Brian Schlitter

Brian Patrick Schlitter (born December 21, 1985) is an American professional baseball relief pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Career

Prior to playing professionally, he attended Maine South High School and then the College of Charleston. He was originally drafted in the 34th round of the 2005 amateur draft by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, however he refused to sign. He was next drafted in the 16th round of the 2007 amateur draft by the Philadelphia Phillies, signing.

He began his professional career in 2007, splitting the season between the Williamsport Crosscutters (one game) and Lakewood Blue Claws (16 games). That season he went a combined 0-1 with a 3.51 ERA in 17 relief appearances. In 2008, Schlitter pitched for the Clearwater Threshers in the Phillies organization, going 4-3 with a 2.22 ERA in 34 relief appearances with them. On August 7, he was traded to the Cubs for pitcher Scott Eyre. He finished the season with the Daytona Cubs, going 0-1 with a 2.16 ERA in seven relief appearances. Overall, he went 4-4 with a 2.21 ERA in 41 relief appearances, striking out 67 batters in 57 innings. Schlitter spent all of 2009 with the Tennessee Smokies, going 1-7 with a 4.38 ERA in 59 relief appearances. He began 2010 with the Iowa Cubs, with whom he went 1-1 with a 4.09 ERA in 27 relief appearances prior to his call up to the major leagues.

On June 28, 2010, he made his major league debut. He pitched 2/3 of an inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates, striking out both batters he faced.^[1]

The Cubs placed Schlitter on the 15-day DL with a right shoulder impingement on July 7, 2010. Schlitter was optioned back to Triple A on August 3, 2010 after hitting Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez on the head with a pitch.

After the 2010 season, Schlitter was claimed off waivers by the New York Yankees.^[2] He was cut from the New York Yankees on February 14, 2011, and claimed off waivers by the Philadelphia Phillies on February 15.^[3] On April 18, 2011, he was returned to the Chicago Cubs. The commissioner's office returned him to the Cubs from the Philadelphia Phillies because of a past elbow injury.^[4]

After pitching in the Cubs' minor league system in 2012 and 2013, Schlitter attended 2014 spring training as a non roster invitee. On March 29, the Cubs announced that he had made the 2014 major league opening day roster.^[5]

Schlitter earned his first career MLB win on May 3, 2014 against the St. Louis Cardinals.

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)