Black is a right-handed pitcher, weighs 205 lbs, and is 6 ft 4 in. He attended Dallas Baptist University and is the highest drafted player in the university's history. In 2008, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[1] During his last season at Dallas Baptist, Black went 6–4 with a 4.16 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 88+2⁄3 innings.[2]
Black started the 2010 season with the West Virginia Power, but only pitched 4 2/3 innings, dealing with shoulder and bicep injuries. He split the 2011 season between West Virginia and the Bradenton Marauders. He spent the 2012 season with the Altoona Curve of the Double A Eastern League. In November 2012, the Pirates added Black to the 40 man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[4]
In 2013, Black pitched for the Indianapolis Indians of the Class AAAInternational League, and was named to the All-Star Game.[5][6] The Pirates promoted Black to the major leagues, and he debuted with the Pirates on July 25. Black finished the 2013 season with the Pirates with a 4.50 ERA in 3 games in 4 innings pitched with a 2.000 WHIP with 3 strikeouts while giving up 6 hits, 2 earned runs, and 2 walks.
With the Mets, Black finished the 2013 season with a 3–0 record, 3.46 ERA in 15 games in 13 innings pitched with a 1.154 WHIP with one save and 12 strikeouts while giving up 11 hits, 5 earned runs, and 4 walks.
Black started the year with the Las Vegas 51s. He was placed on the DL with the 51s on April 7 due to a pinched nerve on the right side of his neck.[11] He was later activated off the DL. On May 24, Black was called up to join the Mets as the 26th player during a doubleheader against the Arizona Diamondbacks.[12] On August 24, Black went on the DL due to a herniated disk in his neck. His spot on the roster was replaced by Daisuke Matsuzaka who was coming off the DL himself.[13] He came off the DL on September 8.[14] It was announced on September 15 that Black was shut down for about five to six days due to a shoulder strain. On September 23, Black was shut down for the rest of season.[15][16]
Black finished the season with a 2–3 record, 2.60 ERA in 41 games in 34.2 innings pitched with a 1.298 WHIP with 32 strikeouts while giving up 26 hits, 12 runs (10 of them earned), and 19 walks.
Black rehabbed the entire season in the minors with the St. Lucie Mets, Binghamton Mets and the Las Vegas 51s. On September 1, he was outrighted off the 40-man roster to the 51s.[17] On November 7, Black elected free agency.[18] In the minors with the three affiliates, he compiled a 1–6 record, 5.94 ERA in 41 games in 36.1 innings pitched with a 1.95 WHIP with 34 strikeouts and 3 saves while giving up 41 hits, 25 runs (24 of them earned), and 30 walks.
On May 5, 2017, the San Francisco Giants signed Black to a minor league contract.[20] He spent the remainder of the season split between the Low–A Salem-Keizer Volcanoes and Double–A Richmond Flying Squirrels. In 25 total games, he accumulated a 5.25 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 36.0 innings of work. He elected free agency following the season on November 6.[21]
