Sam Delaplane

BIOGRAPHY

Sam Delaplane was born March 27, 1995, in San Jose, California. He is a pitcher in the MLB.

Undrafted out of high school, Delaplane attended Eastern Michigan University, earning a degree in Marketing. He spent four seasons (2014–2017) playing college baseball for the Eastern Michigan Eagles, and was first-team All-Mid-American Conference in his senior year. During the summer of 2016, he played for the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod League. Delaplane was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 23rd round of the 2017 MLB draft.

Delaplane split his debut season of 2017 between the AZL Mariners of the Rookie-level Arizona League and the Tacoma Rainiers of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, 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 of the Class A Midwest League, going 4–2 with 10 saves (3rd in the league) and a 1.96 ERA, and 100 strikeouts over 59+2⁄3 innings (15.1 strikeouts per 9 innings; he struck out 38% of batters faced).

In 2019, he split the season between the Modesto Nuts of the Class A-Advanced California League and the Arkansas Travelers of the Double-A Texas League, going a combined 6–3 with 7 saves and a 2.23 ERA, and 120 strikeouts (leading all minor league relievers) over 68+2⁄3 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 named him to MLB Pipeline's Second Team Prospect Team of the Year.

Following the 2019 regular season, Delaplane played for the Peoria Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League, 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 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. On November 20, 2020, Delaplane was added to the 40-man roster. That month MLB Pipeline named him Seattle’s #20 Prospect.[54] In February 2021, Fangraphs ranked him #9. On April 13, 2021, Delaplane underwent Tommy John surgery, effectively ending his 2021 season. On May 27, 2021, Delaplane was designated for assignment by Seattle.

Delaplane mixes up a 93-96 mph four-seam fastball, and an excellent 83-88 mph curveball-grip curveball/slider hybrid that has a high spin rate and which he releases straight over the top like his fastball.