Wikipedia

Caleb Cotham

Caleb Kent Cotham (born November 6, 1987) is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees (2015) and Cincinnati Reds (2016). He is currently the pitching coach for the Philadelphia Phillies. In 2019–20, Cotham served as the Reds’ assistant pitching coach, eventually becoming the team's director of pitching.

Caleb Cotham
Cotham with the Reds in 2016
Philadelphia Phillies – No. 65
Pitcher / Coach
Born: (1987-11-06) November 6, 1987 (age 37)
Mount Juliet, Tennessee, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
July 29, 2015, for the New York Yankees
Last MLB appearance
May 28, 2016, for the Cincinnati Reds
MLB statistics
Win–loss record1–3
Earned run average7.15
Strikeouts32
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams
As player
As Coach

Early life

edit

Cotham attended Mount Juliet High School in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. He was team captain and graduated in 2006.[1][2] Cotham attended Vanderbilt University, where he played college baseball for the Vanderbilt Commodores.[3] In 2008 and 2009, Cotham played collegiate summer baseball with the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[4][5][6]

Professional career

edit

New York Yankees

edit
 
Cotham pitching for the Yankees in 2015

The New York Yankees selected Cotham in the fifth round of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft.[7] He had surgery to repair a partially torn meniscus in his right knee.[8] That year he spent time with the GCL Yankees and Staten Island Yankees before being shut down in September after aggravating the knee injury.[8] He missed the entire 2010 season after undergoing knee and labrum surgery.[9][10] Cotham returned to the New York-Penn League in 2011, allowing four runs on 21 hits and nine walks in 21 innings. He started the 2012 season with the Charleston RiverDogs before being promoted to the Tampa Yankees in May.[11] Overall, he pitched to a 3.64 ERA in 101.1 innings between the two levels.

Before the 2013 season, Baseball America rated Cotham as the pitcher with the best control in the Yankees system.[12] He started the year in Double-A Trenton before getting promoted to Triple-A Scranton in May.[13] He ultimately pitched to a 5.07 ERA in 124.1 innings that season. Cotham played for five different teams in 2014 after missing significant time to an injury.[9] He pitched in the Arizona Fall League that year, allowing nine runs but striking out 14 in 13.1 innings out of the bullpen.[14][15]

He became a relief pitcher in 2015, recording a 2.21 earned run average (ERA) in 57 innings pitched.[16][17] After starting the season with Trenton, Cotham was promoted to Triple-A.[18] The Yankees promoted Cotham to the majors for the first time on July 29, 2015.[19] On the same day, he made his Major League debut with the Yankees, pitching one and two-thirds innings, giving up two hits, and striking out four.[20] Cotham was sent back down the next day, then went back and forth multiple times in August.[1][21][22] He was called up when rosters expanded in September.[23] Cotham appeared in 12 games for the Yankees, allowing 14 hits and eight runs in 9.2 innings of work.

Cincinnati Reds

edit

On December 28, 2015, the Yankees traded Cotham, Eric Jagielo, Rookie Davis, and Tony Renda to the Cincinnati Reds, in exchange for Aroldis Chapman.[24] He made the Reds' Opening Day roster in 2016.[25] Cotham went on the Disabled List with shoulder inflammation on May 31.[26] While attempting to rehab from the injury, he suffered a knee injury. Cotham underwent season-ending knee surgery in August,[27][28] finishing the 2016 season with an 0–3 win–loss record and a 7.40 ERA. The Reds outrighted Cotham from their 40-man roster on October 28.[29] He elected free agency on November 7.[30]

Seattle Mariners

edit

On February 28, 2017, Cotham signed a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners.[31][32] On March 10, 2017, Cotham announced his retirement via his Twitter account.[33]

Coaching career

edit

Cincinnati Reds

edit

The Reds hired Cotham as their assistant pitching coach before the 2019 season, where he worked with Derek Johnson, his pitching coach at Vanderbilt.[34] The Reds gave Cotham the added title of director of pitching, following the 2019 season.[35]

