Philadelphia Phillies pitching coach Tim collins, whose last competitive appearance came in 2020, is attempting a remarkable comeback to Major league Baseball.

A Veteran’s Resolve: Former Big Leaguer Eyes Return to the Mound

The 36-year-old left-hander will showcase his skills to scouts this week, hoping to reignite a career that spanned nearly a decade.

  • Tim Collins, a former MLB reliever, is attempting a comeback after two seasons coaching in the phillies’ minor league system.
  • He’s scheduled to throw for scouts Wednesday at Cressey Sports Performance in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
  • Collins pitched for the Kansas city Royals, Washington Nationals, and Chicago Cubs, notably contributing to the Royals’ 2014 World Series run.
  • Multiple surgeries, including two Tommy John procedures, sidelined him for extended periods before his transition to coaching.

Collins, 36, is more than just posting workout videos on Instagram these days. Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic reported Sunday that the veteran is preparing for a pro day showcase, aiming to prove he still has what it takes to compete at the highest level. He will throw for scouts Wednesday at the Cressey Sports Performance pro day in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

The left-hander spent the last two seasons honing his pitching knowledge as a coach within the Phillies institution. He joined the advanced Class-A jersey Shore BlueClaws this past season after spending 2024 with Class-A Clearwater Threshers in the same capacity.

From 2011-19, Collins was a reliable presence in MLB bullpens, making 275 relief appearances for the Kansas City Royals (2011-14), Washington Nationals (2018), and Chicago Cubs (2019). Over those seasons, he posted a 3.60 ERA with 245 strikeouts in 242.1 innings,compiling a 12-17 record.

He was a key component of the Royals’ bullpen during their memorable 2014 World Series run, making three appearances and pitching five innings in the seven-game series, allowing just two runs.

Collins’ career was interrupted by significant arm injuries. He underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2015, and a subsequent revision of the procedure kept him off the mound until late in the 2017 season. He briefly returned to the majors with the Nationals in May 2018, making 68 appearances that year across both the majors and minors.

The veteran split the 2019 and 2020 seasons with the Cubs, Minnesota Twins, cincinnati Reds, and Colorado Rockies organizations before opting out of the 2020 season after seven spring training appearances with the Rockies. Since then, he’s remained involved in baseball, offering private lessons and running youth baseball camps before joining the Phillies as a coach.

Can a pitcher return after a seven-year absence? A seven-year gap between major league appearances is unusual, but not unprecedented. Recently retired pitcher Daniel Bard successfully made a comeback, serving as an Arizona Diamondbacks coach between stints with the Boston Red Sox in 2013 and the Colorado Rockies in 2020.

Collins