Dan Merklinger

Daniel William Merklinger

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 1", Weight 195 lb.
• School Seton Hall University
• High School Seton Hall Preparatory School

• Born November 19, 1985 in Livingston, NJ USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Dan Merklinger was drafted in the 6th round of the 2007 amateur draft by the Milwaukee Brewers out of Seton Hall University. He played in the minor leagues until 2012.

In 2007, his first season, he was with the Helena Brewers of the Pioneer League, going1-0, 3.95 in 13 games. He moved up to the West Virginia Power of the South Atlantic League where he was 7-9, 5.75 in 25 games as a starter. In 2009, he combined to go 7-3, 2.56 in 19 games between the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers of the Midwest League and the Brevard County Manatees of the Florida State League. In 2010, he pitched in 27 games, including 23 starts, for three different teams, Brevard County, the AA Huntsville Stars and the AAA Nashville Sounds. Altogether, he was 8-7, 3.65 and logged 143 innings, striking out 148 batters.

In 2011, he spent the entire season at Huntsville in the Southern League, going 9-9, 4.10 in 28 games, all as a starter. He again showed excellent durability, with 158 innings and 133 strikeouts. But in spite of this, he was back at Huntsville again in 2012, where things fell apart, as he lost his starting spot, making just 8 starts in 24 appearances, and went 4.-7, 6.50. Ironically, in spite of these struggles, he was part of a five-pitcher combined no-hitter against the Chattanooga Lookouts on August 2nd, relieving Jimmy Nelson before being succeeded by R.J. Seidel, Darren Byrd and Brandon Kintzler. The five pitchers in a no-hitter were a Southern League record, and the numerous pitching changes were prompted by the fact that although they allowed no hits, they gave up 11 walks in the 3-1 win. Merklinger, who took over in the 5th after Nelson had pitched the first four frames, only remained with Huntsville for another week, making his last appearance on August 8th before being released. The Colorado Rockies signed him and assigned him to the Colorado Springs Sky Sox of the Pacific Coast League, where he gave up no runs in 7 innings in the final days of the season. These turned out to be his last professional appearances, so at least he ended his career on a positive note.

After retiring from baseball, he started a career as a medical device sales representative in the New York City metropolitan area.