Kyle Waldrop (outfielder)
Kyle Michael Waldrop (born November 26, 1991) is a former American professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds. He batted left and threw left.
Waldrop grew up in Fort Myers, Florida, and attended Riverdale High School, where he played football and baseball. The Cincinnati Reds drafted him in the 12th round of the 2010 MLB draft. He chose to sign with the Reds for a $500,000 signing bonus and four years of college paid.
He began his pro career in the minor leagues, debuting in the Arizona League in 2010. He moved up to the Billings Mustangs in 2011 and the Dayton Dragons in 2012, then reached Bakersfield Blaze in 2013. In 2013 he hit 21 home runs, second best among Reds minor leaguers, and had a 14-game hitting streak in late July–early August.
2014 was Waldrop’s breakout year. He started in Bakersfield and was promoted to Pensacola Blue Wahoos, finishing the season with strong numbers: a .338 batting average, .385 on-base percentage, .516 slugging percentage, 37 doubles, 14 home runs, 67 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases over 131 games. He was named the Reds’ Minor League Hitter of the Year and played in the Arizona Fall League, batting .300. The Reds added him to their 40-man roster on November 20, 2014.
In 2015 and 2016, Waldrop played in Double-A and Triple-A, hitting .235/.267/.338 in 2015 and .252/.300/.363 in 2016. He made his MLB debut on August 2, 2015, for the Reds. In 23 MLB at-bats across 2015–2016, he hit .217 with 1 RBI. He was designated for assignment on September 2, 2016, cleared waivers, and was outrighted to Louisville on September 4. He elected free agency on November 7, 2016.
Waldrop then signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners on December 20, 2016. In 2017 he played 122 games for the Mariners’ farm teams, the Arkansas Travelers and the Tacoma Rainiers, hitting .296 with a .363 on-base percentage, .428 slugging, 10 home runs, and 74 RBIs. He elected free agency again on November 6, 2017.
On March 19, 2018, Waldrop signed with the Lancaster Barnstormers of the Atlantic League. In seven games he hit .222 with two home runs, eight RBIs, and one stolen base. He announced his retirement from professional baseball on May 8, 2018.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 02:07 (CET).