Andrew Brackman

For other people of the same name, see Brackman.
Andrew Brackman
Cincinnati Reds
Pitcher
Born: December 4, 1985 (1985-12-04) (age 26)
Cincinnati, Ohio
Bats: Right Throws: Right 
MLB debut
September 22, 2011 for the New York Yankees
Career statistics
(through 2011 season)
Win-loss record     0–0
Earned run average     0.00
Strikeouts     0
Teams
Medal record
Men's baseball
Competitor for  United States
World University Championship
Gold 2006 Havana National team

Andrew Warren Brackman (born December 4, 1985) is an American professional baseball pitcher.[1] He signed a four-year, $4.55 million-dollar deal with $3.35-million signing bonus as the New York Yankees' first-round choice (30th overall pick) of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft. [2] Brackman is represented by sports agent Scott Boras.[3]

Contents

High school career

Brackman attended Moeller High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. There he was one of the top high school pitchers in the country, and a two-sport standout. He had a career ERA of 1.04, the seventh best in the history of Ohio high school baseball,[4] and helped lead Moeller to a 28-3 record and the Ohio state championship as a senior. He was ranked as the No. 18 senior in America by Team One Baseball, and listed as the No. 4 prospect in Ohio for the 2004 draft by Baseball America.

He was runner-up for Mr. Basketball in Ohio by the Associated Press, shared Ohio's Division I Player of the Year honors, and was named first-team all-state, as he averaged 20.2 points and 6.5 rebounds as a senior. He led his conference in scoring and field-goal percentage (.654), and was second in free-throw percentage (.882). He was rated the No. 42 prospect nationally by Insiders.com, and No. 43 by PrepStars following his senior season.[5]

College career

Brackman attended North Carolina State University where he played two seasons as a dual-sport athlete, in basketball and baseball. During his freshman basketball season (2004–2005), he played center and forward averaging 7.4 points and 3.5 rebounds.[6]

In his freshman baseball season, he was 4-0 with a 2.09 ERA in 10 appearances as both a reliever and later, as a starting pitcher. He was starting pitcher of the first game of the 2005 ACC Baseball Tournament, striking out five batters in seven innings to earn the victory against the Miami Hurricanes. He was named a second-team preseason All-America player by Baseball America for 2006.[5]

After the Wolfpack was defeated in the 2006 NCAA tournament second round by Texas, Brackman chose not to return to the basketball team the next season, and instead focused on developing his pitching with hopes of doing well in professional baseball.

Brackman suffered a stress fracture to his hip in his sophomore year of baseball limiting him to only seven games and a disappointing 1-4 record with a 6.09 ERA.[7][8] In the summer of that year, he pitched for the Orleans Cardinals in the Cape Cod League earning a 1-0 record with a 1.09 ERA.[7] This effort led to Baseball America ranking him the league's number two prospect.

Brackman's junior year at NC State saw a return to his freshman-year numbers: in 13 games he struck out 74 batters in 78 innings with a 3.81 ERA and a record of 6-4, but due to elbow injuries, he did not pitch in either the ACC nor the NCAA tournament. [9]

Professional career

Brackman's injury record hurt his draft value, and he was not selected until the 30th pick of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft.[10] Following the draft, the Yankees signed Brackman to a guaranteed $4.5 million deal for four years including a $3.55 million signing bonus spread out over six years.[11] The club also held options over Brackman for the 2011, 2012, and 2013 seasons which would have boosted the total value of his contract over $13 million if he met his bonus requirements.[11] As specified by his contract, the Yankees placed Brackman on the 40 man roster.[2]

The Yankees recommended that he see Dr. James Andrews in Alabama to address his lingering elbow concerns. Later in August 2007, he underwent Tommy John surgery.[9] Brackman began the 2008 season on the 60-day disabled list, a procedural move to keep him on the 40-man roster. Despite this setback, the Yankees still considered him a "blue-chip prospect".[12] On February 1, 2008, Keith Law of ESPN ranked Brackman in the top 100 baseball prospects of 2008,[13][14] and both Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus list him as in the Yankees' top ten prospects for 2009.[15][16]

Brackman spent 2009 pitching for the Class A Charleston RiverDogs, where he has struggled.[17] Baseball America named him the Yankees' tenth best prospect for 2010.[18] Brackman had a strong 2010 season with the Class A Advanced Tampa Yankees and Class AA Trenton Thunder.[19]

The Yankees optioned Brackman to AAA at the beginning of the 2011 season.[20] Going into 2011, Brackman was rated the third-best prospect in the Yankees organization by Baseball America.[21] After struggling in the early part of the season, Brackman altered his mechanics, which produced improved results.[22] As a result of his turnaround, Brackman was promoted to the Yankees in September. [23] Brackman and fellow prospect Dellin Betances made their MLB debuts on September 22, 2011.[24] Brackman allowed one hit and no runs pitching an inning and a half in middle relief against the Tampa Bay Rays.[25]

Following the 2011 season, the Yankees declined his 2012 club option, making him a free agent.[26] Brackman signed a 2012 contract with the Cincinnati Reds[27]

Pitching style

Brackman consistently throws a 92-97 mile-per-hour fastball[28] that has touched 99 mph. He complements this pitch with a two-seam fastball, knuckle curve, and a changeup. His knuckle curve is thrown at 78-81 mph.[28] His height and overhand action give his pitches a desirable "downward plane".[29]