Philadelphia Phillies

edit

On November 20, 2020, Cotham was hired to be the team's new pitching coach.[36]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Humbles, Andy. "Mt. Juliet's Caleb Cotham sent down after Yankees debut". The Tennessean. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  2. ^ "Caleb Cotham". Vanderbilt University Athletics - Official Athletics Website. May 4, 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  3. ^ Joyce, Thomas (December 17, 2015). "Embracing the switch to relief". lebanondemocrat.com. Lebanon Democrat. Archived from the original on November 5, 2017. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  4. ^ Horton, Sue (May 11, 2020). "All Time Major League Baseball Players from the Cape Cod Baseball League" (PDF). capecodbaseball.org. Cape Cod Baseball League. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  5. ^ "2008 Brewster Whitecaps". thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  6. ^ "2009 Brewster Whitecaps". thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  7. ^ "MJ's Cotham signs with Yankees". mtjulietnews.com. Mt. Juliet News. August 19, 2009. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Prospect Profile: Caleb Cotham". River Avenue Blues. February 3, 2010. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Caleb Cotham Player Card | Baseball Prospectus". www.baseballprospectus.com. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  10. ^ "Mailbag: Soriano, Garcia, Curtis, Cotham, Joseph". River Avenue Blues. July 15, 2011. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  11. ^ "RiverDogs Rutckyj sizzles in debut". Post and Courier. May 20, 2012. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  12. ^ Manuel, John (November 9, 2012). "Yankees Top 10 Prospects". College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  13. ^ "Betances throws five no-hit innings as SWB sweeps doubleheader". River Avenue Blues. May 5, 2013. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  14. ^ Jennings, Chad. "Arizona Fall League gets started today". The Journal News. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  15. ^ "2014 Scottsdale Scorpions - Arizona Fall League - The Baseball Cube". TheBaseballCube.com. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  16. ^ Jennings, Chad. "From obscurity, Cotham making his case in Yankees' bullpen". The Journal News. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  17. ^ Buchanan, Zach (April 28, 2016). "Caleb Cotham succeeding with curveball, thirst for knowledge". cincinnati.com. The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  18. ^ Peruffo, Nick (May 15, 2015). "Mark Montgomery, Caleb Cotham called up to Triple-A Scranton". Trentonian. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  19. ^ Hatch, Ryan (July 29, 2015). "Yankees cut Chris Capuano, call up reliever Caleb Cotham". nj.com. NJ.com. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  20. ^ "Yankees Designate Chris Capuano For Assignment, Call Up Caleb Cotham". cbslocal.com. WCBS-TV. Rotowire. July 30, 2015. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  21. ^ "Yankees recall Cotham, designate Capuano". MLB.com. August 15, 2015. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  22. ^ Tidrow, Mick (August 4, 2015). "Trade deadline acquisition Dustin Ackley placed on DL". Bronx Pinstripes | BronxPinstripes.com. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  23. ^ Jennings, Chad. "Here are the basics on the Yankees' first wave of September call-ups". The Journal News. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  24. ^ Brown, Dave (December 28, 2015). "Yankees acquire closer Aroldis Chapman in trade with Reds". cbssports.com. CBS Sports. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  25. ^ Buchanan, Zach (April 3, 2016). "Cincinnati Reds pitching notes: Dan Straily in majors, Steve Delabar in Triple-A". cincinnati.com. The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  26. ^ Sheldon, Mark. "Cotham on DL with shoulder inflammation". MLB.com. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  27. ^ Buchanan, Zach (July 30, 2016). "Notes: Caleb Cotham to have knee surgery". cincinnati.com. The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  28. ^ Sheldon, Mark. "Cotham to miss rest of season with torn meniscus cartilage". MLB.com. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  29. ^ Rosecrans, C. Trent (October 28, 2016). "Reds outright 3 from roster; Abel De Los Santos claimed by Angels". cincinnati.com. The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  30. ^ "Minor League Free Agents 2016". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  31. ^ Todd, Jeff (February 28, 2017). "Minor MLB Transactions: 2/28/17". mlbtraderumore.com. MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  32. ^ Trupin, John (February 23, 2017). "Mariners add RHP Caleb Cotham to the reliever pile". Lookout Landing. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  33. ^ "Caleb Cotham Retires". MLB Trade Rumors. March 9, 2017. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  34. ^ Nightengale, Bobby (January 3, 2019). "Reds name Caleb Cotham as their assistant pitching coach". cincinnati.com. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  35. ^ Sheldon, Mark (October 24, 2019). "Zinter tabbed to be Reds' hitting coach". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  36. ^ Salisbury, Jim (November 20, 2020). "Phillies hire 33-year-old pitching coach who has chemistry with Girardi". nbcsports.com/philadelphia. NBC Sports Philadelphia. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Caleb_Cotham&oldid=1237993823"