At 45, Kansas-born Kyle Farnsworth has already left a legacy behind. He is known as one of the fastest pitchers in the history of Major League Baseball and one of the most furious players.
Kyle was definitely the athletic guy in his high school days as he played baseball, basketball, and football.
During his college days, he only played baseball and quit the other two for the time being.
There, Kyle played for Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College for a short period of time.
At 23, Farnsworth made his official debut in Major League Baseball, playing for Chicago Cubs on April 29th of 1999.
Now retired, the MLB star reportedly made a 101mph pitch, just 4mph shy of the absolute fastest pitch ever recorded.
Farnsworth played most of his career functioning as a reliever, and his ace was a fastball which he hit at 96mph of speed on average.
Kyle Farnsworth | Quick Facts
Full Name | Kyle Lynn Farnsworth |
Birth Date | April 14, 1976 |
Birth Place | Wichita, Kansas, United States |
Nick Name | None |
Religion | Christian |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | White |
Education |
|
Horoscope | Aries |
Father’s Name | N/A |
Mother’s Name | N/A |
Siblings | N/A |
Age | 48 years old |
Height | 6’4″ (193cm) |
Weight | 230 lbs (104 kg) |
Hair Color | N/A |
Eye Color | N/A |
Build | Athletic |
Profession | Major League Baseball Pitcher |
Current Team | [Retired] |
Active Years | 1999 – 2014 |
Marital Status | Married to Shayla Pert since 2008 |
Kids | A son, a step-daughter, and a step-son |
Net Worth | $1 to 5 million |
Merchandise | N/A |
Jersey Number | 44 |
Merch | Autographed Trading Card |
Last Updated | January, 2025 |
Early Life and Family
Famous for his powerful pitch and equally infamous for his infuriating attitude, Kyle was born on April 14, 1976. Lynn grew up in the city of Wichita, Kansas.
Likewise, Farnsworth graduated from Milton High School in Georgia back in 1994.
After that, he enrolled at the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC), where he was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011.
Sadly, there is not much information when it comes to his parents and siblings.
Also, you might be interested about Andrew Cashner >>
Professional Career
Kyle Farnsworth’s Best Season (stat-wise)
Kyle commenced his professional MLB journey with the Chicago Cubs after they drafted him in the 47th round in 1994.
In his fifth season playing for the Chicago Cubs, the year 2003, he played 77 matches in the offense. That was the most he has played for any club in a single season, among which he finished 13 matches as a pitcher.
There, he won 3 matches and lost 2 in that year. Also, his winning percentage was .600, the best stat throughout his time playing for the Chicago Cubs.
His Earned Run Average was 3.30, one of the best in his career and the best he did for the Chicago Cubs.
Moreover, Farnsworth pitched 76.1 innings, faced 312 batters, had 53 hits, earned 28 runs, made 31 runs, and scored 6 home runs in 2003. Also, he made 36 walks and one intentional walk.
He managed to strike out 92 times but also made 6 wild pitches with 19 holds. The best Earned Run Average he managed to earn was 1.000 for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2013.
Part of the reason he achieved such an exceptional score was the low number of matches he played; Kyle played only 9 matches.
Kyle Farnsworth’s Career Stats
Farnsworth played 893 games in total in his Major League Baseball career, starting only 26 games as he was moved to the position of middle reliever in 2000.
Moreover, Lynn finished 289 games, won 44 but lost 66, which is a pretty bad record. In fact, he had a .394., an overall winning percentage.
Nevertheless, Farnsworth’s 4.26 Earned Run Average is the average score for a Major League Baseball pitcher.
In his whole career, he only played one game completely and also had one shutout.
During Kyle’s entire Major League Baseball career, he made 57 saves, pitched 989 innings, faced 4,281 batters, and made 944 hits.
He also earned 468 runs in total, made 509 runs and 132 home runs.
Furthermore, Kyle made 412 walks and 37 intentional walks. He struck out batters 963 times and made 43 wild pitches.
With 28 Hit Batsman, 10 balks, and 171 holdings, Farnsworth had a pretty average career.
Net Worth
As of 2021, the 48 years old retired pitcher boasts an estimated net worth of 1 to 5 million dollars. He is also the co-owner of “Luck of the Draw,” a Michigan and Florida-based hunting show.
Realistically speaking, he will not go down as one of the greatest pitchers of all time.
Farnsworth’s stats are not that great, but his teammates and oppositions players will always remember his wrath and his anger.
The fans and the Major League Baseball will never forget the bench-clearing brawl of the 2003 season.
As for the Chicago Cubs fans, he will be remembered as one of the best players to have played for the team.
You might also be curious to read about Mark Belanger >>
Contracts & Salary
Early Years
Throughout his 16 years in MLB, Farnsworth has played for nine different clubs, out of which New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs are the highlights of his career, which he is best known for.
Likewise, Farnsworth started his career for Chicago Cubs, where he played for 6 seasons, the longest he has played for a club.
He then played for Chicago Cubs from 1999 to 2004, where he was paid upwards of $1.4 million per season.
Likewise, in 1999, his salary was $200,000. Then, in 2005, Farnsworth was traded to the Detroit Tigers, where he was paid almost $2 million per season ($1,975,000 precisely).
The Never-ending Trade
Shortly after, Kyle was traded to the Atlanta Braves in the same year.
Then, in the year 2006, he signed the contract with the New York Yankees, where he got paid approximately $5.5 million per season.