References

  1. ^ "Draft Report for Andrew Brackman". Minorleaguebaseball.com. http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/events/draft_report/y2007/index.jsp?mc=brackman. Retrieved 2010-09-21. 
  2. ^ a b "Yankees Agree to Deal With First-Rounder Andrew Brackman". CSTV.com. 2007-08-15. http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/stories/081607aaa.html. Retrieved 2008-02-27. 
  3. ^ "Andrew Brackman - Starting Pitcher". Rotoworld.com. 2007-08-27. http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_main.aspx?sport=MLB&id=4564. Retrieved 2008-02-27. 
  4. ^ "Minor League Report: Young pitchers". MLB.com. 2008-02-21. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080221&content_id=2382413&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb. Retrieved 2008-02-27. 
  5. ^ a b "Wolfpack Biographies - Andrew Brackman". Gopack.com. 2006-09-13. http://www.gopack.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9200&ATCLID=606227. Retrieved 2008-02-27. 
  6. ^ "Brackman's talent will stay on display at N.C. State". CBS.Sportsline.com. 2005-05-23. http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/8491812. Retrieved 2008-02-27. 
  7. ^ a b "Brackman, busy with baseball, hasn't decided on return". ESPN. 2006-10-05. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=2614344. Retrieved 2008-02-27. 
  8. ^ "Andrew Brackman Statistics". The Baseball Cube. http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/B/Andrew-Brackman.shtml. Retrieved 2010-09-21. 
  9. ^ a b King, George (2007-08-27). "Yanks's top pick to have surgery". New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/seven/08272007/sports/yankees/yanks__top_pick_to_have_surger.htm. Retrieved 2008-02-27. 
  10. ^ "2007 MLB.com Draft tracker". Mlb.mlb.com. http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2007/drafttracker.jsp. Retrieved 2010-09-21. 
  11. ^ a b Kepner, Tyler (2007-08-17). "Good News on the Health of the Yankees’ Top Pick". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/17/sports/baseball/17pins.html?_r=1&fta=y&oref=slogin. Retrieved 2008-02-27. 
  12. ^ Feinsand, Mark (2008-02-26). "Hank Steinbrenner: I'll look at big picture for Cashman contract talks". New York Daily News. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/02/26/2008-02-26_hank_steinbrenner_ill_look_at_big_pictur.html. Retrieved 2008-02-27. 
  13. ^ "ESPN - Top 100 prospects of 2008 - MLB". Insider.espn.go.com. 2008-02-01. http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/insider/columns/story?columnist=law_keith&id=3221365&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fmlb%2finsider%2fcolumns%2fstory%3fcolumnist%3dlaw_keith%26id%3d3221365. Retrieved 2010-09-21. 
  14. ^ River Ave. Blues | Keith Law’s Top 100 Prospects
  15. ^ Manuel, John (2008-01-07). "Prospects: Top 10 Prospects: New York Yankees". BaseballAmerica.com. http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/features/265405.html. Retrieved 2010-09-21. 
  16. ^ Goldstein, Kevin (2007-11-29). "Articles | Future Shock: Yankees Top 11 Prospects". Baseball Prospectus. http://baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=6957. Retrieved 2010-09-21. 
  17. ^ "Prospects: Prospect Hot Sheet: Prospect Hot Sheet: July 24". BaseballAmerica.com. 2009-07-24. http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/prospect-hot-sheet/2009/268591.html. Retrieved 2010-09-21. 
  18. ^ New York Yankees Top 10 Prospects, 2010, Baseball America. Published December 16, 2009. Retrieved December 23, 2009.
  19. ^ http://www.trentonian.com/articles/2010/09/20/sports/doc4c96bde8cbe50504471021.txt
  20. ^ Yankees decline options on Berkman, Wood, Johnson LoHud Yankees Blog
  21. ^ Shpigel, Ben (2011-02-21). "Girardi Impressed by Brackman's Evolution". The New York Times. http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/21/girardi-impressed-by-brackmans-evolution/. 
  22. ^ "Yankees prospect 'Brack' in business". NYPOST.com. 2011-08-20. http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/yankees/brack_in_business_AzWsQtHYEza43odLyVxmLM?CMP=OTC-rss&FEEDNAME=. Retrieved 2011-09-23. 
  23. ^ "Pena among callups filling out Yankees' roster | yankees.com: News". Mlb.mlb.com. 2011-09-06. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110906&content_id=24302778&notebook_id=24308354&vkey=notebook_nyy&c_id=nyy. Retrieved 2011-09-23. 
  24. ^ McCarron, Anthony (2011-09-23). "Yankees' Dellin Betances and Andrew Brackman debut | New York Daily News". Nydailynews.com. http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/yankees/2011/09/yankees-dellin-betances-and-andrew-brackman-debut. Retrieved 2011-09-23. 
  25. ^ Caldwell, Dave (22 September 2011). "Rays Roll Over Yankees’ Reserves". The New York Times. http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/22/yankees-set-lineup-with-eye-toward-playoffs/?scp=1&sq=dave%20caldwell%20colon%20struggles%20tampa&st=cse. Retrieved 24 September 2011. 
  26. ^ http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/article/Tuesday-s-Sports-Transactions-2246852.php
  27. ^ ."Moeller's Andrew Brackman comes home to Reds; Cincinnati Enquirer". http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20111213/SPT04/312130078. 
  28. ^ a b "Draft Report: Andrew Brackman". Baseballexchange.wordpress.com. http://baseballexchange.wordpress.com/2007/06/10/draft-report-andrew-brackman-1st-round-30th-overall/. Retrieved 2010-09-21. 
  29. ^ "The Official Site of Major League Baseball: Events: 2007 DraftTracker". Mlb.mlb.com. http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2007/drafttracker.jsp. Retrieved 2010-09-21. 

External links