Samuel Louis Nathan Delaplane (born March 27, 1995) is an American former

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Modern professiona ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("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, who attempts to e ...

. He played college baseball for

Eastern Michigan University Eastern Michigan University (EMU, Eastern Michigan or simply Eastern), is a public research university in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School, the school was the fourth normal school established in the United St ...

. Delaplane was drafted by the

Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion team ...

in the 23rd round of the

2017 MLB draft The 2017 Major League Baseball (MLB) First-Year Player Draft began on June 12, 2017. The draft assigned amateur baseball players to MLB teams. The first 36 picks, including the first round and compensatory picks, were broadcast on MLB Network on ...

. Despite spending time on the

40-man roster A Major League Baseball roster is a list of players who are allowed, by league agreement, to play for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Each MLB team maintains two rosters: an active roster of players eligible to participate in an MLB game, and ...

s of the Mariners and

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Y ...

, he never played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL) ...

(MLB).

Early life

Delaplane is the son of Fred and Sue Delaplane, and has a brother, Brad. He attended

Leigh High School Leigh High School is a secondary school located in the West San Jose region of San Jose, California, United States. Opening in September 1962, it was the fifth school established in the Campbell Union High School District. The school has twic ...

('13) in

San Jose, California San Jose, officially San José (; ; ), is a major city in the U.S. state of California that is the cultural, financial, and political center of Silicon Valley and largest city in Northern California by both population and area. With a 2020 popul ...

, which is where he was born. Playing baseball as a pitcher and catcher, he was All-League First Team and ''San Jose Mercury'' Honorable Mention in his senior season, as he was 6–2 with a 1.66 ERA on the mound and batted .342.

College

Undrafted out of high school, Delaplane attended

, earning a degree in marketing. He spent four seasons (2014–17) playing

college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...

for the

Eastern Michigan Eagles The Eastern Michigan Eagles, formerly known as the Normalites and the Hurons, are the athletic teams for Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan, United States. The Eagles compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA ...

, and was first-team All-

Mid-American Conference The Mid-American Conference (MAC) is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I collegiate athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twe ...

in his senior year. During the summer of 2016, he played for the

Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox The Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox, or Y-D Red Sox, are a collegiate summer baseball team based in South Yarmouth, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) and plays in the league's East Division. The Red Sox play thei ...

of the

Cape Cod League The Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL or Cape League) is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league located on Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. One of the nation's premier collegiate summer leagues, the league boasts over one thous ...

. He was named 2017 first team All-American (D-I) by the ''

Jewish Sports Review ''Jewish Sports Review (JSR)'' is a bi-monthly magazine that was established in 1997. Its editors are Ephraim Moxson and Shel Wallman. The magazine identifies which star and professional athletes are Jewish. It also covers and has all-time lists ...

''. Delaplane was drafted by the

in the 23rd round of the

Professional career

Seattle Mariners

Delaplane split his debut season of 2017 between the

AZL Mariners The Arizona Complex League Mariners are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, competing in the Arizona Complex League of Minor League Baseball. The team plays its home games at Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Arizona. The team is co ...

of the Rookie-level

Arizona League The Arizona Complex League (ACL) is a rookie-level Minor League Baseball league that operates in and around Phoenix, Arizona, since 1988. Prior to 2021, it was known as the Arizona League (AZL). Along with the Florida Complex League (FCL), it ...

and the

Tacoma Rainiers The Tacoma Rainiers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They are located in Tacoma, Washington, and play their home games at Cheney Stadium, which opened in 1960 ...

of the Triple-A

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 level, which is one grade below Major League Bas ...

, combining to go 2–1 with a 3.00 ERA and 50 strikeouts over 33 innings (13.6 strikeouts per 9 innings). He spent the 2018 season with the

Clinton LumberKings The Clinton LumberKings are a collegiate summer baseball team of the Prospect League. They are located in Clinton, Iowa, and play their home games at NelsonCorp Field. From 1956 to 2020, they were members of Minor League Baseball's Midwest Leag ...

of the Single–A

Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganiza ...

, going 4–2 with 10 saves (3rd in the league) and a 1.96 ERA, and 100 strikeouts over innings (15.1 strikeouts per 9 innings; he struck out 38% of batters faced). In 2019, he split the season between the

Modesto Nuts The Modesto Nuts are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They are located in Modesto, California, and are named for the several types of nuts grown in the region. They play th ...

of the High–A California League and the

Arkansas Travelers The Arkansas Travelers, also known informally as The Travs, are a Minor League Baseball team based in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The Travelers are affiliated with the Seattle Mariners as members of the Texas League. History The team succeed ...

of the Double-A

Texas League The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...

, going a combined 6–3 with 7 saves and a 2.23 ERA, and 120 strikeouts (leading all minor league relievers) over innings (15.7 strikeouts per 9 innings; second-best in minor league baseball for pitchers who pitched 50 innings) in 46 relief appearances. Delaplane had the highest K-BB% (37.0%) and pure strikeout rate (45.8%) in minor league baseball, and his curveball/slider had the second-highest swing-and-miss rate of all slider in baseball. He was named a mid-season California League All Star. In September 2019

Jim Callis Jim Callis (born October 15, 1967) is a baseball writer who currently covers the MLB Draft and prospects for MLB Pipeline and MLB.com. He was formerly the executive editor of the Durham, North Carolina-based magazine ''Baseball America'' and i ...

named him to MLB Pipeline's Second Team Prospect Team of the Year. Following the 2019 regular season, Delaplane played for the

Peoria Javelinas The Peoria Javelinas are a baseball team that plays in the West Division of the Arizona Fall League. The Javelinas play their home games in the Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Arizona. The ballpark is also the spring training facility for the S ...

of the

Arizona Fall League The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an off-season sports league owned and operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) which operates during the autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes. Arizona Fall League rosters are fi ...

