Mark Melancon

Mark Melancon
Melancon with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees
Pittsburgh Pirates – No. 35
Relief pitcher
Born: (1985-03-28) March 28, 1985 Wheat Ridge, Colorado
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
MLB debut
April 26, 2009 for the New York Yankees
Career statistics (through 2013 season)
Win–loss record	13–9
Earned run average	3.24
Strikeouts	209
Saves	37
Teams
New York Yankees (2009–2010) Houston Astros (2010–2011) Boston Red Sox (2012) Pittsburgh Pirates (2013–present)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star (2013)

Mark David Melancon (/məˈlænsən/ mə-LAN-son; born March 28, 1985) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball.

Early years

Melancon was born in Wheat Ridge, Colorado and attended Golden High School, where he lettered all four years in baseball and basketball and three times in football. He helped the team capture the Colorado 4A State Championship in baseball. Melancon was named to the All-State Team twice in his career (as well as twice in football and once in basketball), and graduated as a member of the National Honors Society.

Melancon was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 30th round of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft.^[1] Melancon didn’t sign, instead following through on his commitment to the University of Arizona.

College career

As a member of the Arizona Wildcats baseball team, Melancon set a single-season freshman record by making 29 appearances, and followed that by going 2-0 with two saves in five postseason appearances. While pitching for the USA National Team over the summer, Melancon made 10 appearances and led the club with five saves.

Melancon was given Arizona’s closer’s job as a sophomore, appeared in 34 of the team’s 60 games, and set a new single-season record with 11 saves.

In 2006 he set the school’s career saves record in the second game of the year. Melancon came down with elbow pain which was ultimately diagnosed as a strained elbow ligament. He didn’t require surgery; however, he was shut down in early April and didn’t pitch the rest of the season. Melancon finished his college career with 18 saves.

Professional career

Draft

Melancon was drafted by the New York Yankees in the ninth round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft.^[2]

Minor leagues

Melancon pitched for the Yankees Single-A Staten Island Yankees in 2006. He missed the entire 2007 season after having Tommy John surgery in October 2006.^[3]

In 2008 he pitched for three of the Yankees minor league affiliates: the Single-A Tampa Yankees, Double-A Trenton Thunder and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, going 8-1 with a 2.27 ERA in 41 relief appearances, holding batters to a .202 batting average. Following the season, Baseball America rated him the organization's ninth best prospect.^[4]

New York Yankees (2009-2010)

Melancon was called up to the majors for the first time on April 25, 2009.^[5] He made his major league debut as a relief pitcher against the Boston Red Sox on April 26, pitching two scoreless innings. He was optioned back to Triple-A on May 8, and recalled on July 9.^[6] Melancon played in 13 games with an 0-1 record and a 3.86 ERA during his time in the Majors in 2009. Although he was not on the 25-man active roster for the postseason, he got his first World Series ring as the Yankees won the World Series over the Phillies.^{[citation needed]}

Melancon started the 2010 season in the minors and made 2 appearances in the Majors accumulating an ERA of 9.00 in 2 relief appearances with the Yankees.

Houston Astros (2010-2011)

Melancon was traded along with Jimmy Paredes to the Houston Astros for Lance Berkman on July 31, 2010.^[7] For the rest of 2010 with the Astros, Melancon went 2-0 with a 3.12 ERA in 20 relief appearances. Overall in 2010 combined with two teams, Melancon made 22 total appearances going 2-0 with a 4.22 ERA.

In 2011, Melancon experienced more playing time in the Majors as he appeared in 71 games with a 8-4 record, 20 saves, and a 2.78 ERA.

Boston Red Sox (2012)

On December 14, 2011, Melancon was traded to the Boston Red Sox for infielder Jed Lowrie and starter Kyle Weiland.^[8] After only his first four appearances in 2012, where his ERA was 49.50, Melancon was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket on April 18, the day after he gave up six runs, including three home runs, without recording an out against the Texas Rangers.^[9] Melancon was recalled June 10 after an injury to Rich Hill. During his time in the Majors with the Red Sox in 2012, Melancon finished the season 0-2 and a 6.20 ERA and 1 save in 41 appearances.

Pittsburgh Pirates (2013-present)

On December 26, 2012 the Red Sox traded him (along with Stolmy Pimentel, Jerry Sands and Iván DeJesús, Jr.) to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Brock Holt and Joel Hanrahan.^[10] Although he was selected to the National League All-Star team, Melancon did not pitch in the game. After Jason Grilli went on the disabled list, Melancon was named the acting closer for the Pirates. Melancon's 2013 season became stellar with a 1.39 ERA, a 3-2 record, and 16 saves. In Game 3 of the 2013 National League Division Series, Melancon got his first career postseason win but the Pirates would end losing the series to the St. Louis Cardinals after a deciding 5 games.

Personal

Melancon's wife, Mary Catherine, gave birth to their first child, Brooklyn Marie, on September 27, 2011.^[11]

References

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• Arizona Wildcats bio