Braden Bristo

The New York Yankees selected Bristo in the 23rd round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft.[1][2][3] Bristo spent his first professional season with the Pulaski Yankees in 2016, logging a 6.00 ERA across 10 appearances.

In 2017, Bristo split the year with the Single–A Charleston RiverDogs and the Low–A Staten Island Yankees. In 16 combined games, he registered a 2.64 ERA with 36 strikeouts 4 saves in 30+2⁄3 innings pitched.[4] He spent the 2018 season split between Charleston and the High–A Tampa Tarpons, accumulating a 2.14 ERA with 63 strikeouts and 7 saves in 54+2⁄3 innings across 35 appearances.[5] In 2019 Bristo appeared for Tampa and the Double–A Trenton Thunder. He made 38 total appearances between the two affiliates, recording a 2.60 ERA with 84 strikeouts across 65+2⁄3 innings of work.[6]

Bristo did not play a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[7] He spent the 2021 season with the Triple–A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, appearing in 38 contests and posting a 4.86 ERA with 61 strikeouts in 50.0 innings pitched.[8] Bristo returned to Scranton for the 2022 season, registering a 4.56 ERA with 64 strikeouts in 53+1⁄3 innings pitched across 41 games. He elected free agency following the season on November 10, 2022.[9]

On December 21, 2022, Bristo signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays organization. The Rays selected contract to the major league roster on April 13, 2023.[10] Bristo debuted later that day in a game against the Boston Red Sox, striking 4 among 3 hitless innings, gaining his first major league save.[11] On April 29, Bristo was designated for assignment following the waiver claim of Javy Guerra.[12]

On May 1, 2023, Bristo was claimed off waivers by the Detroit Tigers, and was optioned to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens.[13] On May 30, the Tigers recalled Bristo to the active roster to take over for Eduardo Rodríguez, who was placed on the injured list.[14] In 2 games for Detroit, he allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits and 3 walks in 4.0 innings of work.[15] Following a trade in which the Tigers acquired Blair Calvo from the Colorado Rockies, Bristo was designated for assignment by the team on June 18, 2023.[16] He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple–A Toledo on June 25.[17]