Andrew Brackman
Encyclopedia
Andrew Warren Brackman (born December 4, 1985) is an American pitcher
in Major League Baseball
. He signed a four-year, $4.55 million-dollar deal with $3.35-million signing bonus as the New York Yankees
' first-round choice (30th overall pick) of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft
. Brackman is represented by sports agent Scott Boras
.
in Cincinnati, Ohio
. There he was one of the top high school pitchers in the country, and a two-sport standout. He had a career ERA of 1.04, the seventh best in the history of Ohio high school baseball, and helped lead Moeller to a 28-3 record and the Ohio state championship as a senior. He was ranked as the No. 18 senior in America by Team One Baseball, and listed as the No. 4 prospect in Ohio for the 2004 draft by Baseball America
.
He was runner-up for Mr. Basketball in Ohio by the Associated Press
, shared Ohio's Division I Player of the Year honors, and was named first-team all-state, as he averaged 20.2 points and 6.5 rebounds as a senior. He led his conference in scoring and field-goal percentage (.654), and was second in free-throw percentage (.882). He was rated the No. 42 prospect nationally by Insiders.com, and No. 43 by PrepStars following his senior season.
where he played two seasons as a dual-sport athlete, in basketball and baseball. During his freshman basketball season (2004–2005), he played center and forward averaging 7.4 points and 3.5 rebounds.
In his freshman baseball season, he was 4-0 with a 2.09 ERA in 10 appearances as both a reliever and later, as a starting pitcher. He was starting pitcher of the first game of the 2005 ACC Baseball Tournament
, striking out five batters in seven innings to earn the victory against the Miami Hurricanes
. He was named a second-team preseason All-America player by Baseball America
for 2006.
After the Wolfpack
was defeated in the 2006 NCAA tournament
second round by Texas, Brackman chose not to return to the basketball team the next season, and instead focused on developing his pitching with hopes of doing well in professional baseball.
Brackman suffered a stress fracture to his hip in his sophomore year of baseball limiting him to only seven games and a disappointing 1-4 record with a 6.09 ERA. In the summer of that year, he pitched for the Orleans Cardinals
in the Cape Cod League earning a 1-0 record with a 1.09 ERA. This effort led to Baseball America
ranking him the league's number two prospect.
Brackman's junior year at NC State saw a return to his freshman-year numbers: in 13 games he struck out 74 batters in 78 innings with a 3.81 ERA and a record of 6-4, but due to elbow injuries, he did not pitch in either the ACC nor the NCAA tournament.
. Following the draft, the Yankees signed Brackman to a guaranteed $4.5 million deal for four years including a $3.55 million signing bonus spread out over six years. The club also held options over Brackman for the 2011, 2012, and 2013 seasons which would have boosted the total value of his contract over $13 million if he met his bonus requirements. As specified by his contract, the Yankees placed Brackman on the 40 man roster.
Brackman was optioned to the Class-A Tampa Yankees
in the Florida State League
. The Yankees recommended that he see Dr. James Andrews
in Alabama to address his lingering elbow concerns. Later in August 2007, he underwent Tommy John surgery
. Brackman began the 2008 season on the 60-day disabled list, a procedural move to keep him on the 40-man roster. Despite this setback, the Yankees still considered him a "blue-chip prospect". On February 1, 2008, Keith Law
of ESPN
ranked Brackman in the top 100 baseball prospects of 2008, and both Baseball America
and Baseball Prospectus
list him as in the Yankees' top ten prospects for 2009.
Brackman spent pitching for the Class A Charleston RiverDogs
, where he has struggled. Baseball America
named him the Yankees' tenth best prospect for 2010. Brackman had a strong 2010 season with the Class A Advanced Tampa Yankees
and Class AA Trenton Thunder
.
On September 23, the Yankees promoted Brackman to the major leagues. The Yankees exercised their option for Brackman for 2011.
Going into the 2011 season, Brackman was rated the third-best prospect in the Yankees organization by Baseball America
. After struggling in the early part of the 2011 season, Brackman altered his mechanics, which produced improved results. As a result of his turnaround, Brackman was promoted to the Yankees again in September. Brackman and fellow prospect Dellin Betances
made their MLB debuts on September 22, 2011. Brackman allowed one hit and no runs pitching an inning and a half in middle relief against the Tampa Bay Rays
. Following the 2011 season, the Yankees declined his 2012 option, making him a free agent.
that has touched 99 mph. He complements this pitch with a two-seam fastball
, knuckle curve
, and a changeup
. His knuckle curve is thrown at 78-81 mph. His height and overhand action give his pitches a desirable "downward plane".
