| David Welch | |
| Team: | Sydney Blue Sox |
| Number: | 45 |
| Position: | Pitcher |
| Birth Date: | 1983 6, df=y |
| Birth Place: | Sydney |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Left |
| Debutleague: | ABL |
| Debutdate: | 6 November |
| Debutyear: | 2010 |
| Debutteam: | Sydney Blue Sox |
| Statleague: | ABL |
| Statyear: | 2010–11 |
| Stat1label: | Win–loss record |
| Stat1value: | 5–0 |
| Stat2label: | Earned run average |
| Stat2value: | 1.44 |
| Stat3label: | Strikeouts |
| Stat3value: | 59 |
| Highlights: |
|
David John Welch (born 2 June 1983, in Sydney) is an Australian professional baseball pitcher in the who is a free agent.
In 2005, he was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 20th round of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft. He played for the Rookie-League Helena Brewers. He was promoted to the Class-A West Virginia Power in 2006, where he was tied for the South Atlantic League lead with one shutout. He was placed on the disabled list on 2 June with back spasms and was reinstated on 15 June.
Welch's 2007 season was spent with the Class-A Advanced Brevard County Manatees where he allowed the fewest baserunners per game by a starter in the Florida State League (FSL). He recorded the ninth-lowest ERA (ERA) with a 3.43 clip in the FSL. He allowed the second-fewest walks per nine innings and fifth-best ERA as a starter in the FSL. He went 6–7 with a 3.43 ERA in 29 games, 20 starts, and led the team in innings pitched with 120 innings. He was placed on the disabled list on 13 April with a concussion and was reinstated on 23 April.
Welch spent the 2008 season with the Double-A Huntsville Stars. He went 11–4 with a 3.90 ERA in 26 games, all starts. He had one shutout. Welch played all of the 2009 season in Huntsville. He was released by the Brewers during spring training 2010.[1]
Welch was an integral part of the Sydney rotation along with Chris Oxspring. He finished the regular season with a league best 5–0 record with a 1.44 ERA. Welch threw a no-hitter against the Adelaide Bite in game one of the preliminary final series, the first in Australian Baseball League history.[2]
David was expected to resign either in the US, Japan or Korea during 2011,[3] but on 18 July 2011 announced his retirement from professional baseball.[4]
In 2009, he was selected to play in the 2009 Baseball World Cup and posted an Australian record 13 strikeouts in only 7 innings against Chinese Taipei.[5]