Dominic Leone
| Dominic Leone | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Leone with the Seattle Mariners | |||
| Arizona Diamondbacks – No. 54 | |||
| Pitcher | |||
|
Born: October 26, 1991 Norwich, Connecticut | |||
| |||
| MLB debut | |||
| April 6, 2014, for the Seattle Mariners | |||
| MLB statistics (through August 27, 2015) | |||
| Win–loss record | 8–7 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.32 | ||
| Strikeouts | 79 | ||
| Teams | |||
| |||
Dominic Joseph Leone (born October 26, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut for the Seattle Mariners in 2014. Prior to playing professionally, Leone played college baseball for the Clemson Tigers.
Amateur career
Leone attended Norwich Free Academy in Norwich, Connecticut, where he played for the school's baseball team.[1] He then enrolled at Clemson University, where he pitched for the Clemson Tigers baseball team.[2][3]
As a true freshman, the Tigers turned to Leone in a game where the Tigers faced postseason elimination; Leone won the game, which sent the Tigers to the 2010 College World Series.[3] A strained shoulder in his sophomore year led him to develop his off-speed pitches.[4] In his junior year, he had a 7–4 win–loss record and a 5.25 earned run average.[5] While strugging in his junior year, Leone taught himself to throw a cutter by watching YouTube videos of Mariano Rivera.[6]
Professional career
The Mariners selected Leone in the 16th round of the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft.[7] He signed with the Mariners, receiving a $100,000 signing bonus.[5] The Mariners assigned him to the Everett AquaSox of Class A-Short Season New York–Penn League.[8] In 2013, Leone began the season with the Clinton LumberKings of the Class A Midwest League. After pitching 6 1⁄3 scoreless innings for Clinton, the Mariners promoted Leone to the High Desert Mavericks of the Class A-Advanced California League, and served as their closer.[9]
Following the 2013 season, the Mariners assigned Leone to the Arizona Fall League.[10] On April 4, 2014, the Mariners selected Leone's contract from the Tacoma Rainiers of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, promoting him to the major leagues.[7] He pitched to a 8–2 win–loss record and a 2.17 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 67 games pitched in 2014.[11]
During spring training in 2015, Leone struggled with his command, and the Mariners assigned him to Tacoma at the beginning of the 2015 season.[12] When the Mariners placed Tom Wilhelmsen on the disabled list in early April, the Mariners promoted Leone.[11] He pitched to a 6.35 ERA in 11 1⁄3 innings for the Mariners, before they traded him with Welington Castillo, Gabby Guerrero, and Jack Reinheimer to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Mark Trumbo and Vidal Nuño.[13]
References
- ↑ "H.S. Sports: Leone tops list of local signings — News — The Bulletin — Norwich, CT". Norwichbulletin.com. November 14, 2008. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
- ↑ Sawchik, Travis (March 9, 2012). "CLEMSON: Clemson's Leone seeks inner calm | Clemson Tigers". The State. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
- 1 2 TRAVIS SAWCHIK, postandcourier.com (May 19, 2011). "Clemson has emerging ace in Leone". Thetandd.com. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
- ↑ "Dominic Leone emerging as ace for surging Clemson". GoUpstate.com. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
- 1 2 "Clemson pitcher Dominic Leone and prized commit Lucas Sims sign pro contracts". Post and Courier. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
- ↑ "Clemson pitcher Dominic Leone discovers cut fastball". Post and Courier. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
- 1 2 "Mariners call up pitching prospect Dominic Leone". USA TODAY. Associated Press. April 4, 2014. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
- ↑ "Everett host family has success helping turn AquaSox into M's". The Daily Herald. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
- ↑ "Seattle Mariners' Dominic Leone fearless for High Desert Mavericks – MiLB.com News – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
- ↑ "Peoria Javelinas halt four-game skid with late-game heroics | Mariners.com: News". Mlb.mlb.com. October 21, 2013. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
- 1 2 Hunt, Steve (May 3, 2015). "Former Tigers Dominic Leone, Brad Miller enjoying reunion in Seattle". Greenville News. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
- ↑ "Dominic Leone bounces back with two shutout innings". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ↑ Zach Buchanan, azcentral sports (June 3, 2015). "Arizona Diamondbacks ship Mark Trumbo, Vidal Nuño to Seattle in six-player deal". azcentral. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)