Todd Van Poppel

Todd Matthew Van Poppel (born December 9, 1971) is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Oakland Athletics (1991, 1993–1996), Detroit Tigers (1996), Texas Rangers (1998, 2002–2003), Pittsburgh Pirates (1998), Chicago Cubs (2000–2001), and Cincinnati Reds (2003–2004).

Van Poppel was 11–3 with a 0.97 earned run average (ERA) and 170 strikeouts as a senior at Martin High School in Arlington, Texas.

However, when Van Poppel explicitly told the Braves he would not sign with them, the team opted instead to take future Hall of Fame player Chipper Jones.

After unremarkable stops in Detroit, Texas and Pittsburgh, Van Poppel did have two successful years (2000 and 2001) as a middle reliever with the Cubs, before his effectiveness declined.

Shortly after his retirement from baseball in 2005, Van Poppel announced he was investing in the Denton Outlaws, a Texas Collegiate League team.