Brent Leach
Encyclopedia
Brent Leach is an American
pitcher
for the Yokohama BayStars
. He previously pitched in 2009 in Major League Baseball
for the Los Angeles Dodgers
.
He went to Brandon High School in Brandon, Mississippi
and attended college at the University of Southern Mississippi and Delta State University
. He missed the 2004 baseball season while undergoing Tommy John Surgery
but was still drafted by the Dodgers in the 6th round of the 2005 MLB Draft.
and then in spent the year with the Columbus Catfish
and the Vero Beach Dodgers. In , Leach he played with the Advanced A Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino
, playing in 14 games. Leach played with both the 66ers and the Double-A Jacksonville Suns
in 2008.
He was added to the Dodgers 40 man roster before the 2009 season and earned his first Major League call-up when the Dodgers promoted him from Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts
on May 2, 2009.
Leach made his Major League debut with one scoreless inning of relief against the Washington Nationals
on May 6, 2009. He made 38 appearances out of the bullpen for the Dodgers before he was sent back to the minors. He finished the season with the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes
. In 2010 he began his season with Albuquerque, but was sent back to the AA Lookouts in an attempt to convert him from a reliever to a starter. In 13 starts, he was 7-3 with a 4.57 ERA.
of Nippon Professional Baseball.
On March 17, 2011, in the wake of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami
and the resulting nuclear radiation scare, Leach left the country. He has said he has no desire to return and the Nippon Baseball commissioner involved a rare rule, placing Leach on the restricted list, preventing him from playing anywhere else for the duration of his two-year contract.
On July 8th, Yokohama announced that they were going to reinstate Leach, as he had decided to return to Japan to pitch. He issued the following statement, "I'm really grateful to get another chance to play in Japan. Even after returning to the US, I had thoughts about playing for the Bay Stars. I made some good friends here during spring camp. I want to get to Ichi-gun as quickly as I can and do my best to help the team out."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the Yokohama BayStars
Yokohama BayStars
The are a professional baseball team in the Japanese Central League. Home field is the Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The clubhouse is located near the stadium....
. He previously pitched in 2009 in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
.
He went to Brandon High School in Brandon, Mississippi
Brandon, Mississippi
Brandon is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 16,436 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rankin CountyBrandon is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
and attended college at the University of Southern Mississippi and Delta State University
Delta State University
Delta State University, also known as DSU, is a regional public university located in Cleveland, Mississippi, United States, in the heart of the Mississippi Delta...
. He missed the 2004 baseball season while undergoing Tommy John Surgery
Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body...
but was still drafted by the Dodgers in the 6th round of the 2005 MLB Draft.
Los Angeles Dodgers
He made his minor league debut in with the Ogden RaptorsOgden Raptors
The Ogden Raptors are a minor league baseball team in the Pioneer League based in Ogden, Utah, United States. The club plays at Lindquist Field, whose view beyond the outfield fence was named the best in professional baseball by a staff writer for Grand Slam Enterprises, INC.The Raptors are one of...
and then in spent the year with the Columbus Catfish
Columbus Catfish
The Columbus Catfish were a minor league baseball team in Columbus, Georgia. They were a Class A team in the South Atlantic League, and were an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays since September 29, 2006. The Catfish relocated to Bowling Green, Kentucky for the 2009 season.The Catfish played home...
and the Vero Beach Dodgers. In , Leach he played with the Advanced A Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino
Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino
The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino are a minor league baseball team in San Bernardino, California, United States. They are the Class A – Advanced affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and play in the California League...
, playing in 14 games. Leach played with both the 66ers and the Double-A Jacksonville Suns
Jacksonville Suns
The Jacksonville Suns are a minor league baseball team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The team is currently a member of the Southern League and is the class Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins Major League Baseball team...
in 2008.
He was added to the Dodgers 40 man roster before the 2009 season and earned his first Major League call-up when the Dodgers promoted him from Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts
Chattanooga Lookouts
The Chattanooga Lookouts are a minor league baseball team based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. They are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team, which plays in the Southern League, has been a Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers major-league club since the 2009 season. The Lookouts...
on May 2, 2009.
Leach made his Major League debut with one scoreless inning of relief against the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
on May 6, 2009. He made 38 appearances out of the bullpen for the Dodgers before he was sent back to the minors. He finished the season with the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes
Albuquerque Isotopes
The Albuquerque Isotopes are a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers...
. In 2010 he began his season with Albuquerque, but was sent back to the AA Lookouts in an attempt to convert him from a reliever to a starter. In 13 starts, he was 7-3 with a 4.57 ERA.
Yokohama BayStars
On December 21, 2010, he was designated for assignment by the Dodgers and signed with the Yokohama BayStarsYokohama BayStars
The are a professional baseball team in the Japanese Central League. Home field is the Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The clubhouse is located near the stadium....
of Nippon Professional Baseball.
On March 17, 2011, in the wake of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
and the resulting nuclear radiation scare, Leach left the country. He has said he has no desire to return and the Nippon Baseball commissioner involved a rare rule, placing Leach on the restricted list, preventing him from playing anywhere else for the duration of his two-year contract.
On July 8th, Yokohama announced that they were going to reinstate Leach, as he had decided to return to Japan to pitch. He issued the following statement, "I'm really grateful to get another chance to play in Japan. Even after returning to the US, I had thoughts about playing for the Bay Stars. I made some good friends here during spring camp. I want to get to Ichi-gun as quickly as I can and do my best to help the team out."