Is Zelous Wheeler Living or Dead?

About Zelous Wheeler

Zelous Wheeler is a name that may not be familiar to many baseball fans, but his story is one that deserves to be told. Born on January 16, 1987, in Demopolis, Alabama, Wheeler grew up playing baseball and dreaming of one day making it to the big leagues.

After a standout career at Wallace State Community College, Wheeler was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 19th round of the 2007 MLB Draft. He spent several years in the Brewers' minor league system, steadily improving his game and catching the attention of scouts around the league.

In 2013, Wheeler signed with the Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Japanese Pacific League, where he played for two seasons and became a fan favorite. He hit .262 with 28 home runs and 94 RBIs in 2014, helping lead the Golden Eagles to a championship.

Wheeler's success in Japan caught the eye of the New York Yankees, who signed him to a minor league contract in 2015. He made his MLB debut on July 3, 2014, and hit a home run in his first at-bat, becoming just the 11th player in Yankees history to do so.

Despite his early success, Wheeler struggled to establish himself as a regular in the Yankees' lineup and was eventually released in 2016. He spent the next few years playing in the minor leagues for various teams before signing with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Japanese Pacific League in 2019.

Wheeler's journey to the big leagues has been a long and winding one, but his perseverance and dedication to the game have never wavered. He continues to play at a high level in Japan and remains hopeful that he will one day get another shot at the majors.

References:

1. "Zelous Wheeler Stats, Fantasy & News." MLB.com, www.mlb.com/player/zelous-wheeler-502239.

2. "Zelous Wheeler Minor Leagues Statistics & History." Baseball-Reference.com, www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=wheele001zel.

3. "Zelous Wheeler." The Baseball Cube, www.thebaseballcube.com/content/player/102460/.