Brewers reliever Aaron Ashby making history while trusting that 'Christ loves us'". Sports Spectrum. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  28. ↑ McCalvy, Adam (June 15, 2026). "Brewers' Aaron Ashby, Knicks' Landry Shamet share longtime friendship". MLB.com. Retrieved November 1, 2026.