Dylan Unsworth

Dylan Chowles Unsworth
(Sharkie)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 175 lb.
• High School Milnerton High School

• Born September 23, 1992 in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal South Africa

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Dylan Unsworth played for South Africa in the 2008 World Junior Championship. He attended the MLB European Academy in 2009. He made his senior national team debut in the 2009 Baseball World Cup, at only age 16. Despite his youth, he led the team in ERA at 4.50. He relieved Jared Elario in the 6th with a 9-6 deficit against Cuba and allowed five hits but only one run in two innings before Jean Sawyer replaced him; among those he retired were Cuban league MVPs Yulieski Gurriel (twice) and José Abreu.

In September 2009, he was signed by Seattle Mariners scouts Wayne Norton and Philip Biersteker. He was 2-5 with a 3.93 ERA in his pro debut with the AZL Mariners in 2010, incredibly walking only one batter in 50 1/3 IP. He tied for 4th in the Arizona League in losses. He had a 6-5, 5.16 record for the 2011 Pulaski Mariners, walking 10 in 61 innings. He was 4th in the Appalachian League in wins, two behind leader Tim Shibuya. He was 7-2 with a 3.90 ERA for the 2012 Everett AquaSox. He tied Joan Gregorio and Roman Madrid for 4th in the Northwest League in victories and was 5th with 67 whiffs.

In the 2013 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers, Unsworth got the start against Israel and allowed a Nate Freiman homer in the first but then threw five straight shutout innings (4 H, 0 BB, 6 K on the day) before Elario relieved. He took the loss as South Africa could not get their offense going. He split 2013 between the Clinton Lumber Kings (4-1, 2.32 in 11 G, 2 BB in 66 IP) and AZL Mariners (3 R in 6 IP, 10 K), missing time with a right elbow strain.

The Durban native battled right shoulder pain in 2014, going 6-9 with a 5.90 ERA for the High Desert Mavericks with 119 K to 19 BB in 119 IP. He had the lowest walk in the California League and the 4th-best strikeout rate. In '15, he was with the Bakersfield Blaze (1-3, 3.32 in 11 G) and Jackson Generals (4-7, 4.34 in 13 G), making it to AA. He struck out 95 and walked 17 in 107 innings.

In February 2016, he pitched for South Africa in the 2017 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers, again starting the opener. He again dazzled, holding New Zealand to two hits (by Max Brown and Connar O'Gorman) and no walks or runs in eight innings, striking out four, before Garth Cahill relieved; he had the best ERA in the Sydney Qualifiers. South African manager Alan Phillips was the subject of some criticism for using his ace in the opener instead of saving him for the later games (he was ineligible due to pitch count rules); they wound up going with Kyle Gaddin to pitch the finale.

Sources

• Bothasig baseball bio
• 2009 Baseball World Cup
• 2016 Mariners Media Guide
• World Baseball Classic