Justin Shafer
Justin Shafer | |
---|---|
![]() Shafer at the 2012 College World Series | |
Cincinnati Reds – No. 51 | |
Pitcher | |
Born: Lake Wales, Florida | September 18, 1992|
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
MLB debut | |
August 19, 2018, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |
MLB statistics (through 2019 season) | |
Win–loss record | 2–1 |
Earned run average | 3.75 |
Strikeouts | 41 |
Teams | |
Justin Healy Shafer (born September 18, 1992) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has played in MLB for the Toronto Blue Jays.
High school and college
Shafer graduated from Lake Wales High School in his home town of Lake Wales, Florida. Undrafted out of high school, he then attended the University of Florida, where he was both a pitcher and a position player. In his freshman season, Shafer recorded a .284 batting average and 27 runs batted in (RBI), and a 4.50 earned run average (ERA) in six relief pitching appearances.[1] As a sophomore, Shafer hit .300 with five home runs and 25 RBI, and posted a 1–1 win–loss record, 5.20 ERA, and 26 strikeouts in 272⁄3 innings.[1] In his final season with the Gators, he hit .211 with one home run and 10 RBI, and went 1–0 on the mound with a 4.17 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 362⁄3 innings.[1]
In 2012 and 2013, he played collegiate summer baseball in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.[2]
Professional career
Minor leagues
Shafer was selected in the eighth round of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft by the Toronto Blue Jays.[3][4] He was assigned to the Short Season-A Vancouver Canadians for the remainder of the 2014 season, and went 1–3 with a 5.16 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 222⁄3 innings pitched.[3] Shafer was assigned to the Class-A Lansing Lugnuts to begin 2015, and was later promoted to the Advanced-A Dunedin Blue Jays. Operating as a swingman, Shafer posted an 8–9 record, 4.15 ERA, and 53 strikeouts in 951⁄3 innings.[3] During the offseason, Shafer pitched for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League (AFL). He spent the entire 2016 season with Dunedin, going 4–6 with a 5.23 ERA and 62 strikeouts in a career-high 1151⁄3 innings.[3] Shafer returned to the AFL in the offseason, appearing in seven games for the Mesa Solar Sox.[3]
Shafer was converted to a full-time reliever to begin the 2017 campaign. After five scoreless appearances with Dunedin, he was promoted to the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Shafer spent the majority of the year with New Hampshire, and earned a late-season promotion to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. In total, Shafer made 44 relief appearances in 2017 and went 5–2 with a 2.90 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 711⁄3 innings.[3] On January 24, 2018, the Blue Jays invited Shafer to spring training.[5] He split his time in 2018 between New Hampshire and Buffalo.
Toronto Blue Jays
On August 19, 2018, Shafer was called up by the Blue Jays and made his debut the same day in relief against the New York Yankees, throwing a scoreless inning with a strikeout.[6] He was outrighted off the roster on November 2, 2018 and assigned to Triple-A Buffalo to start the 2019 season. Shafer had his contract selected on May 28, 2019.[7] He was optioned back to Buffalo on June 3.[8] He ended the season with a record of 2-1 in 34 games. He struck out 39 in 39+2⁄3 innings but also walked 25 batters. Shafer was designated for assignment on November 20, 2019.
Cincinnati Reds
On November 25, 2019, Shafer was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for cash considerations.[9]
References
- ^ a b c "Justin Shafer Profile". floridagators.com. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
- ^ "Y-D Red Sox Alumni". ydredsox.pointstreaksites.com. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f "Justin Shafer Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
- ^ "UF's Justin Shafer signs with Toronto Blue Jays". floridagators.com. June 10, 2014. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
- ^ "Blue Jays announce non-roster invitees to major league camp". Sportsnet. January 24, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
- ^ "Blue Jays' Justin Shafer: Moves up to big leagues". cbssports.com. August 19, 2018. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
- ^ "Jays call up Shafer, DFA Rosscup". May 28, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
- ^ Sportsnet Staff (June 3, 2019). "Blue Jays option right-hander Justin Shafer to triple-A Buffalo". sportsnet.ca. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
- ^ Mark Sheldon (November 25, 2019). "Reds trade for RHP Shafer, claim OF Martini". MLB.com. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- 1992 births
- American expatriate baseball players in Canada
- Baseball players from Florida
- Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players
- Dunedin Blue Jays players
- Florida Gators baseball players
- Lansing Lugnuts players
- Living people
- Major League Baseball pitchers
- Mesa Solar Sox players
- New Hampshire Fisher Cats players
- People from Lake Wales, Florida
- Salt River Rafters players
- Toronto Blue Jays players
- Vancouver Canadians players
- Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox players