Carson James Palmquist (born October 17, 2000) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2025.
Palmquist attended Riverdale High School in Fort Myers, Florida. As a senior in 2019, he did not allow an earned run and struck out 106 batters over 60+2⁄3 innings.[1] Although he was scouted by major league teams, he went unselected in the 2019 Major League Baseball draft and enrolled at the University of Miami to play college baseball.[2]
As a freshman at Miami in 2020, Palmquist went 1-0 with a 2.31 ERA and 15 strikeouts over 11+2⁄3 innings before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a redshirt freshman in 2021, Palmquist was named Miami's closer.[3] He made 25 appearances in which he went 1-1 with a 2.22 ERA, 75 strikeouts, and 14 saves over 44+2⁄3 innings.[4] His 14 saves were third best in college baseball.[5] He was named to the USA Baseball National Collegiate Team after the season.[6] For the 2022 season, Palmquist moved into the starting rotation.[7][8] Over 16 starts, he went 9-4 with a 3.54 ERA and 118 strikeouts over 84 innings. Following the season's end, he traveled to San Diego where he participated in the Draft Combine.[9]
Palmquist was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the third round with the 88th overall selection of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft.[10] He signed with the team for $775,000.[11] He made his professional debut with the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League Rockies, pitching a total of one inning for the season.[12]
To open the 2023 season, Palmquist was assigned to the Spokane Indians of the High-A Northwest League.[13] In mid-August, he was promoted to the Hartford Yard Goats of the Double-A Eastern League.[14] Over 19 starts between the two teams, he went 7-4 with a 3.90 ERA and 134 strikeouts over 92+1⁄3 innings.[15] Palmquist was assigned to Hartford to open the 2024 season.[16] In early August, he was promoted to the Albuquerque Isotopes.[17] Over 27 starts between the two teams, Palmquist pitched to a 7-8 record, a 3.98 ERA and 144 strikeouts over 117+2⁄3 innings.[18]
Palmquist began the 2025 campaign with Triple-A Albuquerque, logging a 2-2 record and 3.82 ERA with 45 strikeouts over his first seven starts. On May 16, 2025, Palmquist was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[19]
