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D. J. Mitchell (baseball)

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D. J. Mitchell
Pitcher
Born: (1987-05-13) May 13, 1987 (age 37)
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
May 1, 2012, for the New York Yankees
Last MLB appearance
July 15, 2012, for the New York Yankees
MLB statistics
Win–loss record0–0
Earned run average3.86
Strikeouts2
Teams

William Douglas "D. J." Mitchell Jr. (born May 13, 1987) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees in 2012. Before embarking on his professional career, he played college baseball at Clemson University.

Amateur career

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Mitchell graduated from North Forsyth High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and attended Clemson University, where he played college baseball for the Clemson Tigers baseball team in the Atlantic Coast Conference.[1][2] In 2006, Mitchell's freshman year, he played as a right fielder.[3] Mitchell began to pitch in 2007, his sophomore year at Clemson.[4][2] After Clemson's 2007 season concluded, Mitchell pitched for the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL), a collegiate summer baseball league.[5][6] He led the CCBL in strikeouts, earning him recognition in Sports Illustrated's Faces in the Crowd feature.[7] By 2008, Mitchell played exclusively as a pitcher, and he was named First Team All-ACC.[2][8]

Professional career

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New York Yankees

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The New York Yankees drafted Mitchell in the 10th round, 320th overall, of the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft.[7] Making his professional debut in 2009, he had a 1.95 earned run average (ERA) in 6 games with the Charleston RiverDogs of the Class A South Atlantic League. He had a 2.87 ERA in 19 games after his promotion to the Tampa Yankees of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League.[7] After the season, Baseball Prospectus ranked Mitchell as the organization's 11th best prospect.[9]

Mitchell began the 2010 season with the Trenton Thunder of the Class AA Eastern League.[10] On August 21, 2010, Mitchell was promoted from Trenton to the Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees of the International League.[11] Before the 2011 season, Mitchell was rated the organization's 18th best prospect and 10th best pitching prospect.[12] In 2011, he had a 13–9 win–loss record with a 3.18 ERA for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. For this performance, Mitchell won the 2011 Yankees' Minor League "Pitcher of the Year" Award.[13]

Mitchell was added to the Yankees 40-man roster after the 2011 season to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[14] Competing for the long reliever role with the Yankees in spring training in 2012,[15] the Yankees chose David Phelps for the role, and Mitchell was optioned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.[16]

On April 29, 2012, Mitchell was recalled to the Yankees after Freddy García was moved to the bullpen.[17] David Phelps was placed in the rotation, Cody Eppley was optioned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and Mitchell took Phelps' role of long relief.[18] He made his major league debut on May 1, 2012, against the Baltimore Orioles, allowing two hits and striking out one in an inning of work.[19] He made three more appearances with the Yankees.[20]

Seattle Mariners

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The Yankees traded Mitchell and pitcher Danny Farquhar to the Seattle Mariners for Ichiro Suzuki on July 23, 2012.[21] Mitchell was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma after the trade and pitched to a 2.96 ERA in eight starts. On April 11, 2013, Mitchell was designated for assignment.[22] After clearing waivers, he opted for free agency.[23]

New York Mets

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Mitchell signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets on April 22, 2013.[24] He pitched to a 7.71 ERA in 81.2 innings out of the bullpen and starting rotation. Mitchell became a free agent after the season.

Bridgeport Bluefish

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Mitchell signed with Bridgeport Bluefish of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball for 2014 season.[25] He re-signed with the Bluefish for the 2015 season[26] and returned for a third season with the club in 2016.[27]

Long Island Ducks

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On August 1, 2016, Mitchell was traded to the Long Island Ducks for former major league player Sean Burroughs.[20] He became a free agent after the 2016 season.

References

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  1. ^ "D.J. Mitchell Biography". ESPN. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Former Tiger Righthander D.J. Mitchell Receives Call-Up to the New York Yankees". Clemson Tigers Official Athletics Site. April 28, 2012. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  3. ^ Kimmey, Will (June 9, 2006). "College: Super-Regionals: Super-Regional Recaps: Day One". BaseballAmerica.com. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  4. ^ "Scout.com: Mitchell Mows Down Panthers". Clemson.scout.com. February 21, 2007. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  5. ^ McGranahan, Ed (June 4, 2008). "Move to mound paying off for Mitchell". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Archived from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  6. ^ "2007 Bourne Braves". thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  7. ^ a b c Raskin, Alex (June 13, 2010). "Mitchell carries no-hitter into seventh". Milb.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  8. ^ Williams, Larry (August 12, 2008). "Clemson's Mitchell bound for Yankees". The Post and Courier. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  9. ^ "Future Shock: Yankees Top 11 Prospects". Baseball Prospectus. December 22, 2009. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  10. ^ "Your 2010 Trenton Thunder — Pitchers". Mike Ashmore's Thunder Thoughts. April 7, 2010. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  11. ^ Times, John Nalbone/For The (August 23, 2010). "Thunder receive two top Yankees pitching prospects for the stretch run". nj. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  12. ^ Bontemps, Tim (March 8, 2011). "BA's Top 31 Yankees Prospects; No. 18: D.J. Mitchell". Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  13. ^ "Yankees name RHP D.J. Mitchell and C Austin Romine winners of the 2011 Kevin Lawn "Pitcher of the Year" and "Player of the Year" awards". MLB.com. March 23, 2012. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  14. ^ DiComo, Anthony. "Yankees add five players to 40-man roster". MLB.com. Archived from the original on April 19, 2013. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
  15. ^ Jennings, Chad (April 4, 2012). "Yankees: Minor-league trio in hunt for long-relief spot on roster". LoHud.com. Archived from the original on April 7, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  16. ^ "Yanks add catcher Stewart, option Cervelli". MLB.com. April 4, 2012. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  17. ^ Hoffman, Benjamin (April 29, 2012). "Yankees Send Struggling Garcia to the Bullpen". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  18. ^ Ehalt, Matt (April 29, 2012). "Mitchell gets called up". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  19. ^ "Orioles 7-1 Yankees (May 1, 2012) Game Recap". ESPN. Archived from the original on December 26, 2023. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  20. ^ a b "Several ex-Yankees thriving close to the Bronx in the independent Atlantic League". Archived from the original on August 6, 2016. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  21. ^ "Mariners acquire two prospects from New York Yankees in exchange for outfielder Ichiro Suzuki". MLB.com. July 23, 2012. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  22. ^ "Mariners designate Mitchell for assignment, officially sign Ibanez". CBSSports.com. December 26, 2012. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  23. ^ Aderhold, Nathan (April 15, 2013). "West notes: John Ely, Sean Burroughs, D.J. Mitchell, Brandon Allen". MLB Daily Dish. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  24. ^ "Mets sign DJ Mitchell to minor league deal". New York Daily News. April 22, 2013. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  25. ^ "Mitchell, Bluefish blank Barnstormers". Connecticut Post. July 25, 2014. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  26. ^ "Former Big Leaguer Mitchell Returns to Bridgeport". OurSports Central. February 16, 2015. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  27. ^ "Atlantic League Professional Baseball: News". www.atlanticleague.com. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
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