Noah Syndergaard, American baseball player
Noah Seth Syndergaard (born August 29, 1992), nicknamed "Thor", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). From 2015 to 2021, he played in MLB for the New York Mets.
Born in Mansfield, Texas, Syndergaard did not establish himself as a baseball player for Mansfield Legacy High School until his senior year in 2010, where his pitch velocity was bolstered by a growth spurt and weight training regimen. Despite his strong season, Syndergaard's late development meant that he was mostly overlooked by scouts and college coaches, and he received only one college baseball scholarship offer. He turned down Dallas Baptist University, however, when the Toronto Blue Jays selected him in the first round, 38th overall, of the 2010 MLB Draft. After three years in the Blue Jays' farm system, Syndergaard was traded with several other prospects to the Mets in exchange for Cy Young Award incumbent R. A. Dickey. He made back-to-back appearances in the All-Star Futures Game in 2013 and 2014, but was left off of the Mets' September call-up list.
Syndergaard made his MLB debut in May 2015, following an injury to Dillon Gee. He impressed manager Terry Collins and remained in the starting rotation for the entire season. The Mets appeared that season in the 2015 World Series, with Syndergaard pitching in the team's only series win against the Kansas City Royals. The next year, Syndergaard was named a National League (NL) All-Star, and he became one of only five Mets pitchers to strike out 200 batters in one season before the age of 25. His 2017 and 2018 seasons were limited by injuries and illness, but he managed to start in 32 games for the Mets in 2019. During spring training in 2020, Syndergaard was diagnosed with an ulnar collateral ligament injury and had to undergo Tommy John surgery. He returned for only two innings at the end of the Mets' 2021 season, after which he signed a one-year contract with the Angels.