Drey Jameson

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Drey Matthew Jameson

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Biographical Information[edit]

Pitcher Drey Jameson was drafted 34th overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2019 amateur draft, as a compensation pick for the Los Angeles Dodgers signing OF A.J. Pollock as a free agent. He was already the fourth player taken by the D-Backs in the draft, following OF Corbin Carroll (#16), P Blake Walston (#26) and P Brennan Malone immediately before Drey. This was part of Arizona having gathered 8 of the first 93 selections that year. He was taken out of Ball State University, where he had been a two-way player in his freshman year, also making starts in the outfield, before concentrating on his work on the mound. He went 7-2 and 6-3 in his two years, with very good strikeout rates (243 in 163 innings over the two seasons). He remained a very good all-around athlete and was still used regularly as a pinch-runner ever after becoming the school's pitching ace as a sophomore.

He began his professional career in 2019 by making 8 abbreviated starts for the Hillsboro Hops of the Northwest League, totalling just 11 2/3 innings. The D-Backs wanted him to keep a starter's routine, but limited his innings severely, as is often the case for young pitchers coming off a busy college season. He then had to sit out the 2020 season when the Coronavirus pandemic wiped out the minor league season, but came back in 2021. He started back at Hillsboro, which had been promoted two levels to High-A West since he had last pitched there, and after 13 games was promoted to the Amarillo Sod Poodles of the Double-A Central, as he was clearly on a quick path to the majors. Between the two teams, he made 20 starts in 21 games, logged 110 2/3 innings, and finished at 5-6, 3.98. He continued to show great strikeout prowess, with 145 Ks, against just 36 walks. In 2022, he went 7-13, 6.95 between Amarillo and the AAA Reno Aces: he did very well in 4 starts at Amarillo, but was just 5-12, 6.95 with Reno. He gave up 152 hits in 132 2/3 innings while striking out 132 batters between the two teams.

Jameson's struggles in Reno may have delayed his major league debut, but the Diamondbacks still gave him a chance to show his stuff towards the end of the 2022 season, with a starting assignment against the San Diego Padres. He fully seized the opportunity, with 7 masterful innings during which he allowed no runs on two hits and a walk, while striking out five. He received credit for his team's 4-0 win.

Further Reading[edit]

  • Steve Gilbert: "Jameson shuts down Padres in MLB debut: No. 9 prospect is latest D-backs pitcher to find success in first start vs. SD", mlb.com, September 16, 2022. [1]

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