Jason Thomas Berken is a 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...

 right-handed relief pitcher

Relief pitcher

A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...

 for the Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...

.

Baseball career

Berken graduated from West De Pere High School

West De Pere High School

West De Pere High School is one of two public high schools in De Pere, Wisconsin. Built in 1960, it serves students in the 9th to the 12th grade. The school's mascot is the phantom. The Phantoms compete in the Bay Conference.- Achievements :...

. He played for Clemson's

Clemson University

Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....

 baseball team

Clemson Tigers baseball

The Clemson baseball team represents Clemson University in NCAA Division I college baseball. The team participates in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tigers are currently coached by head coach Jack Leggett and play their home games in Doug Kingsmore Stadium...

. While at Clemson, he played for the New England Collegiate Baseball League

New England Collegiate Baseball League

The New England Collegiate Baseball League is a 12-team collegiate summer baseball league founded in 1993 and sanctioned by the NCAA and Major League Baseball. Each NECBL team plays an eight-week, 42-game schedule during June and July, with a playoff in early August...

's Keene Swamp Bats

Keene Swamp Bats

The Keene Swamp Bats are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Keene, New Hampshire. The team, a member of the New England Collegiate Baseball League , plays their home games at Alumni Field. In the NECBL, they are consistently one of the top teams and have reached the league playoffs in each...

.

Berken was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...

 in the 6th round (175th overall) of the 2006 draft

2006 Major League Baseball Draft

The 2006 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 6 and 7. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams.-First Round Selections:...

. On May 26, 2009, after pitching just 25 2/3 innings for AAA Norfolk

Norfolk Tides

The Norfolk Tides are a minor league baseball team in the Triple-A International League. They play at Harbor Park in Norfolk, Virginia. Since 2007 they have been a farm team of the Baltimore Orioles; prior to that, they had a 38-year affiliation with the New York Mets.-Franchise history:The...

, he was called up to the Orioles' roster to replace injured outfielder

Outfielder

Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...

 Lou Montanez

Lou Montañez

Luis Anibal Montañez is a Puerto Rican professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent.-Minor leagues:...

. He earned his first major league win that day, giving up two runs in five innings in a 7-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays

2009 Toronto Blue Jays season

The 2009 Toronto Blue Jays season was the franchise's 33rd in Major League Baseball, and the 20th full season of play at the Rogers Centre. The team was managed by Cito Gaston, who took over the team midway through 2008. After eight years as General Manager, J. P. Ricciardi was fired on the...

. However, he finished the year with a 6-12 record, along with a 6.54 ERA in 119 2/3 innings pitched.

External links