Rick Porcello
| Rick Porcello | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Detroit Tigers – No. 48 | |
| Starting pitcher | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| debut | |
| April 9, 2009, for the Detroit Tigers | |
| Career statistics (through July 24, 2009) | |
| Win-Loss | 10-7 |
| Earned run average | 4.30 |
| Strikeouts | 56 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| |
Fredrick Alfred "Rick" Porcello III (born December 27, 1988) is a Major League Baseball rookie pitcher for the Detroit Tigers.[1] He was drafted #27 overall in the first round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft.[2] Porcello has been described as an "ace" who could be a "bona fide No. 1 starter."[3] He is currently the youngest player in the major leagues.[4]
Porcello had been projected by Sports Illustrated to be among the first few picks in the 2007 draft. His choice of agent Scott Boras to represent him may have scared away other teams and knocked him down to the 27th spot.[5]
Prep career
Porcello graduated from Seton Hall Preparatory School in West Orange, New Jersey in 2007. As part of his 8–0 record at Seton Hall Prep as a senior, he threw a perfect game on May 12, 2007 against Newark Academy. He signed a letter of intent to attend University of North Carolina which he declined in order to pursue his professional career with the Tigers organization. The Tigers signed Porcello to a $7.29 million, four-year deal with two one-year options. The total contract is worth $11.1 million, making Porcello the highest-paid high schooler ever.[6] He also received a $3.5 million signing bonus, the second largest bonus ever given out by the Tigers, surpassed only by the $3.55 million given to 2006 first round pick Andrew Miller.[citation needed]
Minor league career
Porcello played the entire 2008 season with the Lakeland Flying Tigers, Detroit's advanced class-A affiliate. He earned his first victory against the Tampa Yankees on April 3, 2008. On May 12, he was named the Florida State League Pitcher of the Week.[7] On July 19, he took part in a seven inning combined no-hitter against the St. Lucie Mets.[8] Porcello finished the season with a record of 8-6 in 125 innings pitched. His 2.66 ERA was the lowest in the FSL.[9]
Major league career
2009
On February 7, 2009, Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski stated that Porcello would be considered for the final spot in the Tigers' rotation, pending his spring training performance.[10] Porcello began drawing comparisons to Boston Red Sox ace Josh Beckett, namely from Tigers official Al Avila, who was the Florida Marlins' scouting director when the team drafted Beckett in 1999.[11] On April 1, Dombrowski confirmed that Porcello would make the 2009 opening day roster after posting a 2.63 ERA in five Grapefruit League games. Dombrowski stated:
[Porcello] is one of our best starting pitchers... He has quality stuff and throws strikes. Rick is confident and mature beyond his years. And he has a very, very nasty sinker that gets him out of trouble.[12]
On April 9, Porcello made his Major League debut against Toronto, opposite Blue Jays rookie pitcher Ricky Romero. The game marked the first time in MLB history that two first-round picks faced each other in their respective debuts.[13] Porcello pitched five innings and took the loss for Detroit. He struck out four batters and allowed four runs on eight hits.[14]
On April 19, Porcello earned his first career win in a 8-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners. He allowed one run and struck out three in seven innings with no walks. He retired the final 14 batters he faced.[15]
Porcello won all five games he started in May. He became the youngest pitcher to win five starts in a row since Dwight Gooden won seven in a row in 1985, as well as the first Tiger age 20 or younger to win five consecutive starts since at least 1954 (research beyond that year is incomplete).[16]
On June 12, Porcello made his interleague debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates, allowing one run in seven innings. He also had two RBI singles, which proved to be the difference in the Tigers' 3-1 win.[17]
On August 11th, Porcello hit Kevin Youkilis with in intentional fastball in the back. He had only hit one batter before all season, and that was Youkilis. Youkilis, then charged the mound, after being assulted by Porcello
Personal life
Porcello, a resident of Chester, New Jersey, was inducted into both the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society at Seton Hall Prep. He graduated with a four-year cumulative GPA of 3.93.[clarification needed] His older brother Zach is a pitching coach at Seton Hall University. His younger brother Jake is currently a senior pitcher at Seton Hall Prep and was drafted by the Tigers in the 48th round of the 2009 draft.[18]
Porcello is the maternal grandson of Sam Dente, who played for the Cleveland Indians in the 1954 World Series.[19]
Awards and recognition
- Selected to the 2006 AFLAC High School All-American Classic Baseball game in San Diego, California[20][21]
- Named the 2006–07 Gatorade national baseball player of the year[22]
- Selected for the 2008 Florida State League mid-season and post-season All-Star teams[7]
- Named TigsTown.com's Organizational Pitcher of the Year[23]
- Named the AL Rookie of the Month for May 2009.[24]
References
- ^ Rick Porcello, Ryan Perry make Tigers' roster; Nate Robertson to bullpen and Zach Miner in rotation
- ^ MLB.com 2007 Draft Tracker.
- ^ Reeves, Jim. "Postcards From the Ledge: Rangers may regret passing on next Verlander -- twice", Fort Worth Star-Telegram, June 10, 2007. Accessed June 25, 2007.
- ^ Year-by-Year League Leaders for Youngest Player
- ^ Remsberg, Matt. "Top 20 high school prospects: Porcello No. 1 heading into Thursday's MLB draft, Sports Illustrated, June 6, 2007 Accessed June 25, 2007.
- ^ Beck, Jason. "Tigers sign Porcello, two other picks", MLB.com, August 15, 2007. Accessed August 21, 2007.
- ^ a b Minor League Baseball: Stats: Player
- ^ "Porcello No-Hitter"
- ^ Florida State League: Stats: Stats
- ^ Is now too soon for Porcello? | tigers.com: News
- ^ Is Tigers' Porcello another Beckett? The kid is off to an even better start
- ^ "Porcello and Perry make roster spots"
- ^ Cabrera homers twice as Tigers beat Blue Jays 5-1
- ^ Tigers' Rick Porcello loses debut to Toronto
- ^ Tigers’ Porcello shuts down Seattle 8-2
- ^ Rookie Rick Porcello wins fifth consecutive start as Tigers beat Kansas City
- ^ Porcello leads Tigers past Pirates 3-1
- ^ Tigers draft Rick Porcello's brother Jake
- ^ 1954 World Series - NYG vs. CLE - Baseball-Reference.com
- ^ Rick Porcello, 2006 AFLAC All-American High School Baseball Classic. Accessed June 25, 2007.
- ^ Hofmann, Joe. "Chester's Porcello is best in U.S.", Daily Record (Morristown), June 1, 2007. Accessed June 25, 2007.
- ^ "Seton Hall Prep's Porcello wins Gatorade honor", USA Today, May 31, 2007. Accessed June 7, 2007.
- ^ "2008 Organizational Awards",TigsTown.com, October 2, 2008. Accessed January 20, 2009.
- ^ Tigers hurler Porcello selected as AL's top rookie for May
External links
- Career statistics from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Minor league statistics
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