Les Walrond facts for kids

Leslie Dale Walrond (born November 7, 1976) is an American former professional baseball player. He was a left-handed pitcher who played from 1998 to 2012. After his playing days, he became a scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Walrond played in 23 Major League Baseball games. He pitched mostly as a relief pitcher for the Kansas City Royals (2003), Chicago Cubs (2006), and Philadelphia Phillies (2008). He also played as a starting pitcher in Japan in 2009. Walrond was 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighed 205 pounds.

During high school, Walrond played baseball at Booker T. Washington High School (Tulsa, Oklahoma). He then graduated from Union High School in Tulsa. Later, he attended the University of Kansas.

Baseball Career Highlights

Major League Debut

Walrond made his first Major League appearance on June 8, 2003. He was pitching for the Kansas City Royals. This game was against the Colorado Rockies. He came into the game as a relief pitcher.

Playing for Different Teams

On January 11, 2006, Walrond signed with the Chicago Cubs as a free agent. He played for their Triple-A team, the Iowa Cubs, in 2007. A Triple-A team is one step below the Major Leagues.

In 2008, Walrond signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. He was called up from their Triple-A team, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, on August 1, 2008. He later returned to the minor leagues.

After the 2008 season, he signed with the Yokohama BayStars in Japan. He played there in 2009.

Later Career and Scouting

In 2011, Walrond tried out for the Mets. He pitched well but became ill and was released. He then signed with the Lancaster Barnstormers. This was an independent league baseball team.

Later in 2011, he signed a minor league deal with the Phillies. He was assigned to their Double-A team, Reading. Double-A is another level of minor league baseball. In 2012, he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays. He finished his playing career that year. He split his final season between independent league baseball and Double-A. He pitched for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

After retiring from playing, Walrond became a scout. He worked for the Boston Red Sox in 2014 and 2015. In 2016, he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers as a scout. A scout helps find new talented players for a team.