Just what Seattle Mariners fans need: another pitching prospect to follow.
Jordan Shipers, a 21-year-old left-hander assigned to Low-A Clinton (Iowa), put himself on the Mariners’ prospect map by pitching a complete game, nine-inning no-hitter in a 10-0 win over West Michigan on Wednesday night.
Shipers walked two and struck out two while throwing the Lumber Kings’ first nine-inning no-hitter since Scott Dunn pitched one in 2000. He let his defense do the majority of the work.
“I just went out there and threw strikes,” Shipers told the Clinton Herald. “It doesn’t happen too often. I was in a zone.”
The 5-foot-10 Shipers was selected by the Mariners in the 16th round of the 2010 draft, out of South Harrison High School in Bethany, Mo. His high school did not have a baseball team, so Shipers pitched in an Iowa wood-bat league to show his talent. The Mariners signed him to a lofty $800,000 bonus, prying him away from a commitment to play for Missouri State.
Shipers has solid numbers for Clinton. In 17 starts, he is 4-3 with a 3.18 ERA. He has shown good control in 99 innings, walking just 26 while striking out 52.
The no-hitter was not his only shutout of the year – he pitched a nine-inning three-hit shutout against Burlington on May 5.
SLUGGER’S CATCHER SAVES THE DAY
Tacoma Rainiers All-Star designated hitter Luis Jimenez was having a tough time in the Triple-A All-Star Home Run Derby on Monday night in Buffalo, N.Y.
With the rules stating that he had 10 “outs” to hit as many home runs as he could, all Jimenez did in front of over 17,000 fans was pop up and ground out.
He had made seven “outs” without a homer when fellow Tacoma all-star Guillermo Quiroz stepped in.
“Me and Jimmy have been playing together since Venezuela and we know each other really well,” said Quiroz. “I stopped the pitcher from throwing, gave him a towel, gave him some Gatorade, and gave him a different bat.”
Jimenez proceeded to hit five home runs in a row – three of which the Buffalo News described as “moon shots to right that approached the parking deck in territory almost never reached in games.”
Jimenez reached the semifinals of the derby before succumbing to eventual champion Valentino Pascucci of the hometown Buffalo Bisons.
Mike Curto is the radio broadcaster for the Tacoma Rainiers.
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