Daniel Robert Schlereth (born May 9, 1986) 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 ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

. 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

Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West Division. The franchise was established ...

and

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 ...

. He currently serves as the pitching coach for the

South Florida Bulls The South Florida Bulls (also known as the USF Bulls) are the athletic teams that represent the University of South Florida. USF competes in NCAA Division I and is a member of the American Athletic Conference for all sports besides sailing, a n ...

Early years

Schlereth was born in

Anchorage, Alaska Anchorage, officially the Municipality of Anchorage, is the List of cities in Alaska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Alaska. With a population of 291,247 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it contains nearly 40 percent of ...

, before moving to

Highlands Ranch, Colorado Highlands Ranch is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Douglas County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The p ...

. He is a graduate of Highlands Ranch High School. During his high school career, he struck out a school record 19 batters in a single game while throwing a total of 6 no hitters. He also played

quarterback The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...

for the football team and broke the school rushing record in a single season and had the longest run from scrimmage in school history, 96 yards. He was named Colorado Gatorade Offensive Player of the Year his senior season.

College career

Schlereth attended

UNLV The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is a public land-grant research university in Paradise, Nevada, United States. The campus is about east of the Las Vegas Strip. It was formerly part of the University of Nevada from 1957 to 1969. ...

for one season as a member of the baseball team, but did not appear in any games due to a medical redshirt. He then transferred to the

University of Arizona The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it ...

, where he pitched for three seasons. During his time at Arizona, he was named a Collegiate Baseball All-American in 2008 and a two time All Pac-10 performer. He also pitched alongside Detroit Tigers teammate

Ryan Perry Ryan Keith Perry (born February 13, 1987) is an American retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals. Amateur career Born in Pomona, California, Perry played collegiate baseball at the Univers ...

Professional career

Arizona Diamondbacks

Schlereth was drafted by the

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 ...

in the 8th round of the

2007 Major League Baseball Draft The 2007 Major League Baseball draft, was an annual choosing of high school and college baseball players, held on June 7, 2007 and June 8, 2007. The first day session of the draft included the first 25 rounds and was scheduled to be broadcast "l ...

, but did not sign. He then was drafted by the

in the 1st round (26th overall) of the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft. He made his major league debut in a relief appearance against the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...

on May 29, 2009, throwing a perfect inning.

Detroit Tigers

On December 9, 2009, Schlereth and

Max Scherzer Maxwell Martin Scherzer (born July 27, 1984), nicknamed "Mad Max", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tige ...

were traded to the

as part of a three-team trade that brought

Ian Kennedy Ian Patrick Kennedy (born December 19, 1984) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Between 2007 and 2023, he played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Diego Padres, Kans ...

and Edwin Jackson to the Diamondbacks. Schlereth spent the first half of the 2010 season with the

Toledo Mud Hens The Toledo Mud Hens are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Toledo, Ohio, and play their home games at Fifth Third Field. A baseball team nicknamed the ...

, posting a 2.83 ERA and 45 strikeouts. He was called up by the Tigers on July 2, 2010, to replace

Fu-Te Ni Fu-Te Ni (born 14 November 1982), nicknamed " Tudigong", is a former Taiwanese professional baseball pitcher, who is currently the pitching coach for ANYO Fresh, an amateur team in Taiwan. He played in the Chinese Professional Baseball League ...

on the roster, who was sent down two days earlier. On August 15, 2011, Schlereth gave up

Jim Thome James Howard Thome (; ; born August 27, 1970) is an American former professional baseball first baseman, third baseman and designated hitter, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 22 seasons (1991–2012). A prolific power hitter, Thome ...

's 600th home run against the Twins at

Comerica Park Comerica Park is a baseball stadium located in Downtown Detroit. It has been the ballpark of Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers since 2000, when the team left Tiger Stadium (Detroit), Tiger Stadium. History Construction Founded in 1894, t ...

. On November 30, 2012, the Tigers non-tendered Schlereth's contract, making him a free agent.

Baltimore Orioles

On December 19, 2012, Schlereth was signed to minor league contract with the

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...

that included an invitation to spring training. He made 12 appearances for the Triple-A

Norfolk Tides The Norfolk Tides are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. They are located in Norfolk, Virginia, and are named in nautical reference to the city's loc ...

, recording an 0.82 ERA with 7 strikeouts across 11 innings of work.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Schlereth signed a minor league contract with the

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...

on December 18, 2013. In 21 appearances for the Triple-A

Indianapolis Indians The Indianapolis Indians are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and play their home games at Victory ...

in 2014, he struggled to a 1-2 record and 7.23 ERA with 18 strikeouts across innings pitched.

Detroit Tigers (second stint)

On June 24, 2014, the

acquired Schlereth from Pittsburgh in exchange for cash considerations, and was assigned to their Triple-A affiliate, the

. He posted a 4.50 ERA in 17 games with the Mud Hens. On January 14, 2015, the Tigers signed Schlereth to a minor league contract.

Toronto Blue Jays

On January 18, 2016, Schlereth signed a minor league contract with the

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...

. In 15 games for the Double-A

New Hampshire Fisher Cats The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are a Minor League Baseball team based in Manchester, New Hampshire. The team, which plays in the Eastern League (1938–present), Eastern League, is the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Ja ...

