Adam Christopher Pettyjohn (born June 11, 1977) is an American former professional
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
relief pitcher
In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who pitches in the game after the starting pitcher or another relief pitcher has been removed from the game due to fatigue (medical), fatigue, injury, ineffectiveness, ejection ...
. He played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
(MLB) for the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...
and
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...
. Listed at and during his playing career, he batted right-handed and threw left-handed.
Biography
Pettyjohn attended
Exeter Union High School in
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
and then
Fresno State University
California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) is a public university in Fresno, California, United States. It is part of the California State University system. The university had a fall 2020 enrollment of 25,341 students. It offers 60 ba ...
, where he was a teammate of pitcher
Jeff Weaver
Jeffrey Charles Weaver (born August 22, 1976) is an American former right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher. During his career, he pitched for the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, St. Loui ...
.
In 1998, Pettyjohn was drafted by the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...
in the second round (73rd overall). He signed for a $392,500 bonus. Pettyjohn spent less than three years in
Minor League Baseball
Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National Le ...
before reaching the major leagues, posting an
ERA
An era is a span of time.
Era or ERA may also refer to:
* Era (geology), a subdivision of geologic time
* Calendar era
Education
* Academy of European Law (German: '), an international law school
* ERA School, in Melbourne, Australia
* E ...
as low as 1.97. On July 16, 2001, he made his MLB debut at the age of 24, wearing jersey number 57. His first major-league strikeout came against
Ken Griffey Jr.Game Log
/ref>
In 2002, Pettyjohn did not play professionally because he had to undergo a colectomy
Colectomy (''wikt:colo-#Prefix, col-'' + ''wikt:-ectomy#Suffix, -ectomy'') is the surgical removal of any extent of the Large intestine#Structure, colon, the longest portion of the large bowel. Colectomy may be performed for prophylactic, curativ ...
due to ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is one of the two types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), with the other type being Crohn's disease. It is a long-term condition that results in inflammation and ulcers of the colon and rectum. The primary sympto ...
. In 2003, he played in the Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...
organization. He was released by the Tigers on March 28, 2004. He spent 2004 playing for the San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
and Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...
organizations. He spent the 2005 season and the start of the 2006 season with the Long Beach Armada
The Long Beach Armada were an independent professional baseball team based in Long Beach, California, in the United States. The Armada was a member of the North Division of the now-defunct Golden Baseball League (GBL), which was not affiliated ...
of the Golden Baseball League
The Golden Baseball League was an independent baseball league based in San Ramon, California, with teams located in the Western United States, Western Canada and northwest Mexico.
The GBL was not affiliated with Major League Baseball or the org ...
before spending time again with the Athletics as well as the Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...
organizations.
Pettyjohn signed a minor-league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...
on December 12, 2006. He started the 2007 season with the Huntsville Stars of the Southern League, Milwaukee's Double-A affiliate. As the opening day starter for the Stars on April 5, 2007, Pettyjohn gave up four hits
Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* '' H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block
* ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998
* ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014, a British compilation album s ...
, two earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run that was fully enabled by the offensive team's production in the face of competent play from the defensive team. Conversely, an unearned run is a run that would not have been scored without the aid of an erro ...
s, and a walk
Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of terrestrial locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined as an "inverted pendulum" gait in which the body vaults over ...
while striking out
''Striking Out'' is an Television in the Republic of Ireland, Irish television legal drama television series, broadcast on RTÉ, that first aired on 1 January 2017, based on ''The Good Wife'' by Robert King (writer), Robert and Michelle King. Prod ...
seven and getting a no-decision in the team's 4–3 victory over the Mississippi Braves
The Mississippi Braves, or M-Braves as they were referred to locally, were a Minor League Baseball team based in Pearl, Mississippi, a suburb of Jackson, from 2005 to 2024. They were the Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and competed in ...
. On June 1, he was promoted to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds
The Nashville Sounds are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the ci ...
. He led Triple-A that season with 15 wins and was named the best left-handed pitcher in Triple-A as well as being on the Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
All Star team.
Pettyjohn agreed to terms with the Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...
on a minor-league contract on January 4, 2008. He played for their Triple-A affiliate, the Louisville Bats
The Louisville Bats are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Louisville, Kentucky, and are named in dual reference to the bat, wi ...
, until their season finished and was a September call up for the Reds, marking the first time he had been in the majors since 2001. He began the 2009 season with Louisville, before being released in late July. He was then signed to a minor-league contract by the New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...
. He pitched for the Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen Fiel ...
through the 2010 season. Pettyjohn filed for free agency after the 2010 season.
Pettyjohn pitched for Team USA
The United States national team or Team USA may refer to any of a number of sports team representing the United States in international competitions.
Olympic teams
Additionally, these teams may compete in other international competitions such as ...
in 1997. Pettyjohn and his wife, Deanna, reside in Visalia, California
Visalia ( ) is a city in the agricultural San Joaquin Valley of California. The population was 141,384 as per the 2020 census. Visalia is the fifth-most populous city in the San Joaquin Valley, the 38th most populous in California, and 183 ...
with their two kids.
See also
* List of people diagnosed with ulcerative colitis
References
External links
Tigers Central Bio
Baseball Almanac
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pettyjohn, Adam
Major League Baseball pitchers
Detroit Tigers players
Cincinnati Reds players
Baseball players from Phoenix, Arizona
Jamestown Jammers players
West Michigan Whitecaps players
Lakeland Tigers players
Jacksonville Suns players
Toledo Mud Hens players
Erie SeaWolves players
Fresno Grizzlies players
Sacramento River Cats players
San Antonio Missions players
Huntsville Stars players
Nashville Sounds players
Louisville Bats players
Long Beach Armada players
Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players
1977 births
Living people
Fresno State Bulldogs baseball players
Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks players
People with ulcerative colitis