Brian Moran (baseball)

Brian William Moran (born September 30, 1988) is an American professional baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. Moran, a pitcher, played baseball at the University of North Carolina before turning professional. Moran was drafted from North Carolina by the Seattle Mariners in the 2009 Major League Baseball draft. He made his professional debut that season with the rookie-level Pulaski Mariners. Since then, he has played in the minor leagues with the Clinton LumberKings (2009–2010), the High Desert Mavericks (2010), and the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx (2010). In 2010, he was selected to play in the Midwest League All-Star Game as a member of the LumberKings. Moran bats and throws left-handed. He stands at 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) and weighs 185 pounds (84 kg).

Amateur career

Moran attended Iona Preparatory School in New Rochelle, New York, where he played on the school's baseball team.^[1] Moran pitched and played first base.^[1] During his junior year, Moran was named all-county honorable mention.^[1] In his junior season, he was named the team's most valuable player and was the county player of the year.^[1] During the summers at Iona Prep, Moran played baseball with the ProSwing Pride.^[1]

In 2007, Moran began attending the University of North Carolina and played on the school's baseball team as a pitcher.^[2] In his first year at North Carolina, Moran compiled a 3.37 earned run average (ERA), and seven strikeouts in 13 games, all in relief. During his second season, Moran compiled a 1–2 record with a 2.76 ERA, two saves, and 72 strikeouts in 40 games, all in relief.^[2] In 2009, Moran went 7–1 with a 2.31 ERA, four saves, and 90 strikeouts in 36 games.^[2] He was a third-team All-American selection after the season.^[2] Moran summed up his time at North Carolina by saying, "It was a dream come true – I can still not believe it that I will not be going back. It was an unbelievable three years. It was everything I could have hoped it could be. I made a lot of good friends and the coaches were awesome. It was an unbelievable experience."^[3]

Professional career

Moran was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the seventh round of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft.^[4] He said this about being drafted by Seattle: "I was actually at practice and a lot of the guys shouted down to the bullpen to let me know. Then all the sudden my phone started to get a lot of calls from people saying congratulations. It was pretty cool."^[3] He was the first left-handed pitcher taken in the 2009 draft by the Mariners.^[5][6] Dustin Ackley and Kyle Seager, Moran's teammates at North Carolina, were also drafted by the Mariners in 2009.^[7]

After being drafted by the Seattle Mariners in 2009, Moran officially signed on June 26, 2009, receiving a US$140,000 signing bonus.^[2] He was signed by scout Rob Mammau.^[3] Moran made his professional debut in their minor league organization that season with the rookie-level Pulaski Mariners.^[3] He went 1–0 with a 3.72 ERA, two saves, and 14 strikeouts in six games, all in relief with Pulaski. Moran was then promoted to the Class-A Clinton LumberKings of the Midwest League. With the LumberKings, he went 0–3 with a 2.89 ERA, and 17 strikeouts in 12 games. Between the two clubs in 2009, Moran compiled a 1–3 record with a 3.18 ERA, two saves, and 31 strikeouts in 28 ¹⁄₃ innings pitched.

Moran started the 2010 season with the Class-A Clinton LumberKings.^[8] Moran was used as a setup pitcher during his time at the Class-A level.^[9] He was a league all-star that season.^[10][11] Before the all-star break, Moran led Midwest League pitchers in bases on balls per nine innings pitched (0.93).^[11] He praised the development of his split-finger fastball as reason for his success in 2010.^[9] It was noted that he was "great friends" with his former University of North Carolina teammate and then-LumberKings teammate Kyle Seager.^[9] With the LumberKings that season, Moran went 4–1 with a 1.34 ERA, three saves, and 48 strikeouts in 22 games, all in relief. He was then promoted the Class-A Advanced level to play with the High Desert Mavericks of the California League. With High Desert, Moran went 2–0 with a 1.42 ERA, one save, and 29 strikeouts in 17 games, all in relief. Finally that season, Moran played with the Double-A West Tenn Diamond Jaxx of the Southern League, compiling a 13.50 ERA in two games. Between the three clubs, Moran went 6–1 with a 1.73 ERA, four saves, and 78 strikeouts in 67 ²⁄₃ innings pitched.

Kyle Seager, Moran's teammate with the Clinton LumberKings, has described his pitching delivery as a "shot put" release.^[9] Moran has stated that he developed his split-finger fast ball out of college, and that it has been effective in professional baseball.^[9]

He was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays on December 12, 2013 in the 2013 Rule 5 draft and then traded to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.^[12] On April 8, it was announced that Moran would undergo Tommy John surgery and would miss the entire 2014 season,^[13] meaning that Rule 5 restrictions will apply to him in 2015. The Angels returned him to the Mariners on October 30, 2014. He was selected in the Rule 5 draft in 2015 by the Cleveland Indians.

On April 7, 2016, Moran signed with the Bridgeport Bluefish of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. On August 10, 2016, the Braves signed Moran to a minor league contract. At the 2016 Winter Meetings, the Baltimore Orioles selected Moran from the Braves in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft.^[14]

On April 11, 2017, Moran signed with the Bridgeport Bluefish of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.

Personal life

Moran's brother, Colin Moran, is a professional baseball third baseman. His uncles, Rick and B. J. Surhoff, played in Major League Baseball.^[15]

References

External links

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