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. He signed a four-year, $4.55 million-dollar deal with $3.35-million signing bonus as the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
' first-round choice (30th overall pick) of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft
2007 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2007 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, and was held on June 7 and June 8, 2007...
. Brackman is represented by sports agent Scott Boras
Scott Boras
Scott Boras is an American sports agent, specializing in baseball. He is the founder, owner and president of the Boras Corporation, a sports agency based in Newport Beach, Calif. that represents roughly 175 professional baseball clients, including many of the game's highest-profile players...
.
High school career
Brackman attended Moeller High SchoolMoeller High School
Archbishop Moeller High School , known as Moeller, is a private, all-male, college-preparatory high school in the suburbs of Cincinnati, in Hamilton County, Ohio...
in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. There he was one of the top high school pitchers in the country, and a two-sport standout. He had a career ERA of 1.04, the seventh best in the history of Ohio high school baseball, and helped lead Moeller to a 28-3 record and the Ohio state championship as a senior. He was ranked as the No. 18 senior in America by Team One Baseball, and listed as the No. 4 prospect in Ohio for the 2004 draft by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
.
He was runner-up for Mr. Basketball in Ohio by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, shared Ohio's Division I Player of the Year honors, and was named first-team all-state, as he averaged 20.2 points and 6.5 rebounds as a senior. He led his conference in scoring and field-goal percentage (.654), and was second in free-throw percentage (.882). He was rated the No. 42 prospect nationally by Insiders.com, and No. 43 by PrepStars following his senior season.
College career
Brackman attended North Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
where he played two seasons as a dual-sport athlete, in basketball and baseball. During his freshman basketball season (2004–2005), he played center and forward averaging 7.4 points and 3.5 rebounds.
In his freshman baseball season, he was 4-0 with a 2.09 ERA in 10 appearances as both a reliever and later, as a starting pitcher. He was starting pitcher of the first game of the 2005 ACC Baseball Tournament
2005 ACC Baseball Tournament
The 2005 ACC Baseball Tournament was held at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville in Jacksonville, FL from May 25th through May 29th. Georgia Tech won the tournament and earned the Atlantic Coast Conference's automatic bid to the 2005 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament.-Play-In Bracket:*The four...
, striking out five batters in seven innings to earn the victory against the Miami Hurricanes
Miami Hurricanes baseball
The Miami Hurricanes baseball team is the college baseball program that represents the University of Miami.Since 1973, the program has been one of college baseball's elite with 23 College World Series appearances, winning four national championships and advancing to the NCAA regionals a record 39...
. He was named a second-team preseason All-America player by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
for 2006.
After the Wolfpack
NC State Wolfpack
The athletic teams of the North Carolina State University, known as the Wolfpack, compete in 24 intercollegiate varsity sports. NC State is a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference and has won eight national championships: two NCAA championships, two AIAW championships, and four titles...
was defeated in the 2006 NCAA tournament
2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2005–06 basketball season...
second round by Texas, Brackman chose not to return to the basketball team the next season, and instead focused on developing his pitching with hopes of doing well in professional baseball.
Brackman suffered a stress fracture to his hip in his sophomore year of baseball limiting him to only seven games and a disappointing 1-4 record with a 6.09 ERA. In the summer of that year, he pitched for the Orleans Cardinals
Orleans Cardinals
The Orleans Firebirds are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Orleans, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League and plays in the league's Eastern Division....
in the Cape Cod League earning a 1-0 record with a 1.09 ERA. This effort led to Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
ranking him the league's number two prospect.
Brackman's junior year at NC State saw a return to his freshman-year numbers: in 13 games he struck out 74 batters in 78 innings with a 3.81 ERA and a record of 6-4, but due to elbow injuries, he did not pitch in either the ACC nor the NCAA tournament.
Professional career
Brackman's injury record hurt his draft value, and he was not selected until the 30th pick of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft2007 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2007 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, and was held on June 7 and June 8, 2007...
