Brendan James White (born November 18, 1998) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Early life and amateur career
White grew up in Mahopac, New York. While still a high school student, he became a certified personal trainer. White played college baseball for Siena College. In 2017, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Danbury Westerners of the New England Collegiate Baseball League and a year later, in 2018, he played with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League. As a junior with Siena, he had an earned run average (ERA) of 3.00 and set a school record with 93 strikeouts. After his junior year, the Detroit Tigers selected White in 26th round, with the 772nd overall selection, of 2019 Major League Baseball draft.
Professional career
White made his professional debut with the rookie–level Gulf Coast Tigers, recording a 3.77 ERA in 14 games (5 starts). White did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He returned to action in 2021 with the High–A West Michigan Whitecaps. In 26 games (18 starts), White registered a 3–9 record and 4.17 ERA with 107 strikeouts in innings pitched.
White spent the 2022 season with the Double–A Erie SeaWolves, making 48 appearances out of the bullpen and logging a 2.67 ERA with 73 strikeouts and 9 saves in innings of work. On November 15, 2022, the Tigers added White to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. White was optioned to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens to begin the 2023 season.
On May 3, 2023, White was promoted to the major leagues for the first time to serve as the 27th man in the Tigers' doubleheader against the New York Mets. White was returned to Toledo after the doubleheader without making an appearance in either game. On June 13, White was recalled back to the major leagues to take Garrett Hill's spot in the bullpen. White made his major league debut in the first game of the Tigers' doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves on June 14.