D. J. Mitchell (baseball) explained

D. J. Mitchell
Position:Pitcher
Birth Date:1987 5, mf=yes
Birth Place:Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.
Bats:Right
Throws:Right
Debutleague:MLB
Debutdate:May 1
Debutyear:2012
Debutteam:New York Yankees
Finalleague:MLB
Finaldate:July 15
Finalyear:2012
Finalteam:New York Yankees
Statleague:MLB
Stat1label:Win–loss record
Stat1value:0–0
Stat2label:Earned run average
Stat2value:3.86
Stat3label:Strikeouts
Stat3value:2
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

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] 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 Illustrateds Faces in the Crowd feature. By 2008, Mitchell played exclusively as a pitcher, and he was named First Team All-ACC.[7]

Professional career

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees drafted Mitchell in the 10th round, 320th overall, of the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft.[8] 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.[8] 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

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

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

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

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

Notes and References

  1. Web site: D.J. Mitchell Biography . December 26, 2023 . ESPN . en.
  2. Web site: April 28, 2012 . Former Tiger Righthander D.J. Mitchell Receives Call-Up to the New York Yankees . December 26, 2023 . Clemson Tigers Official Athletics Site . en-US.
  3. Web site: Kimmey. Will. College: Super-Regionals: Super-Regional Recaps: Day One. BaseballAmerica.com. June 9, 2006. April 22, 2013.
  4. Web site: Scout.com: Mitchell Mows Down Panthers. Clemson.scout.com. February 21, 2007. April 22, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20140222221225/http://clemson.scout.com/2/620723.html. February 22, 2014. dead.
  5. News: Move to mound paying off for Mitchell. Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. June 4, 2008. April 22, 2013. Ed. McGranahan. March 9, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160309203303/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/greenvilleonline/doc/438554012.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun%2004,%202008&author=Ed%20McGranahan&pub=The%20Greenville%20News&edition=&startpage=&desc=Move%20to%20mound%20paying%20off%20for%20Mitchell. dead.
  6. Web site: 2007 Bourne Braves . thebaseballcube.com . September 23, 2021.
  7. Web site: Williams . Larry . August 12, 2008 . Clemson's Mitchell bound for Yankees . https://web.archive.org/web/20140222005807/http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20080812/ARCHIVES/308129930 . February 22, 2014 . April 22, 2013 . The Post and Courier.
  8. Web site: Raskin . Alex . June 13, 2010 . Mitchell carries no-hitter into seventh . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304065406/http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100612&content_id=11129734&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp . March 4, 2016 . April 22, 2013 . Milb.com.
  9. Web site: December 22, 2009 . Future Shock: Yankees Top 11 Prospects . December 26, 2023 . Baseball Prospectus.
  10. Web site: April 7, 2010 . Your 2010 Trenton Thunder — Pitchers . December 26, 2023 . Mike Ashmore's Thunder Thoughts . en.
  11. Web site: Times . John Nalbone/For The . August 23, 2010 . Thunder receive two top Yankees pitching prospects for the stretch run . December 26, 2023 . nj . en.
  12. Web site: Bontemps . Tim . March 8, 2011 . BA’s Top 31 Yankees Prospects; No. 18: D.J. Mitchell . December 26, 2023 . en-US.
  13. Web site: March 23, 2012 . 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 . December 26, 2023 . MLB.com . en.
  14. Web site: DiComo . Anthony . Yankees add five players to 40-man roster . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130419023228/http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20111118&content_id=26001452&vkey=news_nyy&c_id=nyy . April 19, 2013 . November 19, 2011 . MLB.com.
  15. Web site: Jennings . Chad . April 4, 2012 . Yankees: Minor-league trio in hunt for long-relief spot on roster . https://web.archive.org/web/20120407043745/http://www.lohud.com/article/20120404/SPORTS/304040107/Yankees-Minor-league-trio-hunt-long-relief-spot-roster . April 7, 2012 . April 22, 2013 . LoHud.com.
  16. Web site: April 4, 2012 . Yanks add catcher Stewart, option Cervelli . https://web.archive.org/web/20131023170153/https://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120404&content_id=27901516&notebook_id=27913592&vkey=notebook_nyy&c_id=nyy . October 23, 2013 . April 22, 2013 . MLB.com.
  17. News: Hoffman . Benjamin . April 29, 2012 . Yankees Send Struggling Garcia to the Bullpen . en-US . The New York Times . December 26, 2023 . 0362-4331.
  18. Web site: Ehalt . Matt . April 29, 2012 . Mitchell gets called up . December 26, 2023 . ESPN.com . en.
  19. Web site: Orioles 7-1 Yankees (May 1, 2012) Game Recap . https://web.archive.org/web/20231226122249/https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap/_/gameId/320501110 . dead . December 26, 2023 . December 26, 2023 . ESPN . en.
  20. Web site: Several ex-Yankees thriving close to the Bronx in the independent Atlantic League . July 19, 2016 . August 6, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160806000529/http://web.yesnetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20160520&content_id=179031716&vkey=news_milb . dead .
  21. Web site: July 23, 2012 . Mariners acquire two prospects from New York Yankees in exchange for outfielder Ichiro Suzuki . December 26, 2023 . MLB.com . en.
  22. Web site: December 26, 2012 . Mariners designate Mitchell for assignment, officially sign Ibanez . December 26, 2023 . CBSSports.com . en.
  23. Web site: Aderhold . Nathan . April 15, 2013 . West notes: John Ely, Sean Burroughs, D.J. Mitchell, Brandon Allen . April 22, 2013 . MLB Daily Dish.
  24. News: April 22, 2013 . Mets sign DJ Mitchell to minor league deal . New York Daily News . April 22, 2013.
  25. Web site: July 25, 2014 . Mitchell, Bluefish blank Barnstormers . December 26, 2023 . Connecticut Post . en-US.
  26. Web site: February 16, 2015 . Former Big Leaguer Mitchell Returns to Bridgeport . December 26, 2023 . OurSports Central . en.
  27. Web site: Atlantic League Professional Baseball: News . December 26, 2023 . www.atlanticleague.com . en.