Tim Melville

Tim Melville
Free agent
Pitcher
Born: (1989-10-09) October 9, 1989
Alexandria, Virginia
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
April 10, 2016, for the Cincinnati Reds
Teams

Timothy Macgill Melville (born October 9, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Reds in 2016.

Career

Melville attended Wentzville Holt High School in Wentzville, Missouri. He played for the school's baseball team as a pitcher. In 2007, his junior year, he threw a perfect game.[1] He pitched to a 10–1 win–loss record and a 0.89 earned run average (ERA) as a junior, and was named the Aflac National Player of the Year.[2] He pitched to a 8–1 win–loss record and a 2.56 ERA in his senior year, while recording 89 strikeouts in 57 innings pitched.[3] He committed to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) to play for the North Carolina Tar Heels on a college baseball scholarship.[4]

Baseball America ranked Melville as the best high school player available in the 2008 Major League Baseball draft. Because of the commitment to UNC, Melville fell out of the first round in the draft. The Kansas City Royals selected him in the fourth round, with the 115th overall selection, and signed him to a contract with a $1.25 million signing bonus.[4]

Melville began his professional career with the Burlington Bees of the Class A Midwest League in 2009, pitching to a 7–7 win–loss record and a 3.79 ERA. He was promoted to the Wilmington Blue Rocks of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League in 2010, where he struggled, pitching to a 2–12 win–loss record and a 4.97 ERA. He returned to Wilmington in 2011, and compiled a 11–10 record with a 4.32 ERA.[5] Melville required Tommy John surgery in 2012. In 2014, Melville pitched for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals of the Class AA Texas League, but struggled with a 2–11 win-loss record, a 5.50 ERA, while allowing 68 walks in  129 1⁄3 innings.[6]

After the 2014 season, when he became a free agent. He signed with the Detroit Tigers for the 2015 season,[7] and played for the Toledo Mud Hens of the Class AAA International League.[6] He signed with the Cincinnati Reds for the 2016 season.[2] The Reds considered adding Melville to their Opening Day starting rotation, but instead chose Robert Stephenson, who was already on the Reds' 40-man roster.[8] Melville was assigned to the Louisville Bats of the International League.[9]

On April 8, the Reds announced Melville would start in the series finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates, in place of Anthony DeSclafani, on April 10. The start marked Melville's MLB debut.[10] The Reds designated Melville for assignment on April 22.

Personal life

When Melville was 11 years old, he had surgery to correct his pectus excavatum at the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters in Norfolk, Virginia.[11] A steel rod was implanted in his chest, and removed one and a half years later.[2][5]

References

  1. ↑ Brandon W. Mudd (April 29, 2007). "Indians' Melville tosses perfect game". stltoday.com. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 "Tim Melville overcoming odds, on brink of big-league debut". Cincinnati.com. March 24, 2016. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Royals pick signs at deadline". Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  4. 1 2 Dave Benson (August 17, 2008). "Melville a millionaire". stltoday.com. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  5. 1 2 Kaegel, Dick (January 11, 2012). "Prospect Melville takes pride in helping others". MLB.com. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Detroit Tigers prospects Tim Melville and Daniel Fields power Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens triumph – MiLB.com News – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  7. ↑ Rob Rogacki (February 17, 2015). "Could a move to the bullpen help Tim Melville break out with the Tigers? – Bless You Boys". Bless You Boys. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  8. ↑ Buchanan, Zach (April 4, 2016). "Robert Stephenson can win more big-league time - later". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Reds' Tim Melville: Assigned to Triple-A Louisville". CBS Sports. April 3, 2016. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  10. ↑ Rosecrans, C. Trent (April 8, 2016). "Reds' Melville to start Sunday for DeSclafani". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  11. ↑ Hummel, Rick (April 16, 2016). "Hummel: Reds' Melville helps others understand unique surgery". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
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