. Following the draft, the Yankees signed Brackman to a guaranteed $4.5 million deal for four years including a $3.55 million signing bonus spread out over six years. The club also held options over Brackman for the 2011, 2012, and 2013 seasons which would have boosted the total value of his contract over $13 million if he met his bonus requirements. As specified by his contract, the Yankees placed Brackman on the 40 man roster.
Brackman was optioned to the Class-A Tampa Yankees
Tampa Yankees
The Tampa Yankees are a minor league baseball team based in Tampa, Florida. They are currently members of the Florida State League and are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the New York Yankees Major League Baseball team. Home games are played at George M. Steinbrenner Field, a miniature replica of...
in the Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
. The Yankees recommended that he see Dr. James Andrews
James Andrews (physician)
James Rheuben Andrews, M.D., born 1942 in Homer, Louisiana, is an orthopedic surgeon who practices at the Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in Gulf Breeze, Florida. He also practices in Birmingham, Alabama at the Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center located at St....
in Alabama to address his lingering elbow concerns. Later in August 2007, he underwent Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body...
. Brackman began the 2008 season on the 60-day disabled list, a procedural move to keep him on the 40-man roster. Despite this setback, the Yankees still considered him a "blue-chip prospect". On February 1, 2008, Keith Law
Keith Law
Keith Law is a senior baseball writer for ESPN.com and ESPN Scouts, Inc. He was formerly a writer for Baseball Prospectus and worked in the front office for the Toronto Blue Jays. He is a member of the Baseball Writers Association of America....
of ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
ranked Brackman in the top 100 baseball prospects of 2008, and both Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
and Baseball Prospectus
Baseball Prospectus
Baseball Prospectus is an organization that publishes a website, BaseballProspectus.com, devoted to the sabermetric analysis of baseball. BP has a staff of regular columnists and provides advanced statistics as well player and team performance projections on the site...
list him as in the Yankees' top ten prospects for 2009.
Brackman spent pitching for the Class A Charleston RiverDogs
Charleston RiverDogs
The Charleston RiverDogs are a Minor League Baseball team based in Charleston, South Carolina. They play in the class A South Atlantic League and are an affiliate of the New York Yankees. Their home stadium is at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park...
, where he has struggled. Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
named him the Yankees' tenth best prospect for 2010. Brackman had a strong 2010 season with the Class A Advanced Tampa Yankees
Tampa Yankees
The Tampa Yankees are a minor league baseball team based in Tampa, Florida. They are currently members of the Florida State League and are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the New York Yankees Major League Baseball team. Home games are played at George M. Steinbrenner Field, a miniature replica of...
and Class AA Trenton Thunder
Trenton Thunder
The Trenton Thunder are an American Minor League Baseball team and are the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. The Thunder play in the Eastern Division of the Eastern League, and are the two-time defending league champions...
.
On September 23, the Yankees promoted Brackman to the major leagues. The Yankees exercised their option for Brackman for 2011.
Going into the 2011 season, Brackman was rated the third-best prospect in the Yankees organization by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
. After struggling in the early part of the 2011 season, Brackman altered his mechanics, which produced improved results. As a result of his turnaround, Brackman was promoted to the Yankees again in September. Brackman and fellow prospect Dellin Betances
Dellin Betances
Dellin Betances is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees.-Early life:At the age of 10, Betances was a Yankee fan who sat with the Bleacher Creatures for the perfect game of former Yankees pitcher David Wells in 1998...
made their MLB debuts on September 22, 2011. Brackman allowed one hit and no runs pitching an inning and a half in middle relief against the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
. Following the 2011 season, the Yankees declined his 2012 option, making him a free agent.
Pitching style
Brackman consistently throws a 92-97 mile-per-hour fastballFastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
that has touched 99 mph. He complements this pitch with a two-seam fastball
Two-seam fastball
A two-seam fastball is a pitch in baseball and a variant of the straight fastball. The pitch has the speed of a fastball, but the general movement of a screwball...
, knuckle curve
Knuckle curve
In Major League history, the term knuckle curve has been used to describe three entirely different pitches.The first, more common pitch called the knuckle curve is really a standard curveball, thrown with one or more of the index or mean fingers bent. According to practitioners, this gives them a...
, and a changeup
Changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
. His knuckle curve is thrown at 78-81 mph. His height and overhand action give his pitches a desirable "downward plane".