Les Walrond facts for kids

Leslie Dale Walrond (born November 7, 1976) is an American former professional baseball player. He is now a scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Les Walrond was a left-handed pitcher. His playing career lasted from 1998 to 2012. He was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma. He played in 23 Major League Baseball (MLB) games pitched. Most of these were as a relief pitcher. He played for the Kansas City Royals in 2003. He also played for the Chicago Cubs in 2006. His last MLB team was the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008. He also played as a starting pitcher in Japan in 2009. He 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 later graduated from Union High School in Tulsa. He then went on to attend the University of Kansas.

Baseball Career

Les Walrond made his first Major League Baseball appearance on June 8, 2003. He was playing 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, the Chicago Cubs signed Walrond as a free agent. He played for their Triple-A team, the Iowa Cubs, in 2007. On May 2, 2008, he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. He was called up to the Phillies' main team on August 1, 2008. He was sent back down on August 20, 2008.

Later that year, in December 2008, he signed with the Yokohama BayStars. This team plays in Japan's Central League.

In 2011, Walrond paid for his own flight to the Mets spring training camp. He was then signed to a minor league contract. He pitched well during the main camp. However, he became ill before the camp ended. The Mets then let him go. On April 15, 2011, Les signed a deal with the Lancaster Barnstormers. This team is part of the Atlantic League.

On May 26, 2011, Walrond signed another minor league deal. He was sent to the Double-A Reading team two days later. On July 16, 2012, the Toronto Blue Jays signed Walrond to a minor league contract.

Final Seasons and Scouting

Walrond's last season as a player was in 2012. He played for both an independent league baseball team and a Double-A team. He pitched for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

After his playing career, Walrond became a professional scout. He worked for the Boston Red Sox from 2014 to 2015. In 2016, he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers as a scout.