He played for the club for three consecutive seasons from 2006 to 2008.
Farnsworth was later traded back to the Detroit Tigers in July 2008; this would be the highest paying year in his career, a whopping $5.9 million per season.
However, he played for the Tigers for only a season and signed in with Kansas City Royals, where he played for two seasons from 2009 to 2010.
In fact, Kyle was paid $4.25 million and $4.5 million for the 1st and 2nd seasons, respectively.
Royals, Tampa, and More
After the Royals, Farnsworth was traded back to the Atlanta Braves for $4.5 million per season.
After only a season, the pitcher signed in with the Tampa Bay Rays for 3 seasons, from 2011 to 2013.
Likewise, Kyle was paid $2.6 million, $3.3 million, and $1.25 million for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd season he played for them, respectively.
After his release from his contract with the Tampa Bay Rays, he joined Pittsburgh Pirates to finish the 2013 season for $1.25 million.
In the year 2014, he played for two different clubs, New York Mets and Houston Astros.
Both the club paid Farnsworth $950,000 per season, after which he ended his Major League Baseball career.
Kyle Farnsworth’s famous tackle in the pitch
Farnsworth was a composed and confident pitcher, perhaps a bit short-tempered too, as he got into plenty of trash talks and feuds throughout his career.
One of the most infamous or rather memorable incidents was against Paul Wilson, Cincinnati Reds’ pitcher.
Likewise, Farnsworth made an inside pitch against Pitcher Paul who was on the opposite side. Paul got furious in an instant and was moving towards Farnsworth briskly.
That is when Farnsworth made his move; he sprinted towards Paul and speared him into the ground.
The whole bench of both teams emptied in an instant, rushing towards the two; there was a pile of players above the two.
After Paul got out from the bottom of the pit, he was bleeding from his nose; his jersey was stained with blood.
Aftermath of Kyle vs. Paul Fiasco
After the raging pitch incident, Farnsworth later claimed that he was not the one who punched Paul in the nose. However, he also added that things happen when you are at the bottom of the pile.
The Major League Baseball committee banned him for 3 matches but was later reduced to two matches.
Then, one day while playing against Kansas City Royals, Jeremey Affeldt, Royal’s pitcher, faced the wrath of Farnsworth.
According to the story, Affeldt looked at Farnsworth in a not-so-friendly way during a commotion.
But Farnsworth being Farnsworth, charged Affeldt and ran him straight into the ground, picked him up, and suplexed him as wrestlers do in WWE.
Affeldt later claimed that he did not want to fight with Farnsworth and even said it out loud.
Another Raging Event
Another incident highlighting Farnsworth’s uncontrollable frustration could be the 2004 incident when he kicked an electric fan, resulting in him not playing for 15 days.
Unfortunately, Lynn sprained his right knee, which placed him on the 15-day disabled list. The match was against Houston Astros.
Farnsworth reportedly gave six runs in the 9th innings, which resulted in a 15-7 victory in favor of the Houston Astros.
Kyle Farnsworth & Jake Paul
While Farnsworth challenged Jake on a one-on-one fight match, we have yet to hear a response from Jake.
On November 29, 2020, he tweeted a direct one-on-one fight challenge against Jake Paul, a professional YouTuber.
The probability of Jake responding to his challenge is slim to none as he would rather fight someone more famous or some retired boxers to attract more viewers.
Kyle Farnsworth’s thoughts on his issue
When asked about what goes on in his mind when he senses things are about to get rough on the pitch, Farnsworth commented that it is just basic instinct against the hitter, just a reaction to the situation that is about to unfold.
He said, and we quote,
“I am not going to let someone come at me. I am going to defend myself. Everybody is going to be different. If someone comes at me, I am going to protect myself.”
You might also enjoy reading about Ryan Madson >>
Kyle Farnsworth | Wife and Kids
Everyone who knows about Kyle Farnsworth remembers him for his aggressive and ruthless pitching and behavior; he often got into fights, but he has a softer side as two sides of a coin.
Shayla Pert, the wife of Farnsworth, reportedly said that people always misunderstand him, and he is actually not aggressive and arrogant as people seem to think he is.
She also added that Farnsworth is actually shy and quiet.
She said in an interview that they have a yearly baking competition which Farnsworth always wins.
Likewise, Shayla claimed that he is a talented baker and makes exceptional peanut butter biscuits.
Also, Farnsworth and Pert have been together since 2000 and got married in the December of 2008.
After Retirement From Major League Baseball
After retiring from Major League Baseball, Farnsworth played in the Mexican Baseball League from 2015 to 2016.
He also played semi-pro football for Orlando Phantoms, starting from 2015.
Truth be told, his physique was made for the National Football League, not Major Baseball League.
To clarify, Lynn stood over 6’4″ tall and weighed about 240 pounds with only 6.5% body fat.
Kyle Farnsworth | Social Media
Twitter: 9.1k Followers
Instagram: 2.2k Followers
FAQs
What is Kyle Farnsworth’s jersey number?
Farnsworth wore different numbers throughout his career, but the most memorable is the number 44 jersey he wore in his early days playing for the Chicago Cubs.
He would wear the number 44 jersey for the majority of his Major Baseball League career.
What is Kyle Farnsworth’s fastest pitch?
Farnsworth’s fastest pitch ever recorded was a stunning 101 mph fastball.