| Chris Hatcher | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Hatcher while still playing as catcher with theFlorida Marlins in 2010 spring training | |
| Pitcher /Catcher | |
| Born: (1985-01-12)January 12, 1985 (age 40) Kinston, North Carolina, U.S. | |
Batted: Switch Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 19, 2010, for the Florida Marlins | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 30, 2018, for the Oakland Athletics | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 12–17 |
| Earned run average | 4.55 |
| Strikeouts | 266 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
David Christopher Hatcher (born January 12, 1985) is an American former professionalbaseballpitcher. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theFlorida/Miami Marlins,Los Angeles Dodgers, andOakland Athletics.
Hatcher attendedKinston High School inKinston, North Carolina, where he playedcatcher and also pitched.[1] After graduation, he was recruited to play baseball for theUniversity of North Carolina Wilmington.[1] As a freshman, he hit .315 in 29 games while also pitching two innings.[2] As a sophomore, he hit .300 with seven homers and 39 RBI[2] and as a junior he hit .348 with seven homers and 55 RBI.[2]
TheFlorida Marlins selected Hatcher in the fifth round of the2006 Major League Baseball draft.[3] He began his professional career with the Marlins organization as acatcher. His best minor league season was 2007 with the Class AGreensboro Grasshoppers, where he played in 102 games and had a .242batting average and 15home runs.[4]
Hatcher was promoted to the Major Leagues for the first time on September 1, 2010 as a catcher.[5] He made his MLB debut as a pinch hitter on September 19, in the bottom of the ninth inning againstScott Maine of theChicago Cubs, and struck out swinging.[6] He was hitless in six at-bats in five games in 2010 for the Marlins, which included two starts at catcher.[7]
In 2011, Hatcher switched position to pitcher, at the behest of the Marlins' organization, to facilitate his return to the majors. He was the first player since the 1940s to change positions from a catcher to a pitcher[8]
Hatcher made his MLB debut as a pitcher against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on July 16, 2011 in a Marlins win.[9] On May 5, 2012, Hatcher, along withSandy Rosario, was called up by the Marlins.[10] However, only four days later, both Hatcher and Rosario were sent back to the minors.[11] On June 16, Hatcher was called up again by the Marlins.[12] The next day, he pitched in one inning against theTampa Bay Rays, his first Major League appearance of the season.[13] Hatcher was sent down to the minors on June 21, after the Marlins called upMike Dunn.[14] He only made two appearances, pitching 2.2 innings, with an ERA of 13.50, and 3 strikeouts, but gave up 4 hits, 4 runs, 3 walks, and 2 home runs.[13] He primarily spent 2013 with the Triple-ANew Orleans Zephyrs, where he had a 4-3 record and a 3.61 ERA over 60 games.[4]
Hatcher was designated for assignment by the Marlins on February 11, 2014.[15] He was outrighted to the minors and assigned to New Orleans.[16] While in the minors, he was involved in a fight withSam Dyson, a teammate with the Zephyrs, at a Miami bar during which Dyson's jaw was broken. He was later suspended 5 games by the Zephyrs for conduct detrimental to the team.[17] He returned to the Marlins on May 23[18] and pitched in a career high 52 games with a 3.38 ERA.[19]
On December 10, 2014, Hatcher was traded to theLos Angeles Dodgers, along withAndrew Heaney,Austin Barnes, andEnrique Hernández, in exchange forDan Haren,Dee Gordon,Miguel Rojas and cash.[20] He was initially seen as a key figure in improving what had been a poor Dodger bullpen the previous season.[21] WithKenley Jansen on the disabled list at the start of the season, Hatcher not only made the opening day roster but was given the first opportunity to be the team's fill-incloser and picked up his first careersave onopening day.[22] However, he struggled in subsequent outings[23] and he was moved into less stressful situations. Regardless,managerDon Mattingly said, "we're not losing faith in him"[24] despite cause for concern about the release point of his pitches.[25] He was placed on the disabled list with a strained oblique, where he remained for two months. When he rejoined the team he regained his form and Mattingly started showing more faith in him.[26] He appeared in 49 games for the Dodgers in 2015, with a 3–5 record and 3.60 ERA and four saves.[27] In four appearances in the Dodgers' loss to the Mets in theNLDS, the only postseason action of his career, Hatcher pitched 32⁄3 innings without allowing a run or a hit, and tallied five strikeouts.
On January 13, 2016, Hatcher and the Dodgers reached agreement on a one-year, $1.065 million, contract to avoid salary arbitration.[28] He pitched in 37 games for the Dodgers in 2016, with a 5–4 record and 5.53 ERA in 402⁄3 innings.[29] On July 20, he was placed on the disabled list with an oblique strain and he didn't return.[30] On December 1, 2016, he signed a one-year, $1.25 million, contract with the Dodgers to avoid arbitration.[31] He appeared in 26 games for the Dodgers with a 4.66 ERA in 2017.[32]
On August 15, 2017, Hatcher was traded to theOakland Athletics for $500,000 in international bonus money.[33] With the Athletics in 2017, he pitched in 23 games with a 3.52 ERA. In 2018, he pitched to a 4.95 ERA in 34 games.[32] Hatcher declared free agency on October 15, 2018.
· Baseball Almanac