, he registered an 0-2 record and 4.32 ERA with 11 strikeouts across innings pitched. Schlereth was released by the Blue Jays organization on June 30.

Miami Marlins

On December 12, 2016, Schlereth signed a minor league contract with the

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...

that included an invitation to spring training. He was released on March 27, 2017. On April 9, 2017, Schlereth signed a minor league contract with the

Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League East, East Division. The ...

. He split the season between the High–A

Jupiter Hammerheads The Jupiter Hammerheads are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in the town of Jupiter in Palm Beach County, Florida, and play their home games at Roger Dean ...

, Double–A

Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in Jacksonville, Florida, and are named for shrimp caught in th ...

, and Triple–A

New Orleans Baby Cakes The New Orleans Baby Cakes (formerly the New Orleans Zephyrs) were a Minor League Baseball team in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They were located in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans, ...

. In 37 relief outings between the three affiliates, Schlereth accumulated a 2.38 ERA with 39 strikeouts and 5 saves across innings pitched. He elected free agency following the season on November 6.

Long Island Ducks

On May 6, 2018, Schlereth signed with the

Long Island Ducks The Long Island Ducks are an American professional minor league baseball team based on Long Island in Central Islip, New York. The Ducks compete in the North Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB), an independent "par ...

of the

Atlantic League of Professional Baseball The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States, and the headquarters are l ...

Seattle Mariners

On June 2, 2018, Schlereth's contract was purchased by 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 ...

organization. He made 20 appearances split between the Double–A

Arkansas Travelers The Arkansas Travelers, known informally as The Travs, are a Minor League Baseball team based in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The Travelers are the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners and play in the Texas League. Hi ...

and Triple–A

Tacoma Rainiers The Tacoma Rainiers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They are located in Tacoma, Washington, and play their home games at Cheney Stadium, ...

, accumulating a 3.60 ERA with 19 strikeouts across 15 innings of work. Schlereth elected free agency following the season on November 2.

Sugar Land Skeeters

On January 14, 2019, Schlereth signed a minor league contract with the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

. He was released by the Red Sox on March 21. On May 31, 2019, Schlereth signed with the

Sugar Land Skeeters The Sugar Land Space Cowboys are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros Major League Baseball club. They are located in Sugar Land, Texas, part of the G ...

of the

. He became a free agent following the season.

Coaching career

Joliet Slammers

On February 21, 2022, Schlereth was named manager for the

Joliet Slammers The Joliet Slammers are a professional baseball team based in Joliet, Illinois. The Slammers compete in the Frontier League (FL) as a member of the Midwest Division. The team plays their home games at the Duly Health and Care Field, and is owne ...

of the

Frontier League The Frontier League (FL; French: ''Ligue Frontière'', LF) is a professional baseball league in North America composed of 18 teams – 15 in the United States and 3 in Canada. The FL is one of the eight independent baseball leagues in North Ame ...

Western Michigan University

On August 22, 2022, it was announced that Schlereth would be joining

Western Michigan University Western Michigan University (Western Michigan, Western or WMU) is a Public university, public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. B ...

as the team's pitching coach for the 2023 season.

South Florida Bulls

On June 15, 2024, Schlereth was named pitching coach for the

Personal life

Schlereth's father,

Mark Mark may refer to: In the Bible * Mark the Evangelist (5–68), traditionally ascribed author of the Gospel of Mark * Gospel of Mark, one of the four canonical gospels and one of the three synoptic gospels Currencies * Mark (currency), a currenc ...

, was a professional football player who spent twelve seasons in the

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...

with the

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...

and

Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...

, and was a starting

guard Guard or guards may refer to: Professional occupations * Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault * Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street * Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning * Prison gu ...

on three

Super Bowl The Super Bowl is the annual History of the NFL championship, league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966 NFL season, 1966 (with the excep ...

championship teams. The elder Schlereth was born and raised in Anchorage and played college football at

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...

; he is currently an NFL analyst on

ESPN ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...

, and co-host of the morning edition of Denver's sports radio show, 104.3 The Fan. Schlereth was married on November 14, 2010 to Bree Workman, a collegiate gymnast at Arizona. They have two daughters and one son.

Repertoire

Schlereth predominantly is a two-pitch pitcher. He features a

curveball In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...

in the low 80s and a

fastball The fastball is the most common type of pitch (baseball), pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. Its distinctive feature is its high speed. "Power pitchers," such as former major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, relied on the ...

in the mid 90s.

References

External links

UNLV Rebels bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schlereth, Daniel 1986 births Living people Arizona Diamondbacks players Arizona Wildcats baseball players Arkansas Travelers players Detroit Tigers players Indianapolis Indians players Iowa Cubs players Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp players Jupiter Hammerheads players Lakeland Flying Tigers players Long Island Ducks players Major League Baseball pitchers Missoula Osprey players Mobile BayBears players New Hampshire Fisher Cats players New Orleans Baby Cakes players Norfolk Tides players Sportspeople from Highlands Ranch, Colorado Reno Aces players South Bend Silver Hawks players Baseball players from Anchorage, Alaska Sugar Land Skeeters players Tacoma Rainiers players Toledo Mud Hens players UNLV Rebels baseball players Western Michigan Broncos baseball coaches South Florida Bulls baseball coaches