Carter Capps
Capps with the Miami Marlins
Seattle Redhawks
Pitcher / Coach
Born: (1990-08-07) August 7, 1990 (age 33)
Kinston, North Carolina, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
August 3, 2012, for the Seattle Mariners
Last MLB appearance
September 8, 2017, for the San Diego Padres
MLB statistics
Win–loss record4–3
Earned run average4.21
Strikeouts184
Teams
As player

As coach

Carter Lewis Capps (born August 7, 1990) is an American former professional baseball pitcher, and current pitching coach for the Seattle Redhawks. Capps played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, and Miami Marlins from 2012 to 2017.

Amateur career

Capps in 2013

Capps attended North Lenoir High School in LaGrange, North Carolina. He played for the school's baseball team as a backup catcher.[1] He enrolled at Mount Olive College and played for the baseball team as a pitcher. He posted a 24–1 win–loss record after two years (including an NCAA Division II-record of 24 straight wins).[1] In 2011, he played collegiate summer baseball in the Cape Cod League as a relief pitcher for the Harwich Mariners, and was named a league all-star.[2][3]

He earned attention for a three-inning, five-strikeout performance on July 13, 2010, against Team USA's collegiate all-star team.[1]

Professional career

Seattle Mariners

Capps was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the third round of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft out of Mount Olive.[4]

After a poor 2011 debut with the Clinton LumberKings of the Class A Midwest League, in which he had a 1–1 record and a 6.00 earned run average (ERA) in 18 innings, Capps improved dramatically with his performance as the closer for the Jackson Generals of the Class AA Southern League in 2012. Before being promoted to the Tacoma Rainiers of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League Capps struck out 72 hitters in 50 innings and posted 19 saves, along with a 1.26 ERA. He pitched only 1+1⁄3 innings in AAA.[5] For his performance with the Generals, Capps was named the best relief pitcher in the Southern League in 2012.[6]

Capps was called up to the majors for the first time on July 31, 2012.[7] He made his major league debut against the New York Yankees on August 3. His first recorded out was against Derek Jeter.[1]

Capps was recalled by the Mariners on August 6, 2013.[8]

Miami Marlins

On December 13, 2013, the Mariners traded Capps to the Miami Marlins for Logan Morrison.[9] In 2015, Capps pitched to a 1.16 ERA.[10] On March 8, 2016, in Gulf Breeze, Florida, Dr. James Andrews performed Tommy John surgery on Capps, ruling him out for the 2016 season. Capps had entered spring training expecting to compete with A. J. Ramos for the role of Marlins closer.[11]

San Diego Padres

On July 29, 2016, the Marlins traded Capps, Josh Naylor, Jarred Cosart, and Luis Castillo to the San Diego Padres for Andrew Cashner, Colin Rea, Tayron Guerrero, and cash considerations.[12]

Capps began the 2017 season on the disabled list, to continue rehabbing from his previous Tommy John surgery.[13] He was outrighted to Triple-A on March 26, 2018.[14] Capps declared free agency on October 9, 2018.

Pitching style

Although his four-seam fastball was in the low 90s as a starter in college,[15] it averaged 99 mph out of the bullpen in the majors, as-well at times 100-101 MPH. He paired the hard fastball with a sweeping curveball at 81–85 mph and an occasional changeup against left-handed hitters.[16]

With his tall frame, Capps releases the ball at a low three-quarters arm angle far to the side of the pitching rubber, making it difficult for right-handed hitters to pick up the ball out of his hand.[17]

He was notable for having a unique leaping hitch in his delivery, which was described as a "slide skip",[18] a "hop-step",[19] and a "crow-hop".[20] The delivery shortened the distance between him and the batter before he released the ball.[21] The delivery was reviewed by MLB and deemed legal,[22] despite a rule change concerning pitching before the 2017 season.[23]

Coaching career

On January 12, 2021, Capps joined the New York Mets organization as a minor league pitching coach and coordinator.

On November 23, 2021, Capps was announced as the new pitching coach for the Seattle Redhawks, Seattle University's men's baseball team which competes in the NCAA's Division I as a member institution of the Western Athletic Conference,[24] returning him to the city where he began his major league career.

References

  1. ^ a b c d Kudialis, Chris (August 8, 2012). "Kinston's Capps reaches major leagues a year after being drafted". News & Observer. Charlotte, NC. Archived from the original on December 18, 2013. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  2. ^ Randall, Rick (May 19, 2012). "SeattleClubhouse Q&A: Carter Capps". Scout.com. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  3. ^ "#25 Carter Capps". pointstreak.com. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  4. ^ "Mariners sign third-round selection Carter Capps". MLB.com (Press release). August 9, 2011. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  5. ^ "Carter Capps Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  6. ^ Harris, Chris (September 14, 2012). "Generals Update (SLCS Gm4 – Friday, September 14)". Inside the Jackson Generals. MLBlogs Network. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  7. ^ Divish, Ryan (July 31, 2012). "More pregame notes & lineups: Carter Capps and Stephen Pryor officially called up, Peguero sent down". The News Tribune. Archived from the original on December 11, 2013. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  8. ^ Johns, Greg (August 6, 2013). "Mariners option Wilhelmsen, recall Capps". mlb.com. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  9. ^ Rodriguez, Juan C. (December 13, 2013). "Marlins make Morrison trade official". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  10. ^ Petriello, Mike. "Game of thrown: Carter Capps is king?". mlb.com. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
  11. ^ Fernandez, Andre C. (March 8, 2016). "Marlins' Carter Capps undergoes Tommy John surgery". Miami Herald. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
  12. ^ "Padres acquire four players from Miami Marlins in seven-player trade". MLB.com (Press release). July 29, 2016. Archived from the original on August 1, 2016. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  13. ^ Cassavell, AJ (March 29, 2017). "Capps to begin 2017 season on DL". MLB.com. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
  14. ^ Byrne, Connor (March 26, 2018). "Padres Outright Carter Capps". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  15. ^ Sickels, John (August 8, 2012). "Prospect Notes: Carter Capps and Stephen Pryor, Seattle Mariners - Minor League Ball". Minor League Ball. SBNation.com. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  16. ^ "Brooks Baseball · Home of the PitchFX Tool - Player Card: Carter Capps". Brooks Baseball. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  17. ^ Sullivan, Jeff (August 9, 2012). "Carter Capps, Visualized". Lookout Landing. SBNation.com. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  18. ^ Traina, Jimmy (April 17, 2015). "MLB re-examines weirdest pitching delivery in game". Fox Sports. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  19. ^ Castrovince, Anthony (August 20, 2015). "Best Under-the-Radar Seasons". Sports on Earth. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  20. ^ McKenna, Henry (July 8, 2015). "Watch Xander Bogaerts's game-winning hit against MLB's strangest pitcher". Boston.com. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  21. ^ McKenna, Henry (July 9, 2015). "Is Carter Capps's bizarre throwing motion illegal?". Boston.com. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  22. ^ Schoenfield, David (April 14, 2015). "Carter Capps' delivery is strange and apparently legal". ESPN. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  23. ^ Lin, Dennis (March 2, 2017). "Carter Capps' delivery still expected to be legal after MLB rule addition". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  24. ^ @CarterCapps (November 23, 2021). "So thankful for the opportunity Seattle U has given my family and I. I am very excited to be joining the Redhawks!…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.

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