, and in six appearances was 0–1 with two saves and a 1.13 ERA over eight innings with 15 strikeouts and 1 walk. He was named a Fall League All-Star. In April 2020 Fangraphs ranked him #11 on its list of Mariners' prospects. In July 2020

CBS Sports CBS Sports is the sports division of the American television network CBS. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on W 52nd Street (Manhattan), 52nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS ...

opined: "Sam Delaplane is one of, if not the best relief prospect in the game." Delaplane did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...

. On November 20, 2020, Delaplane was added to the 40-man roster. That month MLB Pipeline named him Seattle's #20 Prospect. In February 2021, Fangraphs ranked him #9. On April 13, 2021, Delaplane underwent

Tommy John surgery Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, colloquially known as Tommy John surgery (TJS), is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's ...

, effectively ending his 2021 season. On May 27, Delaplane was

designated for assignment Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the play ...

by Seattle.

San Francisco Giants

On May 31, 2021, Delaplane was acquired by the

in exchange for cash considerations. He was placed on the 60-day injured list the next day as he continued to recover from Tommy John. Following the season, on November 30, 2021, Delaplane was non-tendered by the Giants and became a free agent. Delaplane re-signed with the Giants on December 1 on a minor league contract and was later invited to spring training. He was added to the

in June 2022; later in the month, after four rehab outings with the

San Jose Giants The San Jose Giants are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Located in San Jose, California, the Giants play their home games at Excite Ballpark. Games San Jose Giants g ...

in which he tallied 11 strikeouts, he was put on the 60-day injured list with a right forearm strain. On November 15, Delaplane was designated for assignment by the Giants after they protected multiple prospects from the Rule 5 draft. He was non–tendered by the Giants in November 18, and became a free agent. Delaplane re–signed with the Giants on a minor league contract the following day. Through 2022, in four minor league seasons, Delaplane was 12–6 with 17 saves and a 2.41 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 15.3 K/9 (278 strikeouts in 164 innings), and a 4.63 SO/W ratio in 104 relief appearances. On July 4, 2023, while playing for the High–A

Eugene Emeralds The Eugene Emeralds (nicknamed the Ems) are a Minor League Baseball team in the northwest United States, based in Eugene, Oregon. The Emeralds are members of the Northwest League and are affiliated with the San Francisco Giants. Eugene plays their ...

, Delaplane combined with

Hayden Birdsong Hayden may refer to: Places Inhabited places in the United States *Hayden, Alabama * Hayden, Arizona *Hayden's Ferry, former name of Tempe, Arizona *Hayden, California, former name of Hayden Hill, California * Hayden, Colorado *Hayden, Idaho * Hayd ...

, Mat Olsen, and William Kempner to

no-hit In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitche ...

the

Tri-City Dust Devils The Tri-City Dust Devils are a Minor League Baseball team in the northwest United States, based in Pasco, Washington. The Dust Devils are members of the Northwest League and are affiliated with the Los Angeles Angels. Tri-City plays their home gam ...

. The no-hitter was the first since 2015, and the first since the franchise became a part of the Giants organization. He elected free agency on November 6. In 2023 Delaplane pitched for the Double–A

Richmond Flying Squirrels The Richmond Flying Squirrels are a Minor League Baseball team based in Richmond, Virginia. The team, which is a part of the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants major league club, and plays at The Diamond. Th ...

, Eugene, and the Single–A

, and was 5-4 with a 4.14 ERA across 32 relief appearances. In his innings, and gave up 31 hits and 36 walks while striking out 67 batters (13.2 strikeouts per 8 innings). Delaplane elected free agency following the season on November 6.

Long Island Ducks

On April 11, 2024, Delaplane 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 "part ...

of the

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

. In 23 appearances for the Ducks, he compiled a 3–2 record and 4.63 ERA with 44 strikeouts across innings pitched. On July 9, Delaplane retired from professional baseball.

Pitching style

Delaplane mixes up a 93–96 mph rising

four-seam fastball A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family of pitches and is usually the hardest (i.e., fastest) ball thrown by a pitcher. It is ...

, and an excellent 83–88 mph curveball-grip

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 curv ...

slider Slider or Sliders may refer to: Arts * K.K. Slider, a fictional character within the ''Animal Crossing'' franchise * ''The Slider'', a 1972 album by T. Rex * ''Sliders'' (TV series), an American science fiction and fantasy television series * S ...

hybrid that has a high spin rate and late downward movement and which he releases straight over the top like his fastball.

References

External links

Eastern Michigan Eagles bioInstagram page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Delaplane, Sam Living people 1995 births Baseball pitchers Baseball players from San Jose, California Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox players Eastern Michigan Eagles baseball players Vermont Mountaineers players Arizona League Mariners players Tacoma Rainiers players Clinton LumberKings players Long Island Ducks players Modesto Nuts players Arkansas Travelers players Peoria Javelinas players San Jose Giants players Eugene Emeralds players Richmond Flying Squirrels players