Rich Dorman

Richard Earl Dorman

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 210 lb.
• School Western Baptist College

• Born September 30, 1978 in Surprise, AZ USA

BR minors page

Biographical Information

Rich Dorman spent nine years as a pro pitcher, including one full year and parts of three others at AAA. He later coached.

Dorman was taken by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 13th round of the 2000 amateur draft. He was signed by scout Paul Kirsch and made his pro debut that summer. Dorman was 2-6 with a 3.47 ERA for the Hudson Valley Renegades, with nearly as many walks (40) as strikeouts (46) in 2000. He split 2001 between the Renegades (3-0, 2.58) and Charleston RiverDogs (1-5, 6.51). Overall, he walked 61 in 102 innings and threw 12 wild pitches. He was three walks shy of leading the Devil Rays minors. Tampa Bay let him go in February 2002.

The Seattle Mariners took a flier on Dorman, signing him for 2002. He went 5-6 with a 4.30 ERA for the Everett AquaSox while cutting his walk rate somewhat. He still led the Northwest League in runs allowed (53) and wild pitches (12). In 2003, the right-hander was with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (1-2, 4 Sv, 2.80, 62 K in 45 IP) and Inland Empire 66ers (5-0, Sv, 2.65, 40 K in 37 1/3 IP).

Dorman moved back to the starting rotation in 2004 with Inland Empire (3-2, 2.68) and the San Antonio Missions (8-4, 3.48). Overall, he whiffed 173 and walked 76 in 145 2/3 innings. He was fourth in the Texas League in strikeouts (behind Ezequiel Astacio, D.J. Houlton and Jeff Francis) and third in the Seattle farm system, 10th in the affiliated minors.

The 26-year-old right-hander battled injury in 2005, as well as more control problems (43 BB in 68 2/3 IP). He made appearances that year with the AZL Mariners (5.40, 20 K in 10 IP), San Antonio (3-0, 0.45, 24 K, 7 H in 20 IP) and the Tacoma Rainiers (4-4, 6.28, 26 BB in 38 2/3 IP in his AAA debut).

In 2006, Dorman was 7-7 with a save and a 4.55 ERA for the Rainiers, with 67 walks in 118 2/3 innings. The next year, he was in the Florida Marlins chain, pitching for the GCL Marlins (0 R, 1 H, 10 K in 6 IP), the Carolina Mudcats (1 R in 5 IP) and the Albuquerque Isotopes (1-1, 5.06). He pitched for the Cardenales de Lara that winter.

Rich returned to the Seattle system in 2008. He did very well with the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx (7-2, 2.62, .211 opponent average) and Tacoma (2-4, 4.78). He walked 38 in 127 innings, indicating that he had solved his control issues. He was second in the Mariners chain in ERA (3.26, behind Michael Pineda) and in wins (one behind Andrew Baldwin). He missed a month with tendonitis, though.

Plagued by recurrent arm injuries, Dorman retired as a player. He remained in the M's system as pitching coach of the Everett AquaSox in 2009-2010, Clinton LumberKings in 2011, Everett in 2012-2013, AZL Mariners in 2014-2015, and Clinton again in 2016. Dorman left the Rockies' organization in June of 2016.

Dorman was an assistant coach at Grand Canyon University in 2017-2019 before moving to Oregon State University in 2020.