Tanner Scheppers

Tanner Ross Scheppers (born January 17, 1987) is a professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers.^[1] Prior to playing professionally, he played college baseball at Fresno State.

Professional career

Scheppers played shortstop at Dana Hills High School. When his high school team experienced a shortage of pitchers, Scheppers was pressed into action as a pitcher.^[2] The Baltimore Orioles drafted Scheppers in the 29th round of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft, but he opted to attend Fresno State instead.

Due to an injured rotator cuff and labrum in his shoulder, Scheppers fell in the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft to the second round (48th overall), where he was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates.^[3] Due to health concerns, the Pirates offered Scheppers less money than he was hoping for, and he opted not to sign.^[3]

Scheppers signed with the St. Paul Saints of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball for the 2009 season.

Texas Rangers

Scheppers was chosen in the Supplementary round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft 44th overall by the Texas Rangers. Teams passed on him again due to injury concerns, as some believed he had a partially torn labrum, which would require surgery.^[4]

Scheppers also was the pitching coach for Trabuco Hills High School JV baseball team for the 2009 season.^[5]

On September 17, 2009, he was signed by the Texas Rangers to a Minor League deal.^[1] Following his signing with the Rangers, Jamey Newberg wrote the following:

The most prominent national sources – Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus’s Kevin Goldstein, ESPN’s Keith Law, and John Sickels – all had Scheppers ranked not only as one of the top nine prospects going into the draft, but also ahead of [Rangers 1st round pick Matt] Purke. His fastball was considered only second to Stephen Strasburg’s, his power curve a true out pitch – a combination giving rise to the Justin Verlander comps.

There will be a lot more than just one team regretting the decision to pass on Tanner Scheppers in the 2009 draft. The 22-year-old hasn’t yet thrown a professional pitch that counts, so to start up the Verlander comparisons would be hasty.

Overly ambitious. Irresponsible. Guilty.^[6]

Scheppers was selected to represent the United States in the All-Star Futures Game in 2010.

On June 7, 2012, Scheppers was called up to the majors when Derek Holland was placed on the 15-day disabled list. On the same day, he made his Major League debut for the Texas Rangers in relief of Yu Darvish, and gave up a solo home run and struck out 2 in 1 2/3 innings in a 7-1 loss to the Oakland Athletics.^[7] Scheppers picked up his first win on August 16, 2012 when the Rangers defeated the New York Yankees.

2014 Season

Scheppers was the Opening Day starter in the home start against Cliff Lee and the Phillies.

References

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball-Reference, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• Fresno State Player Bio: Tanner Scheppers
• St. Paul Saints Bio
• Official player page